Desert-friendly plants to go on sale

The Springs Preserve will host its Spring Plant Sale Saturday . It's your chance to get a wide variety of distinctive and hard-to-find plants, along with many familiar plants adapted to our desert environment.

Turn on your imagination and cut back your watering needs by growing these natives. This year, there will be more than 9,000 vibrant and colorful desert-adapted plants available from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 333 S. Valley View Blvd. Admission is free, unless you want to visit the museums and galleries.

The preserve collects seeds from Mojave native plants and grows them with the purpose of introducing new native species into our landscapes. Seemingly out of nowhere, Russ Harrison, horticulturist at the preserve, and associates have come across many unusual varieties of desert mallows. They search the Mojave Desert looking in every nook and cranny for new native plants to introduce.

"We are even surprised with plants we are finding and now growing, and want people to use them in their yards," he said. "When you give these plants a little TLC, they create a fragrant and functional use in all gardens. They are practical, water-smart and simply beautiful."

You can get these hard-to-find "desert dandy" plants in 2-inch, 4-inch, and one- and five-gallon sizes. Proceeds go to further expanding the Mojave native plant palette for our environment.

The advantages of using indigenous plants are many:

■ They've withstood the test of time.

■ They endure poor soils.

■ They survive on sparse rainfalls.

■ They make it through perennial droughts.

■ They tolerate extremely cold winters and hot summers.

■ They have built-in resistance to pests.

■ They get by on little nourishment.

■ They save water, which translates into a dollar savings for you.

■ They foster a sense of place.

■ They serve as a habitat and feeding ground for wildlife.

■ You can expect vibrant blooms beyond description.

Among the plants offered for sale will be many varieties of agaves, cactuses, penstemon and salvia, perennial wildflowers, various shrubs, succulents, vines and trees. Garden staff experts will share their knowledge about planting and caring for your new plants.

The sale also will feature a wide range of exhibitors, including Evo-Organics, Nevada Division of Forestry, Schilling Horticulture Group, Comstock Seed, Blue Diamond Gourds and It'll Gro.

Attendees also can purchase drawing tickets to win prizes, including dinner certificates from local restaurants, rounds of golf, hotel room stays, landscape maintenance services and Springs Preserve admission packages.

If you are thinking about converting to a xeriscape landscape, take time to tour the preserve garden to glean ideas about colorful species that will work well in your water-efficient landscape. Right now, the valentine's bush is beyond description.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority will offer information about converting your lawn to a water-efficient landscape. You'll be able to apply for the rebate of $1.50 per square foot of grass removed and replace it with water-efficient trees and shrubs.

For the first time, you can purchase Springs Preserve Superior Compost during the plant sale.

"This project has been in the making since the Springs Preserve opened," said Pete Duncombe, the garden curator. "All tests indicate it is a superior product, and it came from the garden's own green waste and recycled Christmas trees. You may have helped contribute to making this superior compost. It's available in reusable five-gallon buckets."

LEARN DRIP IRRIGATION

Learn how to select and assemble the components to design and install your own drip-irrigation system. The result will be big water savings. Experts from the Southern Nevada Water Authority will share their tips at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Springs Preserve. The workshop is free, but call 822-7786 for reservations.

FIRST FLOWER SHOW OF SEASON

The Flower Arrangers' Guild is having its annual spring flower show from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and March 28. Guild members put on an amazing show every year. To me, it's fun watching arrangers put finishing touches on their arrangement before judging. It's at the Nevada Garden Club Center, 3333 W. Washington Ave.

COLLEGE PLANT SALE

The College of Southern Nevada is having its final plant sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays until May 29. They are reducing plant inventory in preparation for closing the Desert Garden Center at 6221 W. Charleston Blvd.

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Sunday. You can reach him at linn.mills@ springspreserve.org or call him at 822-7754.