High Country Gardens is a full-service nursery and garden center located at 6921 Pan American Freeway, NE.
We specialize in waterwise (xeric) plants that need little or no extra water once established and we offer a broad selection of award-winning and exclusive plants all regionally adapted for the high desert climate. Our plants are grown locally in our Bernalillo growing facility and are delivered fresh daily.
With literally thousands of plant varieties to explore on property including hardy perennials, ornamental grasses, native trees and shrubs, groundcovers, cacti and succulents – this is a gardener’s paradise.
We have created a fun, convenient and hassle-free way to buy top-quality plants that thrive in the harsh New Mexico climate” – David Salman
A BIT OF HISTORY
David Salman
26 years ago, our Founder and Chief Horticulturist, David Salman opened his first nursery and garden center at Santa Fe Greenhouses. In 1993, he began shipping plants nationally through his new mail order division, High Country Gardens. Ever the horticultural pioneer, David got online early and took mail order to the internet in 2000 launching High Country Gardens website and carefully mailing our waterwise xeric perennials to loyal fans across the country.
In 2006, we opened our first High Country Gardens store in Albuquerque and in 2008 we opened another store in Bernalillo. By the end of the spring season in 2010 the growth we’d experienced lead us to decide to relocate to a larger facility where we could better address the needs of Albuquerque gardeners with a full-service nursery and garden center.
FOUNDER AND CHIEF HORTICULTURIST – DAVID SALMAN
David has spent over 25 years in pursuit of better plants for western landscapes. He is a recognized expert in the field of western and waterwise gardening and a sought-after speaker on these subjects throughout the western United States.
“We have spent years perfecting our growing methods for a wide variety of new and unusual garden-tested perennials, grasses and shrubs that ship right from our greenhouses to your landscape.” – David Salman
David is also a distinguished recipient of the AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 2008 Great American Gardeners Award and writes our award-winning High Country Gardens catalog. He has written two in-house publications Waterwise Garden Care and Spectacular Seasons of Color, and has a series of planting and informational videos on YouTube.
David writes The Xeric Gardener, a blog with gardening news & tips for the waterwise gardener and has written numerous articles for Fine Gardening, American Gardener and Horticulture magazines.
The Best Plants & Advice for New Mexico Gardens
The planting season is starting and we are excited to help you create beautiful gardens and landscapes this spring. The plants are growing, our gardening seminars begin in March and we are continuing to expand the facilities at our new full service garden center and nursery.
Our greenhouses, just 15 miles north of Albuquerque in Bernalillo, are growing all the wonderful annuals, exclusive perennials and roses that will be fresh and ready-to-plant. Here at the store, we are finishing putting up a huge new greenhouse for you to shop container garden plants and other fabulous flowers. Michael and Kathy are bringing in top quality fruit trees from our Corrales partners and flowering trees from Oregon.
Learn tips at gardening seminars and join us for the Guy Wolff Pottery event. If you need help getting started, have one our landscape consultants make a house call and help you get off to the best possible start.
Happy Gardening!
Events
Summer Seminar Series at High Country Garden Stores
HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT AND ENJOY YOUR SUMMER GARDEN! Eight informative and entertaining mini-seminars created to help Albuquerque gardeners make the most of their blazing summer.
Saturdays at the San Mateo store, 6400 San Mateo NE
View Map and Directions
July 19th
David Salman is President and Chief Horticulturist of High Country Gardens Jeff Clark is an Arborist and Plant Doctor at Santa Fe Greenhouses
Heat Proof Your Garden
Keep your garden looking good. Learn how to protect plants and trees during the dog days of summer. –Jeff Clark, Arborist and Plant Doctor-Santa Fe Greenhouses
SUMMER CARE Maintaining Your Landscape
Perking Up the Mid-Summer Garden
July 26th
Make the Most of the Monsoons
Eco-friendly water harvesting is a great way to save money and water. – Joe Barr, Tijeras Rain Barrels
WATERING
HARVESTING WATER Get Every Last Drop: Harvesting Water
August 2nd
Garden Décor and More!
Create a beautiful multi-use outdoor space. –Lori Jacobson, Designer and Visual Merchandiser, High Country Gardens
August 9, 2008 9:30 AM
Cool Shade Alternatives
How to use ornamental grasses and vines as alternative shade elements in the garden. -Curtis Smith, PhD., Dr. Curtis Smith is an Extension Horticulture Specialist at the New Mexico State University Extension. He writes a weekly Yard and Garden newspaper/web page column and conducts monthly call-in gardening programs on two radio stations.
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
VINES
August 16th
Reaping the Benefits of Unique Container Gardens
Bob Ross is the Container Garden Specialist at Santa Fe Greenhouses
How to use the herbs and flowers from your container gardens. — Bob Ross, Container Gardening Expert, Santa Fe Greenhouses
EDIBLE GARDENS
CONTAINER GARDENS
August 23rd
Gardening for the Birds How to attract and nurture our feathered friends.
Audubon Society
BIRD GARDENING
Gardening is for the birds
August 30th
Fall Plant Preview
Plan ahead and prepare for fall planting. –Kathy Ellis, General Manager, High Country Gardens retail stores.
FALL GARDENING
Past Events:
David Salman is the President and Chief Horticulturist of High Country Gardens.
July 12, 2008
Lavender; More Than a Beautiful Plant
Learn about the new cold hardy varieties being developed for the High Desert region and they can work in your landscape. –David Salman, Pres. and Chief Horticulturist , Santa Fe Greenhouses and High Country Gardens
LAVENDER
Lavender: A Perfect Match for Low Maintenance Xeriscapes
Map and Directions
High Country Gardens is located at 6921 Pan American Freeway south of Ellison on the southbound frontage road. Click here for directions to High Country Gardens.
6921 Pan American Freeway, NE – Albuquerque, NM 87109
take Osuna exit #230cross Ellison and we are on the right just before Osuna
North on I-25
take the San Antonio/Ellison exit #231turn left on Ellison, thentake another left onto Pan American/Frontage Rd South
East on Osuna
turn left at Jeffersonright onto Ellison, and thenright onto Pan American/Frontage Rd S
West on Osuna
turn right on Jeffersonright onto Ellison, and thenright onto Pan American/Frontage Rd S
North on San Mateo
turn right onto Pan American/Frontage Rd Nturn left onto Ellison, and thenleft again onto Pan American/Frontage Rd S
Contact Us
At HCGstores, our team of friendly Garden Experts are ready to help! We’ll share information that will make all your gardening and landscaping activities successful.
If you have questions about our products or services, or would just like some friendly advice from our expert gardeners, please fill out the form below and it will send us an email.
Plants are grown in New Mexico and Utah and ship from our Clinton, Utah greenhouse. Grass plugs ship from Nebraska; seed orders ship from Vermont.
Current office hours are Monday – Friday 7 am – 5 pm Mountain Time (9 am – 7 pm Eastern). Saturday 7am-3pm Mountain Time (9-5 Eastern). You can give us a call toll free at (800) 925-9387.
