[Artemisia] Garden ideas

[Lady Syeira of Schattentor]

S CLEMENGER <sclemenger at msn.com> wrote:    
Hey, Pasha....Beat me to it! I kept thinking "I outta get on there and promote a water-sparing garden...." lol!
I don't know that the water co in Missoula promotes it, specifically, but there definitely are groups here that do, and at least one of the city parks (near my house) has xeroscaping (think that's spelled correctly....) Neighbors a couple of blocks away have done the "outer" portions of their yard (corner lot) with it, too...minimal fuss, minimal water, still attractive.
Someone (several someones) suggested herbs...Constance, I think? is the main culprit I recall. Some of my herbs do well over the winter--thymes, different culinary sages, climate-specific varieties of lavender, and IIRC the marjoram is still green this year. My marigolds (tagetes and calendula) reseed themselves (although the tagetes probably wouldn't be a good idea for permanent residents in a memorial garden in an agricultural sense, because they're not good to eat), as do various types of poppies (especially the California poppies). Columbine might be a good flower to plant--dunno if it like volcanic soils, but it is native to both Europe and the US, and my two-year-old bushes were a good three feet high this year, and loaded with gorgeous showy blooms in early summer....
--Maire

  (We'll see if I can bottom post and have it come out right!)
  Some place else that does this really well is the Visitors Center at the Crater of the Moon Park on the Eastern side of Idaho. I took my kids there as we were driving thru last summer. They have a lot of signage explaining what they are using and why. All native and all low water need. I guess by taking out the "lawns" they cut water usage by something like 80%. Might be worth a look if you are ever near there. 
   
  Lady Syeira
  
 

       
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