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The Colorado Native Landscaping Coalition

By Tom Swihart We are pleased to let you know that Wild Ones Front Range Chapter is a founding member of the new Colorado Native Landscaping Coalition. The Coalition is a collaboration between Wild Ones Front Range Chapter, the Audubon Rockies Habitat Hero Program, the Colorado Native Plant Society, the Colorado Wildlife Federation, and the People and Pollinators Action Network. Our main […] Continue reading "The Colorado Native Landscaping Coalition"

My Journey to a Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Garden

by Ann Winslow Inspired by Douglas Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home (subject of the Wild Ones Book Club in January), this spring I decided to create a native plant pollinator garden in my 1960s suburban Denver yard. It was my first adventure in using all native plants.  Most yards in my neighborhood are primarily turf and evergreens […] Continue reading "My Journey to a Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Garden"

Seed Swaps: Gateways to Native Gardening

by Lisa Olsen Native Seed Swaps are essentially pay-it-forward events. Free and open to the public, the Swaps invite novice and seasoned gardeners to adopt more native plants into their gardens and return their bounty of seeds to support our growing native landscaping community. It was very rewarding to see so many (and especially so […] Continue reading "Seed Swaps: Gateways to Native Gardening"

Extending the Season of Bloom to Support the Local Web of Life

by Cynthia Reiners Phenology: the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life. — from Oxford Languages “In 1492 Columbus did not so much discover The New World as begin to make A New World” [italics added]    — Charles Mann, 1493 “Knitting together the seams of Pangea”    — Alfred Crosby, The […] Continue reading "Extending the Season of Bloom to Support the Local Web of Life"

Plant Profile: Liatris Punctata

Jan Midgley, a board member of Wild Ones Front Range Chapter, is developing a series of plant profiles for common perennials of the Colorado Front Range. Below is just an excerpt from the first in this series. For a more in-depth dive, head to our website.  By Jan Midgley In Colorado, Liatris punctata (Dotted blazing star) is […] Continue reading "Plant Profile: Liatris Punctata"

Pollinator Garden Tips

by Jenifer Health  In my reading and experience I’ve come across several ways to boost the value of my yard for pollinators. This article provides my favorite tips and tricks to enhance the value of your pollinator garden.   Gardens that help pollinators are very important ecologically. Even a small space, like an apartment patio, balcony or deck, […] Continue reading "Pollinator Garden Tips"

Grasses are the Foundation

By Jan Midgley In dry lands with few woody plants, grasses are the foundation of the landscape both functionally and aesthetically. But why should we include them in public and private designed landscapes? The small, wind pollinated flowers are not as showy as the flowers of forbs (flowering herbaceous plants that are not a graminoid […] Continue reading "Grasses are the Foundation"

Native Seed Collection and Cleaning

Colorado native plants evolved in tough soils and climates. Even in natural areas with no supplemental water many are producing fertile seeds this year. Prior to collecting, it’s a good idea to review the Colorado Native Plant Society’s collection protocols. Front Range Wild Ones follows ethical seed collection protocols. In fact, we are a little […] Continue reading "Native Seed Collection and Cleaning"

All Native Plants are NOT Created Equal

By Deb Lebow Aal If you are reading this, you have some familiarity with, and/or, some interest in, native plants and native insects. You probably have planted some native plants in your landscape, or are intending to do so. This article is to remind you that not all native plants are created equal. Some native […] Continue reading "All Native Plants are NOT Created Equal"