Kevin Floyd, Ph.D., on 25 Years of the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens and Tips for Starting Your Own Garden
October 2024
By Anna Carrillo, '19, '21

Did you know that right in the heart of UTEP’s campus lies a thriving garden featuring over 600 species of plants, all native to or adapted to the Chihuahuan Desert? The Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, founded in 1999, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and has blossomed into a stunning oasis. If you haven’t visited campus in a while, now’s the perfect time to see its vibrant beauty.

Before becoming the Botanical Curator at UTEP’s Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, Kevin Floyd, Ph.D., began his career studying lizards and native bees. His work led to a deep appreciation for native plants, which form the foundation of the gardens today. Floyd explains that one of the main reasons for using native plants is their adaptability. “You can either fight your soil, fight the temperature, and fight the rainfall to grow something from the East Coast or the tropics… or choose native plants that don’t need as much water,” he says.

What are the best plants to grow in your yard?

Floyd said it’s a difficult question to answer for several reasons. “It depends on how much time and effort you want to invest. You can create a large, stunning garden or go for something smaller that’s still beautiful but easier to maintain”. One key factor in choosing native plants is matching them to your specific growing conditions. “Even within El Paso, conditions can vary greatly. Someone in the Upper Valley, Lower Valley, on the mountain, or out on the Far East Side will all have different soils and climates.” The best approach is to find plants that thrive in your particular environment, adapting to the natural conditions of your location.

For example:

In the valley, you might have clay soil.

On the East Side, you may find sandy soil..

Near the mountains, the soil could be rocky.

Take cottonwood trees, for instance. Floyd notes, “They thrive in the valley because they’ve evolved to grow near water. But if you try planting one on the East Side, you’d have to pour a ton of water, which is expensive and stressful for the plant. Instead, you could grow a Desert Willow. They're tall, beautiful, and flower throughout the summer. They grow in arroyos, handle sandy soil, and don’t need as much water."

It’s all about matching the plant to your environment.

Sunlight is another important factor. Are you planting on the north side of your house, where there’s shade, or the south side, which gets full sun? “Some plants are adapted to desert canyons and prefer shade or cooler environments, so you can plant those on the north side. For the hotter south side, you’ll want tough desert plants,” Floyd advises.

Plant Favorites

• Cottonwood trees: Thrive in the valley near water sources.
• Desert Willow: Tall, beautiful, summer-flowering, and great for sandy soil.
• Apache plume: Flourishes in arroyos.
• Creosote: Known for its lovely scent after rain and yellow flowers (a local favorite).
• Blackfoot daisies: Bloom almost constantly with white flowers.
• Salvias and sages: Ideal for sunny conditions.
• Hummingbird Bush: Attracts hummingbirds and thrives in full sun.

“When you start gardening, there’s life, there’s activity — it’s a really rewarding experience. You can’t get overly discouraged when some plants don’t make it; nature has its ways. Sometimes, we plant something and it dies, but then we plant the same thing in the same spot, and it survives,” Floyd says, emphasizing the importance of persistence. “As temperatures rise, we’ll need to embrace native plants even more. You will save water, time, and money since you don’t have to replace them yearly.”

Floyd’s top piece of advice? “Just try it and keep trying”.

Helping Biodiversity

One of the biggest reasons to use native plants is their role in protecting biodiversity. As Floyd points out, urbanization and habitat loss are significant challenges. “When new houses are built, native habitats are often destroyed. If we replace them with non-native plants or just rocks, insects won’t have food, and that affects the birds too. So having that little pocket of native plants in your yard is one thing that we all can do to try to reverse that and make a difference in the world”.

How You Can Help

Like any garden, the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens require regular upkeep, from repairing water systems to maintaining light fixtures and fixing cracks in the walls. You can help by donating or purchasing plants from the annual Florafest plant sale, held twice a year in spring and fall. It’s the perfect opportunity to start or expand your own native garden. But you don’t have to wait for April’s 2025 Florafest sale to get started. Visit your local nursery and pick some favorites today!

You can also visit the Centennial Museum, Monday through Friday, to explore the new exhibit Cultivating Your Home: Embracing Chihuahuan Desert Diversity. The exhibit features a dedicated section on how to start your own desert garden.

For more information about the next Florafest, visit: Florafest (utep.edu)

Anna Carrillo ’19, ’21, born and raised in El Paso, Texas, is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at El Paso, where she earned her bachelor’s in business marketing and a master's degree in leadership studies. With a strong belief in the power of leadership to bring about positive change and commitment to community service, Anna's current role as the Stewardship Manager at El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank allows her to engage and serve the community.

 

To learn more about Anna and our other Miner Nation Contributors, click here.