Landscape design & build for Vegas

Las Vegas designs embrace the desert character of the regional landscape. The color palette centers on warm desert neutrals – from creamy whites and sandy tans to orange- and auburn-inflected browns.

Planting designs foreground succulents and other drought-tolerant species, and rightly so given the arid climate. Decorative rock, from fine- or coarse-grained mulches to showpiece boulders, feature heavily within planting beds.

Within this desert-driven plant and materials palette, styles vary from traditional to modern, the former via sculpted shrubs, ornamental fountains, and natural stone paving, the latter with decorative grasses, sculptural succulents, and crisp concrete hardscaping.

People are outside for all but the hottest summer days in Las Vegas, and landscapes are built to accommodate this outdoor lifestyle. Landscape features for outdoor living are common, from kitchens and dining areas to pergola-shaded lounge spaces.

Staying cool is a top priority. Shade structures from pergolas and shade sails to umbrellas and low shade trees are common, as are water features, a time-tested landscape strategy for cooling incoming breezes.

Las Vegas’s climate calls for plants that can tolerate hot, dry, and abundantly sunny conditions. Because they evolved to thrive in these conditions, plants native to the Mojave Desert region are a great choice, and are most likely to thrive with minimal extra water or maintenance.

Native plants also go a step further, offering unbeatable habitat value. By including native plants in their landscape designs, homeowners can help in the broader effort to restore biodiversity. Desert marigold, globe mallow, Mexican olive, and desert willow are just a few of the many fabulous native species available for Las Vegas landscapes.

Climate-adapted plants from similar dry climates can also play an important role in a water-wise landscape.

Looking to max out your bird and bee visitors? Include keystone species like native sagebrush, lupine, or willow.

Given the intense desert climate, water conservation and heat-tolerance are the top considerations for Las Vegas landscapes.

With respect to plants, designers should do their part by selecting plants with minimal need for irrigation – doing so will reduce cost and maintenance requirements in addition to conserving water. Lawns should be kept to a minimum, and are best avoided entirely. Talk to your designer about the many excellent alternatives to lawns that can be incorporated into landscape designs!

With respect to people, outdoor spaces should be shaded whenever possible, either by structures or tall planting. In addition to cooling outdoor spaces, trees can help to reduce home air conditioning expenditure by casting shade on the roof and exterior walls. When in doubt, plant a tree!

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

When possible, we suggest utilizing the winter to work through the design phase – this sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.

If winter has passed, don’t worry, it’s never too late in the year to begin work on a landscape design project.