Ghost Ranch Partnership

The stunning landscape of Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM, is known thanks to the famous paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. At Ghost Ranch, now an education and retreat center, the mission is to steward a place of great beauty to nurture the human spirit and mind, discover the sacred, and care for creation. The organization’s work is guided by the values of sustainability, inclusivity, equity, creativity, and spirituality.

"The world‐famous site known as Ghost Ranch is a place of magnificent natural beauty, comprising deep, multicolored canyons and bluffs, plains, grasslands and streams. Its rocks span 130 million years of ancient geological history, representing lakes, floodplains, and deserts. Its fossils illuminate the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs in North America and provide a new paradigm of how they took over terrestrial ecosystems for the next 150 years. Its archaeological record predates adobe walls and kivas; its hearths and other sites date to 8000 years ago.

Its history includes a Spanish land grant, Mexican, French, and Anglo colonizations, a rough‐and‐tumble ranching period, a dude ranch, a conference center, and the longtime residence (and subject of the paintings) of Georgia O’Keeffe."

Learn More About Ghost Ranch

High Country Gardens is proud to partner with Ghost Ranch in support of stewarding the thousands of acres of land at Ghost Ranch with sustainability and resilience in mind. Our values align with our belief that, to coexist with the land and wildlife, we need to adapt our gardening practices, and to see plants not only for their beauty, but also for their ability to preserve the environment. 

Over the past few years, several large Cottonwood trees that brought shade and protection to the ranch were lost. In spring 2024, the organization embarked on a mission to restore vegetation on the inhabited areas of the ranch to cool and beautify the landscape.  To support this effort, High Country Gardens has donated over 200 perennial plants that are well-suited to the desert climate in Abuquiu, New Mexico. 

Incorporating High Country Gardens’ native xeriscape plants was a critical step in restoring vegetation, while responsibly managing water use, and ensuring that the plants are sustainable and long-lasting. The plants will support critical pollinators and enhance the biodiversity of the landscape. Ranch guests will learn about xeriscaping, native plants of the Southwest region, and enjoy a more beautiful landscape. 

In the future, we will continue to work with Ghost Ranch for sustainable garden and landscape planning. They plan to expand their gardens to include community vegetable gardens in an effort to make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible to nearby residents – as the nearest grocery store is a 30-minute drive from Abiquiu.

Did you know? The landscape of Ghost Ranch is the inspiration for the High Country Gardens Desert Sky Bearded Iris Collection. 

Learn more about the wonderful work happening at Ghost Ranch! Follow them on Facebook or Instagram