Our Story: Santa Fe Greenhouses & High Country Gardens

A native of New Mexico, David Salman opened Santa Fe Greenhouses in 1984, his first retail store. He set out to transform western gardening by cultivating and growing beautiful perennials, native plants, ornamental grasses and unique cacti and succulents. These water-wise (xeric) plants attracted a loyal fan base and David changed the face of western gardening from rocks and cacti to lush, blooming eco-friendly garden habitats.

As his retail operation grew, David realized that many of his customers were driving to Santa Fe from other states, as his unique plants thrived in moderate to extreme climates and altitudes. These drought resistant perennials required little watering once established and were a garden value, saving customers both money and effort.

With the demand for his plants extending far beyond northern New Mexico, in 1993 David started High Country Gardens, the mail-order division of Santa Fe Greenhouses. A few years later his wife Ava joined the company. David focused on product development and Ava spearheaded the marketing and e-commerce operations. With the High Country Gardens catalog and website, the Salman's not only pioneered mail-order gardening, but gave hundreds of thousands of customers across the country eco-friendly landscapes that come back more beautifully year after year.

In late 2012, the Salman family made the difficult decision to close their garden centers and sell the High Country Gardens division.

In 2013, the Salman’s were confident that they had found a company that shared their passion for high-quality products while having a reputation for nothing but the best customer service, and High Country Gardens joined American Meadows, a long-standing leader in mail order gardening.

The Salman’s look forward to working with American Meadows for years to come and continuing to build upon the High Country legacy. David will continue as chief horticulturist with a focus on continuing to develop unique and award-winning plant varieties.