The entire 180-acre Springs Preserve campus is a living example of sustainable living, design and architecture. Its buildings are among the most “green” in the nation. The Preserve implemented design and construction techniques that follow guidelines created by the U.S. Green Building Council, meeting platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements. In addition, the Preserve features specific educational resources for sustainable living, including a multitude of exhibits inside our Desert Living Center focused on clean energy, green building practices, recycling and more.
Weekly classes and workshops offer focused instruction on topics such as composting, gardening and water-smart landscaping. In the 8-acre Gardens, visitors can be inspired by thousands of desert-friendly plants, a bio-filtration wetland area and demonstrations of sustainable gardening practices.
The Botanical Gardens at the Springs Preserve are home to the largest collection of Mojave Desert cacti and succulent plants, featuring 110 acres of display gardens, natural gardens, wildlife habitats, walking and biking trails, and educational resources. The Gardens contain 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 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 cacti and Yucca species were salvaged from local lands that were being developed for residential or commercial use.
The Springs Preserve was the recipient of the 2012 Horticulture Magazine Award for Garden Excellence, which honors public gardens that best exemplify the highest standards of horticultural practices. The Gardens at the Springs Preserve were recognized at the American Public Gardens Association’s annual conference for outstanding horticultural displays, regionally inspired gardens, environmentally friendly gardening practices and commitment to teaching and encouraging home gardeners and students at all levels.
The Gardens at the Springs Preserve have been recognized as one of the “Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Traveling For” by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and the Canadian Garden Tourism Council.
