As I reported earlier this year, I invited a good friend to set up a new honeybee hive at Santa Fe Greenhouses. I was hoping that the “queen and her girls” (as they are affectionately called) would among other things, improve the seed yield in my various stock plant beds (perennials from which we collect [...]
Being a western gardener my whole life, the brilliant skies and intense sunshine have had a profound influence on my plant choices and the colors I like to use in my gardens. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s the bright, bold, saturated colors that my eyes enjoy the most. Share on Facebook
Winter in northern New Mexico can hang around way too long. Like spring blooming bulbs and other early season perennials, these two favorite flowering shrubs assure me spring is really coming and warmth is on the way. Share on Facebook
Continue reading about My Two Favorite Early Spring Blooming Shrubs
Lavender is one of our greatest garden plants. It combines soothing color and fragrance with durability, structure and texture into a perfect package. Here in the cold, arid high desert of New Mexico I use it in practically every planting and grow at least 20 cultivars of cold hardy types at High Country Gardens. I [...]
Recommended Varieties I have numerous favorites amongst the 300 or so species of Beardtongues. Admittedly, my favorites are well adapted to the high desert/intermountain region in which I garden. These plants all thrive in cold zone 6 winters, arid conditions and extremely intense sunlight. But they also thrive in other regions of the country where [...]
Continue reading about The Genus Penstemon; The Royalty of American Wildflowers (Part 2)
Agave (century plants) are in the top tier of my favorite plants. I enjoy them for their incredible geometric symmetry, their ornamental yet fearsome spination and the remarkable impact their sculptural forms have on the landscape, especially the larger growing species. Share on Facebook
Continue reading about Two Remarkable, Cold Hardy Agave Species from Northern Arizona
I’m not one for making lots of New Year’s resolutions. But I did promise myself that I’d get my collection of cacti and succulents re-potted this winter. Because High Country Gardens is such a large grower of cold hardy cacti and South African succulents, we like to grow seed of my favorite plants. Often commercial [...]
Continue reading about Growing Cacti and Succulents for Seed Production
This Mediterranean native bulb commonly known as Lily of the Field or Winter Daffodil provides a brief but fabulous bit of color in the fall xeriscape. The large, deep yellow, six petaled flowers appear suddenly in late September here in Santa Fe’s high elevation, short season Zone 6 climate. (They bloom later in warmer areas.) [...]
Continue reading about Fall blooming bulbs; the stunning Sternbergia lutea!
One of my favorite native genera is Zauschneria, also know by its common names such as Hummingbird Trumpet, Fire Chalice and California Fuchsia. (To botanists and botanically informed gardeners who read this blog, you’ll note that I have refused to lump them into the Fireweed genus Epilobium) Share on Facebook
Continue reading about Pour on the Orange; Planting Zauschneria for Hummingbirds
Fall is in the Air I look forward to my gardens this time of the year. Many of my favorite native plants and ornamental grasses come into flower as the summer transitions to fall. Living and gardening at an elevation of nearly 7, 000 ft. here in Santa Fe, you can already feel a hint [...]
Continue reading about Cold Hardy, Late Summer / Early Fall Blooming Sages
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