The growing brief
Build around the microclimate
Monument sits at roughly 7,000–7,400 feet. For planning, use a late-May last frost, a late-September first frost, and approximately 125–140 frost-free days. South-facing walls, raised beds, wind protection, and drip irrigation will make a meaningful difference.
“Feasible” below means the plant can produce useful material, not merely survive one winter. Seed, root, flower, and essential-oil yields can be much less predictable than survival—especially for anise, fennel, gentian, and genepi.
Botanical assessment
Grow, trial, or source
| Botanical | Verdict | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Grand wormwood | Excellent | Hardy, drought-tolerant perennial; strong local candidate. |
| Roman wormwood | Good | Full sun and excellent drainage; protect from wet winter soil. |
| Green anise | Marginal | Annual; seed and anethole maturity may be inconsistent. |
| Florence fennel | Mixed | Leaves are realistic; mature seed and oil need a warm season. |
| Coriander | Good | Direct-sow early; seed production is realistic in a sheltered bed. |
| Lemon balm | Excellent | Hardy perennial; contain because it spreads. |
| Hyssop | Excellent | Hardy, sun-loving, drought-tolerant aromatic perennial. |
| Angelica | Good | Biennial; needs richer, consistently moist soil. |
| Hibiscus / roselle | Source | Tropical; greenhouse or purchase dried calyces. |
| Rose | Good | Choose hardy, disease-resistant cultivars and a sheltered site. |
| Butterfly pea | Source | Tropical and frost-sensitive; greenhouse/container only. |
| Lemon verbena | Container | Summer container crop; overwinter indoors. |
| Gentian | Specialist | Slow and difficult; useful roots may take years. |
| Mint | Excellent | Very hardy; use containers or root barriers. |
| Genepi | Specialist | Alpine but difficult to establish and produce at scale. |
| Elderflower | Good | Hardy shrub; needs space, water, and establishment time. |
| Cornflower | Excellent | Easy cool-season annual; direct sow. |
| Orange peel | Source | Citrus requires greenhouse/container conditions. |
| Rosehip | Good | Hardy roses can produce hips; cultivar determines yield. |
| Cardamom | Source | Tropical; greenhouse only. |
| Grains of paradise | Source | Tropical perennial; greenhouse only. |
| Star anise | Source | Subtropical tree; not a Monument field crop. |
| Lemon peel | Source | Citrus cannot survive Monument winters outdoors. |
| Grapefruit peel | Source | Citrus cannot survive Monument winters outdoors. |
| Juniper | Good | Use an appropriate Rocky Mountain species; berry production is slow. |
| Mastic | Source | Mediterranean shrub; greenhouse/container only. |
| Rosemary | Container | Summer crop; overwinter indoors. |
| Yarrow | Excellent | Hardy, drought-tolerant perennial; can spread. |
| Calendula | Excellent | Reliable cool-season annual with abundant flowers. |