The desert is your life, or how you view the world. It sets the stage.
Is it a hospitable place with plenty of water, and shade? Or is it hostile, bare, perhaps studded with prickly cacti? Is it level and monotonous, or would you call it serene? Or is it a dramatic landscape of cliffs and gullies?
Can you sum up the feel in a single word?
Certain elements tend to mean certain things across the board. Remember, if this feels wrong, search for your own personal association with an object. For example, mountains are said to represent spirituality, but for me (an atheist who grew up in the Rockies) they represent home, and a sense of comfort and security. This is your mental landscape, so make sure you take the time to discover what interpretation is right for you, personally.
Cacti can represent difficult people. They may stand for other difficulties too, but their tall human-like shape makes them a convenient metaphor.
Palm trees stand for sources of support, shelter, and nourishment. They can appear on the scene to support the ladder or shade the flowers. Palm trees in your desert can stand for affluence, faith in the abundance of the universe, or someone or something that supports and nourishes you.
Water represents emotional nourishment, the presence and feeling of love. Family can be an oasis, flowers may be water lilies floating in love. A thirsty horse in a dry desert could be a warning signal your partner needs more affection. Some see the storm as a source of water - those who like to fight and make up, or who have grown closer to loved ones in times of trouble.
Mirages represent illusions - they may simply mean you enjoy the shimmer of fantasy and mystery. Conversely they could also suggest that you doubt your hopes and dreams will come true.
Dunes are suggestive of sensuality. They can signify a satisfying love life, pleasure in your senses, or that you see the world as soft, welcoming, and motherly.
Mountains can represent spirituality. You keep a spiritual perspective in sight, a permanent, protective presence in life.
Cliffs and gullies and other dramatic terrain can suggest dramatic events or emotional ups and downs. This desert often belongs to someone with strong mood swings, or has an eventful, challenging life.
Flat terrain can mean an uneventful life or mild depression.
A gently rolling landscape is more indicative of an even temperament or peaceful existence.
Bare desert with no "extras" is a sign of extreme self-reliance. (The severity is softened if your ladder is leaning against your cube - then it's "you and me against the world")