by Deborah Lebow Aal The ‘Gardening Myths’ article I wrote last year was our most popular article ever. It has been reprinted in several other newsletters, including Denver Audubon (linked here), and we received many comments. Following up with ‘Gardening Myths #2’ was inevitable. In most cases, there is no right or wrong ‘answer’ to […] Continue reading "Garden Myths #2"
by Deb Lebow Aal Colorado Parks and Wildlife and many others are recommending taking down bird feeders and baths because of the appearance of avian flu in wild birds. On April 10, 2022, Wyoming Game and Fish Department received results of a Blackbilled Magpie that tests positive for HPAI H5N1 (avian flu). Multiple other birds […] Continue reading "Bird Feeders and Avian Flu"
by Kenton Seth Editor’s note: This article is abridged from the original for use in this newsletter. To read the full article, originally published in The Blazing Star (the quarterly publication of the North American Native Plant Society, nanps.org) For those who have long been supporters of native plants and their supported creatures, the recent fad […] Continue reading "Crevice Gardens"
by Jody Gardiner Curious to learn more about transforming your garden into a habitat with Colorado native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees? Check out our native gardening toolkit, register for an upcoming event, subscribe to our newsletter, and/or become a member – if you’re not one already! Continue reading "Native Garden “Before and After”"
By Tom Swihart, Danna Liebert, and Eryn Joy Murphy The December 2020 issue of the Newsletter informed members that Front Range was a founding member of the Colorado Native Landscaping Coalition (CNLC) – a collaboration between Wild Ones Front Range Chapter, the Audubon Rockies Habitat Hero Program, the Colorado Native Plant Society, the Colorado Wildlife […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Landscaping Coalition Update"
A book review by Rick Phillips Being a Wild Ones member, the book Lawns into Meadows, by Owen Wormser, caught my eye immediately. And with an author named Wormser, you would think this guy must really know soil and plants! Wormser is a landscape architect and horticulturalist who grew up off the grid in Maine and […] Continue reading "Lawn Into Meadows"
By Deb Lebow Aal Would you give up your thirsty Kentucky Blue grass for money? House Bill HB22-1151 was introduced with bi-partisan sponsorship in the Colorado House on February 4, 2022, and has a good chance of going the distance. Last week the Committee of Agriculture, Livestock, and Water voted 11-0 to move the bill […] Continue reading "Colorado’s Turf Replacement Bill"
by Aaron Michael One great Colorado native plant to landscape with is Red-Twig Dogwood. This shrub, also called Red Osier Dogwood, with the Latin name Cornus sericea, can be found in the wild in areas such as wetlands and riparian zones where the soil is rich and poorly drains. It also can be found in areas that […] Continue reading "Red-Twig Dogwoods"
by Suzanne Wuerthele We all need more color in our world now. And Gaillardia is a superb choice for the native plant garden. It’s showy, easy to grow and propagate, and it attracts multiple pollinators. Growing gaillardia isn’t hard. It’s not a picky plant. It has a wide distribution – from southern Canada through Utah, […] Continue reading "Gaillardia in the Garden"
Duration: Perennial (short lived)Habit: HerbLeaf: GreenSize Class: 3-6 ft.Bloom Color: Red, YellowBloom Time: Jul, Aug, SepWater Use: MediumLight Requirement: SunSoil Moisture: DrySoil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)CaCO3 Tolerance: MediumSoil Description: Well-drained, infertile soil We will publish a much longer article on Gaillardia by Suzanne Wuerthele next month. This native plant is worth a longer review. Curious to […] Continue reading "Plant Spotlight: Gaillardia"