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Books and Websites

Books

  • High and Dry: Gardening with Cold-Hardy Dryland Plants  – Robert Nold 

    • First published in 2008. A great read. The book to read if you want to go really dry—no irrigation except for establishment; however, the author is located near Denver (and thus gardens in a warmer and slightly wetter climate than that of many Wyoming locations). A fun read for those who enjoy flippant humor and love plants. Some may find it frustrating because not every plant description has an accompanying photo.

  • Growing Native Plants of the Rocky Mountain Area – Robert and Jane Dorn

    • A great reference book giving details on growing and propagation; plants are categorized into growing zones as defined by the authors.

  • Jewels of the Plains – Claude Barr

    • An older book now out of print (but may be available through your local library). The first book written on growing native plants of the Great Plains and eastern Rocky Mountains. Barr was a rancher who gardened near the badlands of South Dakota.

Websites

  • The Barnyards & Backyards 

    • Gardening resources; click on landscaping

  • The USDA PLANTS Database 

    • A wide range of information on plants, including some “plant guides"

  • Native Plants for the Intermountain West 

    • Useful write-ups on a variety of native plants and nurseries that carry these species, produced by a consortium of university plant experts

  • The Gardens Navigator

    •  A searchable database of the entire living collection at Denver Botanic Gardens. The search engine will produce plant lists by selected plant characteristics. It will also produce maps of where the plants are in the garden so you can see them in person.

  • Plant Select 

    • A cooperative program administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University in concert with horticulturists and nurseries throughout the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. They have helped introduce many native plants to the horticultural industry and promote their use.

  • Rocky Mountain Herbarium

    • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Rocky Mountain Herbarium is essentially a library of plants and fungi of the Rocky Mountains and contains the largest collection of Rocky Mountain plants and fungi in existence with additional representation of the floras of other parts of the Northern Hemisphere.  Its online tool for searching and exploring plants and locations is very handy!

  • The Wyoming Native Plant Society 

    • Contains useful articles and other resources about native plants in Wyoming

  • Wyoming Reclamation and Restoration Center 

    • Bulletin pages

Business or book titles used in this publication are used only for the purpose of educational information. The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement of businesses or authors by the University of Wyoming Extension is implied. Nor does it imply approval of businesses or authors to the exclusion of others, which may also be suitable.