Native Plant Garden Design in Nevada - Desert Ecology & Water-Wise Landscaping

Design landscapes to capture and utilize every drop of precipitation. Create basins around plants to collect water. Use berms and swales to direct runoff to planting areas. Install rain gardens in natural drainage patterns. Minimize or eliminate lawn areas. Group plants by water needs with lowest-water natives in driest zones.

Recreate natural desert ecosystems: Great Basin sagebrush steppe in northern areas, Mojave Desert communities in the south, or pinyon-juniper woodlands at elevation. Use appropriate native combinations: sagebrush with native grasses, Joshua trees with desert wildflowers, or creosote with brittlebush.

Preserve native desert soils and existing biological soil crusts where possible. Avoid over-tilling which destroys soil structure. Add minimal amendments—native plants adapted to lean, alkaline soils. Use desert-appropriate mulches like decomposed granite or small rock to reduce water loss.

Provide nectar sources for desert pollinators throughout the growing season. Include host plants for native butterflies and moths. Plant seed-producing species for desert birds. Create shelter with shrub clusters. Install water features as critical resource in arid environments.

Use natural stone, decomposed granite, and locally-sourced materials that complement desert aesthetics. Create outdoor living spaces that minimize heat absorption. Design shade structures using native materials. Incorporate artistic elements that celebrate desert culture and geology.

Design for minimal long-term maintenance once established. Accept natural plant forms rather than heavy pruning. Allow natural leaf drop to mulch plants. Use organic methods only—no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Embrace the natural growth cycles of desert plants.