Oasis In The Desert

A few years back, a friend told me she was going to grow an English Garden. This would not have been unusual news except for the fact that we live in Las Vegas, Nevada where the temperatures swing from winter lows in the 20’s to summer highs up to 110 degrees and sometimes higher. On top of that, she was a full time business owner and would have limited time to devote to gardening. Nevertheless, she insisted she could do it and that it would be gorgeous. Six months and one parched landscape later, she formed a support group for disillusioned gardeners.

Years later, I would find myself on a similar precipice, ready to jump into the pool of hopefuls longing for a slice of paradise. Let me begin by telling you that I was a firsttime homeowner with no gardening background. I simply dug in (pun intended) and did it. After scads of research, picking the brains of other gardeners and the local nursery, the best path to my oasis in the desert was paved by trial and error.

The secret to gardening in the desert is really no secret…it’s the same as any other location…soil conditioning, water, exposure, the right plant selections and knowing how to combat insect infestation and plant disease. The only difference is that in the desert, it’s harder! But every spring I know it was worth the effort when my garden is a burst of color.