Located just minutes from downtown Las Vegas, the Springs Preserve is considered the “birthplace of Las Vegas.” Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978, the Springs Preserve is the site of the original artesian springs which provided water to the Las Vegas Valley in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, it is an educational and cultural complex encompassing more than 180 acres and features museums, galleries, hiking and biking trails and other amenities.
At its heart, the Botanical Gardens at the Springs Preserve comprise 110 acres and are home to a large collection of Mojave Desert cacti and succulent plants. It also features display gardens, natural gardens, wildlife habitats and educational resources for kids and adults alike.
Inside the Gardens, visitors will find more than 1,200 species of native and desert-adapted plants. More than 400 mature trees and plants, some 20 years old and more than 30 feet tall, were transplanted to the Gardens and throughout the Springs Preserve.
The Mojave native plants on display were grown from seed collected in the Las Vegas Valley, making the plants genetically true and better adapted to the climate. Almost all of the native cactus and yucca species were salvaged from local lands that were being developed for residential or commercial use.
Springs Preserve staff members are pursuing various conservation efforts to ensure the survival of plant species found in the Mojave Desert. Among these is a cactus salvage program, which has saved cactus species which were declining in number because of new development.
In addition, Springs Preserve staff are actively studying and preserving other native plant species, including the endangered Las Vegas bearpoppy, the Blue Diamond cholla (a compact cactus that grows only in the Blue Diamond hills of the nearby Spring Mountains), and the rare Las Vegas buckwheat, a shrub which grows at elevations of 1,900 to 3,900 feet and is only found in Southern Nevada.
As a creative, innovative learning environment, the Gardens enables visitors to explore native and nonnative desert-adapted plant life through interpretive stations, hands-on workshops, guided tours, and more. As well, guests can learn about landscaping techniques and different ways to enhance outdoor space with water-smart landscaping.
Guests also can go on weekly guided walks through the Gardens and participate in workshops focusing on desert gardening and cooking. Creative programs led by local experts in photography, sculpture, painting and other artistic disciplines enhance the Gardens experience; the Gardens often display works by local artists who use the natural landscape of the Botanical Gardens as both the palette and the venue for their vision.
In 2012, the Botanical Gardens at the Springs Preserve received the Horticulture Magazine Award for Garden Excellence, which honors public gardens that best exemplify the highest standards of horticultural practices. In addition, the American Public Gardens Association at its annual conference recognized the Gardens for outstanding horticultural displays, regionally inspired gardens, environmentally friendly gardening practices and commitment to teaching and encouraging home gardeners and students at all levels.
Also, the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and the Canadian Garden Tourism Council in 2012 recognized the Botanical Gardens at the Springs Preserve as one of the “Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Traveling For.”
The Botanical Gardens at the Springs Preserve are at 333 S. Valley View Blvd., between U.S. Highway 95 and Alta Drive. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; Springs Preserve members and local residents get early morning entry to the Gardens and Trails beginning at 8 a.m.
For more information, call 702-822-770 or visit www.springspreserve.org.
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