High Country Gardens Physical Locations in the State
Nestled in the high desert landscape of New Mexico's Rio Grande Valley lies a hidden oasis for gardeners and plant lovers alike. High Country Gardens is a family-owned nursery and retail garden center that has been sustaining natural spaces and nurturing green thumbs for over 30 years.
Founded in 1990 by horticulturist David Salman, High Country Gardens started as a mail-order seed company focusing on drought-tolerant native plants. Over the years, it has grown into a leader in waterwise gardening and sustainable landscaping practices. The company's commitment to eco-friendly gardening even earned them a place in Al Gore's climate change book and documentary An Inconvenient Truth.
The Founding Story and Mission
David Salman launched High Country Gardens after moving from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Vermont in the late 1980s. An avid gardener himself, he was dismayed by the lack of native plants available by mail-order at the time.
He began collecting seeds from wildflowers and grasses in the Southwest himself. Then he started growing these waterwise native plants to sell through his fledgling mail-order company. This allowed gardeners east of the Rockies to access varieties uniquely adapted to drier regions of the U.S.
Today, the heart of High Country Gardens still resides in sharing the beauty and hardiness of native plants from around the country. Their mission focuses on sustainable spaces that connect people to nature through waterwise gardening.
Main High Country Gardens Locations in Albuquerque
The flagship location of High Country Gardens is located right off I-40 at 6921 Pan American Freeway NE in Albuquerque, NM. This retail garden center sits on over 60,000 square feet of land and features greenhouses, display gardens, and an extensive plant inventory. Some of the offerings visitors can explore here include:
- Waterwise trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses
- Blooming plants like columbines, penstemons, and salvias
- Cacti, yuccas, agaves, and other succulents
- Native wildflowers and ecosystems
- Landscaping materials such as boulders, gravel, edging, and more
The Albuquerque location also houses the company's headquarters and growing operation. The on-site greenhouse allows High Country Gardens to propagate many of the plants they sell. And the show gardens surrounding the property showcase design ideas and serve as an outdoor classroom for sustainable gardening practices.
Awards and Recognitions
Over the years, High Country Gardens has received numerous awards recognizing their sustainable business practices and eco-friendly product offerings. These include:
- Garden Design Magazine's Environmental Award (2015)
- American Horticultural Society Award (2007)
- Organic Gardening Green Thumb Award (2002)
- NM State University's Zia Award for Innovation (1998)
Store Hours and Contact
The Albuquerque retail store is open 7 days a week from March-October. Hours are Monday-Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM and Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM. The store is closed on major holidays.
Contact info: Phone: (505) 474-9205 Email: plants@highcountrygardens.com
Second Shop in Clinton, Utah
In addition to the main New Mexico store, High Country Gardens operates a second retail location in Clinton, Utah, about 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City. Nestled along the Wasatch Front, this quaint garden center features many of the same native and adapted plants as the Albuquerque shop. Offerings cater to the high mountain desert environment and shorter growing zones of northern Utah.
Online Shopping and Catalog Orders
Though visiting the retail locations allows you to see and select plants in person, High Country Gardens reaches customers across the U.S. through online and catalog orders. Their website at highcountrygardens.com offers an extensive plant inventory with hundreds of varieties to choose from. And detailed plant descriptions, growing condition filters, and navigation tools make it easy to shop.
Fulfilling Orders
The company propagates the majority of its plant offerings on-site in their Albuquerque greenhouses and growing yards. This allows them to carefully control and monitor growth. It also enables custom harvesting based on online orders.
Once ordered, container plants are carefully harvested from the growing grounds, while bare root items are dug straight from the fields. The plants are then packaged using eco-friendly and biodegradable materials before being shipped directly to customers.
Specialized Shipping Methods
High Country Gardens has perfected their shipping methods over 30+ years to ensure plants arrive healthy and ready for planting. Their containers and insulation protect root systems, while packing materials keep plants intact. Most orders reach customers within just 1-3 days via FedEx or UPS.
This combination of in-house growing and specialized shipping allows High Country Gardens to deliver resilient native and adapted plants to all 50 states year-round. Customers can trust that their plants will thrive in their regional climates.
Sustainable Gardening with High Country Gardens
As a leader in sustainable landscaping, all of High Country Gardens' offerings promote earth-friendly gardening practices. Their plants thrive in low-water environments and require fewer resources once established. And their products and designs help gardeners create resilient, eco-conscious landscapes.
Waterwise and Native Plants
Over 80% of High Country Gardens' inventory consists of waterwise perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs and trees. Varieties like Mexican Feather Grass and Gold Lace Lady's Mantle thrive on little supplemental water. And most selections are native or adapted to survive drought across hardiness zones.
Sustainable Garden Design
In addition to low-water plants, the company provides sustainable landscaping ideas. Their team of experts helps customers select plants and design spaces that work with existing environments and natural ecosystems.
Concepts promoted include rainwater harvesting, green roofs, permaculture techniques and more. High Country Gardens empowers both amateur and expert gardeners to create earth-friendly spaces unique to their homes and regions.
Educational Resources
To further their mission of sustainable spaces, High Country Gardens offers a wealth of gardening resources. These cover topics like soil building, water irrigation, Integrated Pest Management and more. DIY videos, articles, newsletters and guides make eco-gardening approachable for all.
Visiting a High Country Gardens Location
For green thumbs near Albuquerque or Salt Lake City, visiting a retail location allows you to shop the impressive plant inventory in person. Demonstration gardens showcase design inspirations while staff provides expert guidance.
Garden Tours and Workshops
Free guided garden tours run weekly in spring and summer, highlighting waterwise plants and landscaping techniques. Special gardening workshops cover topics like succulents, wildflowers, and native grasses. Costs range from free up to $20 per session.
Fun family events foster childrens' interest in nature. Past kids activities include gnome hide-and-seeks, garden scavenger hunts and potting parties. Occasional demonstrations feature honey tasting from on-site beehives and viewing hatching butterflies from the pollinator garden.
For over 30 years, High Country Gardens has promoted sustainable spaces where gardens and communities can thrive. Their retail stores allow visitors to immerse in this mission while finding green inspiration. The company sustains environments from backyards to neighborhoods to entire ecosystems through waterwise gardening.