Pretty Tough Plants

This book is a straightforward list of the top plant picks from the experts at Plant Select, a nonprofit cultivator and distributor of garden plants for the high plains and intermountain regions of the United States. Plant Select uses a rigorous and highly selective process to choose plants that will thrive with less—less care, less water, less fuss—while still providing beauty in a landscape that has a lighter impact on the environment.

The regional focus for the book and the Plant Select program is the American steppes—the semi-arid plains and high country mainly from the Rockies westward. However, the information provided in these pages is not just for those regions alone. Most of the plants profiled will thrive in coastal and interior areas of the greater western United States. The descriptions of each selection provide enough information for anyone interested in growing these plants to be reasonably confident that they will succeed. The photography is beautiful, and most of the plants are shown growing in garden settings, sparking inspiration and design ideas.

The book is divided into sections ranging from “petites” and ground covers to trees and conifers, giving the rea...