David Salman on August 11th, 2010

Late summer is a time of the year for gardeners here in New Mexico  when we are waiting for our life giving “monsoon” rains and the return of the hummingbirds. We get about 60 to 70% of our annual precipitation here in New Mexico in July, August and early September. The rains were late to [...]

Continue reading about The Hummingbirds are Back!

David Salman on July 12th, 2010

The Eriogonum (pronounced eri-ög- ōnum) are a wonderfully beautiful and useful group of plants. Commonly known as the Sulfur Buckwheats, I have come to really rely on them to provide my gardens with long lasting color, structure and provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and beneficial insects. My initial encounters with the genus many [...]

Continue reading about The Wonderful Sulfur Buckwheats

David Salman on September 9th, 2009

Many years ago when I first became interested in ornamental grasses, I didn’t understand how to use them as a component of a landscape design. Now I use ornamental grasses all the time and have discovered how to combine them in the landscape with other plants. This seems to create a wonderful synergism that accentuates [...]

Continue reading about Native Ornamental Grasses and Companion Plants

David Salman on September 8th, 2009

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

David Salman on August 28th, 2009

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

Penstemon ‘Blue Lips’ is a High Country Gardens introduction (new plant to the gardening world) for 2009. While many gardeners judge a plant by only by its flowers, ‘Blue Lips’ is an excellent example of a perennial that is both dazzling in flower and sublimely beautiful with just its foliage. Share on Facebook

Continue reading about Keeping Penstemon ‘Blue Lips’ looking great all season long