Water-Wise Garden Plans for the Rockies and High Plains

Grow the plants and flowers that suit your region best with these suggestions for water-wise growing.

Plant List 

A. Mountain ninebark (Physocarpus monogynus) 
Alternative: Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) or other medium shrub 3 to 5 feet tall 

B. Narrowleaf, plains yucca (Yucca glauca) 
Alternative: Other evergreen, drought-tolerant accent shrub 

C. Prairie sage (Artemesia ludoviciana) 
Alternative: Little bluestem (Schyzachyrium scoparium), mountain muhly (Muhlenbergia montana) or other ornamental grass or grass-like plant, one to 2 feet tall 

D. Spotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata) 
Alternative: Other flowering herbaceous plant, 2 to 3 feet tall 

E. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) 
Alternative: Prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) or other flowering herbaceous plant, one to 2 feet tall 

F. Field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) 
Alternative: Evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa) or fringed sage (Artemisia frigida) or other flowering groundcover, 6 to 12 inches tall 

G. Wild iris (Iris missouriensis) 
Alternative: Other tough, small groundcover, 2 to 4 inches tall 

H. Wild verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida) 
Alternative: Field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) or other moisture-tolerant herbaceous plant

Key 

1. Stepping stone 
2. Porch/Landing
3. Rain chain 
4. Dry-stream bed 
5. Rock/small boulder 
6. Rock-lined basin or depression