Xeriscape Plant Guide: 100 Water-Wise Plants for Gardens and Landscapes

This is one of the best books to reference for Colorado climates!! Or any xeric garden. Easy to read, great pictures, and descriptions. A+++

This is one of my favorite resources for adding plants to my garden in Albuquerque. While I have other plant guides that are better simply because they are more specific to my region, none match this one for beauty. This book is clearly a labor of love from a group of people who are hoping to advance xeric gardening in the Denver area. The information extends pretty well to planting zones 4-7, especially for dry, high altitude climates. The number of plants listed is a little low compared to other guides that I use, but the coverage of each plant is excellent - one or two full pages of text and pictures. The two-page entries generally include several pictures, including pictures from different seasons. There is also a color drawing of each plant, which makes it easier to see significant details and is helpful with identification. The text is also useful and well organized, but it is the pictures that I spend the most time browsing through.

I live in Colorado, 11 miles north of New Mexico. This book has been a wonderful resource for my xeric gardening. Each plant/tree/vine is decribed by: landscape use, form, native range, characteristics, culture (soil type, etc.), best features, companion plants, disadvantages, and related species. There are pictures of each plant in all 4 seasons. I take this book with me to plant nurseries and find that people are coming over to look at it and read about their possible purchases. I agree this is not a resource for the desert southwest but it is excellent for those living in the area from Denver to the middle of New Mexico who wish to learn about water-wise planting.

One myth about xeric design is that it requires the use of only cactus and rock. Not true! In fact, there are seven xeric concepts and these concepts can be applied in any landscape. They are;1. Pland and design for water conservation from the start. 2. Create practical turf areas. 3. Use plants that are appropriate for your area. 4. Consider adding soil improvements such as compost, manure, etc. 5. Use mulches where possible, such as wood chips, rock, etc. 6. Irrigate efficiently. 7. Plan for an appropriate maintenance system for your landscape.The Xeriscape Plant guide provides a lot of good information on low-water use plants for dry areas, which are not only found in the Sonoran Desert but in many other places in the west as well. The book provide details on companion plants, advantages and disadvantages of specific plants and even offers photos of specific plants in different seasons. It is part of a 3-book series,and all three are worth having if you are interested in specific information on low water plants, designing a xeric garden and providing the right kind of care.

Beautiful illustrations of all the seasons and altitude information made this book very useful to me. I could choose those few plants that I can find to grow at my altitude and know how they would look in conjunction with the already established plants in all the seasons. Need a fall color there? You can find it! All in all very helpful.