By Jen Smith with input from the Propagation Committee Native Seeds Germination Methods Scatter Seeds Outdoors at the Beginning of an Early Winter Snowstorm The snow will blanket the seeds, gently pressing them into the soil and providing initial moisture. It mimics the process seeds go through in nature. Make sure you’ve scattered the seeds […] Continue reading "Native Seeds Germination Methods & Tips"
As we discussed in another post, multiple cities along the Front Range offer some sort of incentive to encourage native turf conversion. Whether your city does or does not offer rebates currently, there are actions you can take to support the movement. Curious to learn more about transforming your garden into a habitat with Colorado […] Continue reading "Advocacy News & Action | Promoting Turf Conversion with Native Plants – What You Can Do!"
By Richard Phillips and Danna Liebert Are you thinking of replacing some of your lawn this year with native grasses? Would you like to convert part of your yard to a native plant garden? Well, you may be able to get a rebate from your local municipality or water provider to help with the costs! As you might […] Continue reading "Replace Your Colorado Turf! | Metropolitan Turf Conversion Rebate Programs Along the Front Range"
By Ayn Schmit One of the first goals for many gardeners new to landscaping with native plants is to rid their landscape – in part or entirely – of non-native turf. Doing so is a no-brainer! Non-native turf grasses are ecological dead zones, they require large amounts of water, and often prompt gardeners to use […] Continue reading "How to Remove Your Lawn and Select a Colorado Native Turf Alternative"
By Jenifer Frazer1 Trudi Davidoff invented modern winter sowing in the early 2000s under eastern conditions. She used disposable plastic food storage containers and milk jugs but I had issues with those methods in our windy, dry, sunny environment. So I poked around on her website and found someone else’s idea for winter sowing in […] Continue reading "How to Winter Sow Native Seeds in Milk Jugs or Plastic Containers"
There’s nothing better for a gardener at this time of year than to see color in their winter landscape. Yellows and reds can highlight the browns and greys of winter. One of the best Colorado native shrubs you can have in your landscape is Red Twig Dogwood, or Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus servicea). This plant […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Shrubs | Red Twig Dogwood/ Cornus Servicea"
By Deb Lebow Aal. Updated October 2023. This is a topic every Colorado homeowner should pay attention to. As you all know, our fire season in the West is getting longer and hotter. And, while it’s of much greater concern if you live close to the rural/forest intersection, it is now relevant even for urban […] Continue reading "Fire Resistant Landscaping and Colorado Native Plants"
By Deb Lebow Aal; Updated October 2023 by Jen Smith Here we are again, talking about grass. I mean the Kentucky Blue Grass (KBG) and other non-native expanses we use as our default landscape. We wrote articles on this in past Wild Ones Front Range chapter newsletters (That Non Native Turf Grass Has Got to […] Continue reading "So Many Alternatives to Non Native Turf"
By Richard Phillips When you were making your list of new native plants to add to your yard this past spring, I bet it contained all forbs with no shrubs or trees. Everyone wants to add more beautiful flowers! This article is to encourage you to add shrubs to your yard this year. You might […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Shrubs – Ecological Powerhouses and More!"
By Deb Lebow Aal One of the biggest challenges we face as native plant gardeners is how to design a native plant garden. After all, we are challenging the norm. We are not planting an expanse of turf with two trees plopped in somewhere. We are changing the way we landscape on the Front Range […] Continue reading "Designing a Colorado Native Garden"
