Gardening Greener with Natives, Perennials and Grasses

Interested in growing greener? That would include growing plants native to your local climate, plants that are naturally adapted to the local conditions.

Reducing water consumption is important to many of us, especially for those in dryer climates. A fantastic resource for you guys in the deserts is High Country Gardens. From Santa Fe they offer a nice selection of native plants that require less care and attention than the tropical imports and the highly hybridized annuals that are pushed at garden centers every year.

If you have an interest in any of the following you should sign up to receive the Xeriscape Gardening Newsletter.

  • Xeriscape Perennials
  • Hardy Garden Perennials
  • Groundcovers
  • Ornamental Grasses
  • Shrubs & Conifers
  • Native Plants
  • Cacti and Succulents

The past few weeks I’ve seen beautifully illustrated emails on the topics of using ornamental grasses, gardening with color, perennials, dahlias, thymes and salvias, and even one about Blue Orchard Mason Bee Nest Tubes for Spring.

The online catalog is handsome. Clean lines, not too cluttered, yet full of information. Tool tips pop up with item specifics when you hover your mouse pointer over the large-enough thumbnail pictures. Each item details page gives plenty of details on the particular plant and its growing requirements.

Herbs are not too plentiful in the High Country Gardens Catalog. Only 6 herbal items, and they’re potted plants:

    Artemisia abrotanum ‘Tangerine’
    Hyssopus officinalis
    Lavandula x intermedia ‘Provence’
    Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Irene’™
    Salvia officinalis ‘Minima’
    Thymus sp.

Like I said though, if you’re interested in gardening with a green intent, then subscribe to the newsletter. It will give you ideas on how to use native plants in your gardens, especially perennials, ground covers and grasses.

Going Greener: How To Make the World's Best Compost

Getting ready for planting season is a time of preparation and reading up on techniques and new plants that you might try this year. Have you decided to go green with your gardening efforts this year?

Composting is a major part of reusing materials. Yes, our mantra reduce, reuse, recycle can be put to work in our gardens. Avoiding the purchase of fertilizers and insecticides is a side benefit of making the best compost. Read on to learn more in this great resource, World’s Best Compost.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll discover in Worlds Best Compost:

  • The method of feeding plants in a totally natural way that results in the most tastiest, divine food you and your family will ever have.
  • Why do you use much less water in your garden now using colloidal humus compost? (and how you will be saving money and effort and the environment)
  • What’s the sheep mentality that almost all agriculture and garden advisors suffer from that costs you time and money on dangerous, toxic gardening and horticulture practices. (and is killing our planet in the process)?
  • How to achieve a soil that “feeds itself” so you always get consistent results!

Read more about composting!