Advice for creating a personal backyard or patio oasis – Las Vegas Weekly

Sure, you live in the Mojave Desert, one of the driest places in the world. But that doesnt mean you cant turn your backyard or patio into a garden paradise.

Norm Shilling, president of Schilling Horticulture and co-host of KNPRs Desert Bloom radio show, says creating a desert oasis is absolutely worth the effort. Home is sanctuary, Schilling says. We spend a lot of our time and effort creating a beautiful home environment thats just right for us. The landscapeyour outdoor living spaceis an extension of that.

Schilling describes his own half-acre yard as a botanical garden that hosts approximately 400 species of plants, provides shade, nurtures wildlife (birds, lizards and butterflies) and always has something in bloom. My garden pulls me into it, Schilling says. Thats what a garden should do. It should be a space that you want to be in.

Dont let an experts garden intimidate you, though. Even the pros have learned from hard experience: If you were to come to my garden, you would look at it and you say, Oh, my God, this is so beautiful. But what you wouldnt see are all the plants that have already died, Schilling says. Failure is part of the gardening experience. He advises celebrating success and learning from failures.

Like many desert transplants, Schilling didnt always appreciate its stark beauty. He moved from Southern Ontario, Canada, to Southern Nevada at age 10 and hated it. I got here and thought it was the ugliest place I could possibly imagine, Schilling says. But by young adulthood, Schilling learned to love the geography of his adopted home. Its so harsh and at the same time its so delicate, Schilling says. At first glance it seems so barren, but it is just packed and full of life.

Step 1: Brainstorm. Think about what you want from your space. A childrens playground? A shady place to relax? Home-grown vegetables? Fruit trees? Or just some pretty eye candy? Do research and make a budget. If you have the resources, enlist expert help. Or just go it alone. No matter the scope, youll be improving your space and having fun.

Step 2: Lay it out. As with many things in life, a little advanced planning can save you time and money. Schilling recommends grouping your plants by their water needs. Thirsty plants (like fruit trees and lawns) go together, and arid plants go together. Place shade-loving plants where they will get shade and sun-loving plants in the sun. When considering where to plant, remember to leave space for plants to grow to their full size. Dont lay them out for the size they are today. Youll also want to plan out any irrigation or watering systems.

Step 3: Start planting. Schilling recommends starting with young, small plants. They tend to establish themselves more quickly and make for the best investments.

If you plan to actually use a lawnsay you have children or pets who will physically play on itthen Schilling says that grass makes sense. On the other hand, if you just want to look at something pretty, decorating with desert plants is an easier, more environmentally friendly option.

Youre on a tight budget.

Buy young, desert-loving plants and give them space to grow.

Youre short on space.

If you only have an apartment patio, you can still grow a lovely garden using containers.

You want to block out your neighbors.

Dont plant a tree thats going to grow so big it destroys the wall. Plant a bush or small tree that will only reach 10-15 feet of height/spread at maturity.

Youve got weeds.

Dont ruin your day by trying to pick your weeds all at once. Schilling advises only weeding for five to 10 minutes at a time and focusing on pulling weeds before they flower and reproduce.

You like flowers.

Plant cactus. Seriously. The most beautiful flowers in my garden are the cactus blooms, Schilling says. The petals are translucent, so light flows through. Schilling recommends a cactus with brilliant, multicolored flowers called the Flying Saucer (Latin name: Trichocereus hybrid). Schilling says the blooms are so big that you can literally put your face in it and be a bee. And if its backlit, you are in this gorgeous, glowing universe.

Youre looking for big impact.

Go vertical. Add different levels to your garden, whether that means raising a garden bed by a foot or putting a container on a plant stand. Displaying plants at a variety of heights creates visual interest.

Easy. Theyre suited to our environment, which means they require little water and are generally low maintenance.

Enduring. They tend to have a much longer blooming season, Schilling says, with some plants flowering in the middle of summer or winter.

Beautiful. They often have really rich colors of foliageblues and golds and purples. They also have really amazing, bold textures, especially when you get into cacti and suc

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Advice for creating a personal backyard or patio oasis - Las Vegas Weekly