Nearly all of the following texts, which were recommended by the CSU Extension for their Master Gardeners classes, are available at Amazon.com. Take a look at them online and click on “Look Inside” to get a clearer idea of the nature of the book before purchasing. Recommendations for additions will be gratefully received by the Summit County Garden Club – see “Contact Us”.
- Durable Plants for the Garden: A Plant Select Guide
by Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, Green Industries of Colorado (2009)
- Rocky Mountain Flower Finder: A Guide to Wildflowers Found Below the Tree Line in the Rocky Mountains
by Janet L Wingate. (1998)
Note: This book uses keys to help identify plants.
- Alpine Flower Finder: The Key to Rocky Mountain Flowers Found Above Tree Line
by Janet L Wingate & Lorraine Yeatts. (2003)
Note: Helpful in learning to key.
- Guide to Colorado Wildflowers
by CK Guennel
Volume 1: Plains & Foothills. (2004)
Volume 2: Mountains. (1995)
Note: Arranges flowers by color; many photos.
- Southern Rocky Mountain Wildflowers
by Leigh Robertson. (1999)
Note: A field guide to the flowers in the southern Rocky Mountains including Rocky Mountain National Park.
- Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Pocket Guide
by David Dahms. (1999)
Note: Easy to carry. Clear pictures along with a short description.
- A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers
by Ray J. Davis, Frank C. Craighead, John Craighead, and Roger Tory Peterson. (1998)
Note: This book covers the entire Rocky Mountain area from Northern New Mexico to British Columbia.
- Land Above the Trees
by Ann Zwinger & Beatrice R Willard. (1989)
Note: A guide to American alpine tundra. It is not specific to the Rockies. - Alpine Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains
by Beatrice R Willard. (1991)
- Alpine Wildflowers. (1990) Forest Wildflowers. (2004) Prairie Wildflowers. (1998) by Dee Strickler
Note: 3 different books
- Colorado's Newest & Best Wildflower Hikes
by Pamela Irwin & David Harlan Irwin. (2008)
Colorado's Best Wildflower Hikes. Volume 1: The Front Range by Pamela Irwin. (1998)
Colorado's Best Wildflower Hikes. Volume 2: The High Country by Pamela Irwin & David Harlan Irwin. (1999)
Colorado's Best Wildflower Hikes. Volume 3: The San Juans by Pamela Irwin. (2006)
- Alpine Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains
by Joseph Duft & Robert Mosely. (1989)
- National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region
by the Stephen Spellenberg. (2001)
Note: Good photos.
- Colorado Flora: Western Slope
by William A Weber. (1987)
- Common Edible & Useful Plants of the West
by Muriel Sweet. (1976)
Note: Illustrated with line drawings.
- Edible & Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L Tilford. (1997)
Note: Illustrated with photos.
- From Grassland to Glacier: The Natural History of Colorado & the Surrounding Region
by Cornelia Fliescher Mutel & John C Emerick. (1992)
Note: This text provides geological information as well as detail relating to ecosystems.
- Song of the Alpine: The Rocky Mountain Tundra Through the Seasons
by Joyce G Gellhorn. (2002)
Note: Text with beautiful photos.
- Trees & Shrubs of Colorado
by Jack L Carter & Marjorie L Leggitt (illustrator). (2006)
- Colorado Trees & Wildflowers: An Introduction to Familiar Species (A Pocket Naturalist Guide) by James Kavanagh & Raymond Leung (illustrator). (2001)
Note: This is a laminated folder which gives a quick overview.
- Plants of Rocky Mountain National Park
by Linda H Beidleman, Richard G Beidleman & Beatrice E Willard. (2000)
Note: Copies of this text are limited.
- Manual of Plants of Colorado, for the identification of ferns and native plants of the state
by HD Harrington. (1964)
- Flowers, Plants, and Gardening: For Kids! - http://www.serenataflowers.
com/Flowers-plants-and- gardening-for-kids - Herbs
- growing-herbsThis page was recommended to us by a teacher who had used our site with her class. It contains lots of interesting information.