Perennials

Longtime nurserywoman Nedra Secrist shares fifty years of hands-on experience growing perennials in the tough, high-altitude, alkaline gardens of the Rocky Mountain West. Organized by light conditions—full sun, partial sun/shade, and shade—each plant profile is written in the plant's own voice, packed with practical advice on soil, water, propagation, and companion planting. Sidebars cover rock walls, cottage gardens, cut flowers, timesaving tips, and flower symbolism. A warm, encouraging reference for Western do-it-yourself gardeners who want beautiful, low-maintenance, water-wise landscapes.

• Written by a nurserywoman with 50+ years growing perennials in the exact conditions Western gardeners face
• Plants tell their own stories—an unusually charming, memorable way to learn horticulture
• Solves the real frustrations of high-altitude, alkaline, drought-prone, deer-plagued gardens
• Championing affordable native and species plants over expensive hybrids that die in cold winters

“What's new today will soon be old. Only Earth's gifts really hold.”

Perfect for a home gardener in Utah, Idaho, or the greater Rocky Mountain region who wants dependable, low-maintenance perennials suited to high-elevation, alkaline, drought-prone conditions.