Gardeners in the Interior West and Great Plains face a daunting challenge: a harsh, semi-arid climate of scorching summers and brutally cold winters. These climatic extremes rule out many standard garden plants that thrive in areas with greater rainfall and more moderate temperatures. Yet there is a wide variety of native plants that are not only beautiful but provide highly satisfactory choices for the western garden. In this comprehensive volume, Robert Nold describes the best picks among perennials and annuals; grasses; bulbs; rock garden plants; cacti; yuccas and other similar plants; shrubs; and trees-more than a thousand plants in all. Leavened with humor and rueful wisdom, Nold's pithy descriptions zero in on each plant's outstanding ornamental characteristics while giving the reader an accurate idea of what to expect from the plant's performance in the garden. With very few exceptions, the recommended plants can be expected to thrive without supplemental irrigation once established, and tolerate winter temperatures as low as -10F (-23C). Throughout, the book is illustrated with vivid color photographs and a selection of exquisite botanical watercolors by artist Cindy Nelson-Nold.Anyone with an interest in hardy, drought-tolerant plants will find in these pages an abundance of tempting possibilities with which to experiment. Indeed, High and Drycan serve as a highly useful tool for resource-conscious gardeners everywhere.

Nold, an adept and often very funny writer, has written a plant book that will be invaluable to gardeners and plant specialists for its presentation of his extensive knowledge of these native plants and his experience growing them, without any irrigation. Based on 45 years of gardening in Denver, Colorado, Nold describes drought-resistant and purportedly drought-resistant plants suitable for the interior western US, discussing specifically how well the plant performs in truly dry, cold conditions. The habitat, range, and cultivation of these natives are described in chapters on perennials, annuals, grasses, bulbs, rock garden plants, cacti, yuccas, shrubs, and (a few) trees, with the plants arranged alphabetically by Latin name in their chapter. The volume is heavily illustrated with superb color photos and watercolor drawings. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"A must-have primer for the water-conscious gardener.' - Denver Post

"To the rescue is Robert Nold, whose experience in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with dryland gardening offers a host of plant selections that will not only survive under these temperature extremes, but thrive."The East Oregonian

Robert Nold is a regular writer for the rocky Mountain Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society and the Colorado Gardener. His articles have appeared in The American Gardenerand Horticulture, and he was a contributor to the 2004 revision of The American Horticultural Society's Aand#8211;Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. He is the author of two award-winning Timber Press books: Penstemonsand Columbines.