There are plenty of plants that do very well here in the Calgary area and Chinook belt. Some plants even like it better than on the BC coast! Examples include: German Bearded Iris (Iris x germanica), Peonies (Paeonia ), Lilies (Lilium) and Delphiniums (Delphinium).
Our plant hardiness classification is zone 3. This can be a bit misleading as the zone classifications are based on minimum winter temperatures, and do not take Chinook winds into account at all. Classifications work well as a general guide and are helpful when buying plants.
These pages present a growing selection of plant lists and plant profiles. Although I want to add profiles and images for all of the plants, the time involved is immense. To get a quick view of a plant you are interested in, try searching Google Images using either the Botanical or Common name.
Plants by Season