The vast Sonoran Desert is near the city of San Diego, the location of the Conference & Expo. This paper discusses how the normal conditions of the desert can be models for extreme and changing conditions for garden design in areas with low rainfall and periodic water shortages. It examines the survival techniques of wildlife that have ingeniously engineered methods to thrive in environments that appear to be especially hostile to human habitation and land cultivation. Given continuing development and the impacts of climate change, people in many places find that their customary weather patterns, rainfall, and planting zones no longer provide the expected results in the garden. Different approaches to planting design and building materials have been shown to reduce operational costs, and provide more sustainable landscapes. Based on years of research on desert garden design and following the recent publication of a book on this topic featuring the award-winning projects of Steve Martino in the Sonoran Desert, Dr. Yglesias presents practical information about desert plants, pollinators, soils, land forms, and water conservation techniques. This paper concludes with recommendations about better design practices that respect and nurture native habitats, and the people who live there.
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