All too often, new residents in the Las Vegas area make the wrong choices when deciding on landscaping for their home.  If you have recently arrived in the Valley from another state, you may want to plant the same shrubs, trees and flowers that you had in your yard back home.  The plantings you enjoyed in rainy, humid tropical Florida or cool and damp Oregon will not thrive in the dry heat of Las Vegas.

Surrounding yourself with the same landscaping with which you are familiar sounds wonderful in theory but in practice, here in the Mojave Desert, it will not work!  We have a specific type of climate here that presents a challenge to gardeners:  poor soil and very dry conditions with only 4 inches of rain per year.

However, our growing season is long with approximately 265 days from the last killing spring frost in early March to the first fall frost in early November.  Here in the hottest region of Nevada at an elevation of 2,162 feet, summer temperatures of 105 degrees are common – with occasional highs reaching from 110 to 116.

Before beginning your landscaping, be aware that if you have any allergies, these are some of the plantings that contribute to distribution of pollen:  Bermuda grass, privet and the lovely flowering oleander which blooms from spring through fall but is a poisonous shrub.   Two other types of trees that have made a heavy contribution to Las Vegas allergies are the olive and mulberry, which were not native to the area but were brought here by new residents.

By the way, statistics and our local allergists tell us that at this time, approximately 25 per cent of Las Vegans suffer from seasonal allergies.

Researching the Las Vegas desert plants should be considered and Sunset Western Gardens Books offer a wealth of information for gardeners.  Also, there are several good local nurseries that will answer questions about what plantings are best for this area.

Cacti, of course, are always a good bet for our climate since their need for water is minimal and they thrive in our dry heat.  These native plants come in a large variety of sizes and shapes and many of them put forth striking blooms.   They are easy to grow and usually grow very fast.

Some other trees to be considered – which are native to the desert – are palm trees such as the Sago and Desert Fan Palm.  Like the hardy cactus, these trees do not require much water and will work with our local landscaping environment, instead of fighting it.

If you live in a home in a community that is governed by a home owners association, you will be required to submit a landscaping plan to the board of directors to ensure that your plantings are in harmony with the overall landscaping of the neighborhood.