And you can write that down. On a day with snow flurries he s wearing a t-shirt, much too excited about an emerging plant to notice the cold. His two border collies pad along crushed gravel paths. A small crescent of buffalo grass serves as lawn. It s really for the dogs because most of the yard is comprised of rocks and berms, which are raised mounds of earth.
Small bulbs push through the chilled berms.
Silvery, furry or succulent leaves indicate that the plant retains moisture. Indeed, he s trying just that. Dozens of concrete troughs are filled with unusual varieties of diminutive plants. Rare columbines that people can t grow anywhere else can do well here. Rain in the winter can be fatal to these plants, while snow is fine.