By Jan Midgely Colorado plants evolved in tough soils and climates. Even in natural areas with no supplemental water many are producing fertile seeds this year. If collecting seeds has slipped your mind, it is time to get cracking and get ready to swap seeds at the fall Native Seed Swaps. You will need paper […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Seed Collection & Cleaning Tips"
By Lisa Olsen Residents of the North Capitol Hill neighborhood in Denver have noticed a lot of activity at the Denver Turnverein. Founded in 1865, the Denver Turnverein is a member-supported non-profit focused on the educational, social, and physical benefits of dancing. Built in 1920, Denver’s premier dance hall is celebrating its hundredth anniversary this year. […] Continue reading "Introducing the Greenverein Garden: A Haven for Nature in Downtown Denver "
by Deborah Lebow Aal with help from Jan Midgely and Carla DeMasters This is a particularly odd time to be talking about native plants and gardening. As we continue to grapple with systemic racism in our country, and truly around the world, and the ever-present global pandemic, it’s a hard time to focus on non-human issues. […] Continue reading "BALANCE…and Soil"
Building a Rain Garden in Colorado CSU and the Colorado Stormwater Center present this how-to guide on designing, constructing and planting a rain garden. Colorado Rain & Edible Forest Garden Plant List is an extensive list of various trees, shrubs, and perennials (native and non-native) that grow in constructed rain gardens. List was compiled by Jason Gerhardt of Real […] Continue reading "Rain Gardens"
Created by the Colorado Native Plant Society, Denver Botanical Gardens, Wild Ones Front Range Chapter and others, these are comprehensive and easy to use booklets about native plant gardening in Colorado. Comes complete with plant lists that cover everything from a plant’s habit to its ecological value and provides nice visuals of plants and landscapes! […] Continue reading "Low Water Native Plant for Colorado Gardens Booklets"
by Jenifer Heath Most of us have heard of larval host plants, even if we are not quite sure what it means to be a larval host plant. This brief piece will provide basic information about larval host plants: what they are, why they are important, some examples of native larval host plants in our […] Continue reading "Why Do I Need Larval Host Plants in My Yard"
Contributed by Tom Swihart and Deborah Lebow Aal It turns out that thinking about landscaping with native plants is akin to thinking about people’s relationship with the natural world. Below are brief descriptions of some books that we find interesting or inspiring. Many of us have more time to read right now, and need some inspiration. […] Continue reading "A Few Book Recommendations for Native Landscaping Advocates"
By Deb Lebow Aal & Lisa Olsen. Updated October 2023 by Jen Smith. We are frequently asked this question: “How do we know which plants are native to the Front Range?” The truth is it’s a controversial question: plants do move, albeit relatively slowly, aided by water, wind, animals, birds and humans. Researchers do their best to […] Continue reading "A Brief Introduction to Colorado Native Shortgrass Prairie Plants | Easy to Find & Grow"
By Tom Swihart The picture above was taken on the first day of Spring in Denver. Springtime in the Rockies. Buckle up! The forecast is for even more extreme weather shifts. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Summary for Colorado, we are already experiencing above average annual temperatures, above average numbers of very hot […] Continue reading "Climate Change and Landscape Change "
By Deborah Lebow Aal Ah, yes, water. It IS the weather in Colorado. We are constantly talking about water. Skiers are obsessed with the snowpack; anglers are obsessed with river flow; farmers talk about the drought that seems to be omni-present. But, is it really a drought if it’s the normal condition? Denver gets an average of about 15 […] Continue reading "Let’s Talk Water and Yes, Native Plants Too"