I am trying to use xeriscaping to limit my water usage in NW Wyoming where it is c-c-c-cold. It seems most xeriscaping is intended for the Phoenix area. Is there any resources for info on xeriscaping in colder climates.
Xeriscaping is landscaping with plants that require no water, rather is using plants which require little additional water once established. To establish a new planting may take more than one year.
Your plant choices many be more limited than in warmer climes. Check out the coop extension services in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Idaho for plants that meet xeri conditions. Many on the lists will be native plants.
Don't give up the search, the reward will be worth the effort.
If you're looking for general ideas/inspiration, you might try: The Xeriscape Flower Gardener: A Waterwise Guide for the Rocky Mountain Region, by Jim Knopf
The Undaunted Garden: Planting for Weather-Resilient Beauty, by Lauren Springer
Xeriscape Plant Guide: 100 Water-Wise Plants for Gardens and Landscapes, by Rob Proctor
The website &/or catalog for High Country Gardens
I'm not sure how many of the actual plants listed in these sources will be hardy to zone 3--the books are more geared toward zone 5'ish, I'd say. Still, the general "look" in the books/catalog will be closer to your landscape than to a Phoenix landscape. :) And as the previous poster suggested, the county extension service where you live should have good plant lists for your region.
