Western Mountains and High Plains
March, 2012
Regional Report
Favorite or New Plant
Partridge Feather
A rugged and hardy silver-gray ground cover with excellent drought tolerance, partridge feather (Tanacetum densum ssp. amani) is a Plant Select® choice from Colorado. The feathery foliage is a plush silver, forming mats that spread in the dryland garden. It produces yellow button flowers for a brief period in summer. Just be sure it gets good drainage and don't overwater. This ground cover is also deer resistant and has year round interest.
Clever Gardening Technique
Homemade Measuring Stick
Recycle an old broom handle by making it into a measuring stick. Smooth the wooden handle with sandpaper and apply a coat of linseed oil. Once dry, take a measuring tape and place next to the handle. Use white latex paint or a permanent marker to draw inch and foot marks on the handle. When you need to space plants at specific distances (from inches to feet), take out your homemade measuring stick and lay it on the ground as you plant.
