Primary authors: Deb Lebow Aal & Danna Liebert The Front Range of Colorado is (or was) a short grass prairie ecosystem. That is what issupposed to be here, or at least what was here before European settlers came. Those plants that were here before Europeans arrived we refer to as native plants. The plants that […] Continue reading "Why Go Beyond Xeriscaping to Coloradoscape?"
By Michelle Kinshella Dreary Old Man Winter is still upon us, but soon our calendar will be telling us it’s Spring—the gardener’s favorite time of year! “Conventional” gardeners anticipate their tulips and crocuses, but we native plant lovers have so much more to look forward to, especially if you’re willing to venture forth on a […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Wildflowers | Favorite Early Spring Bloomers"
Wild Ones Social Media Volunteer, Website Designer, Graphic Designer and Passionate Gardener Meet Idelle! She is an avid gardener – to say the least! Idelle grew up in Thornton, Colorado and is a DU grad in graphic communications. Idelle runs an organic community garden in Denver where she’s worked with the members to create pollinator […] Continue reading "Volunteer Spotlight: Idelle Fisher"
By Jenifer Heath Honey bees are native to Europe and were imported to the U.S. There are over 900 different bee species that are native to Colorado. About 30 percent of our native bee species nest in stems. Most are not yellow and black and only 12 percent of species are social; the rest are […] Continue reading "Protecting Colorado Native Bee Habitat | Spring Stem Cleanup"
As discussed in the February WOFR newsletter, the Colorado General Assembly enacted House Bill 22-1151 in June, 2022. This legislation established a statewide turf replacement program and authorized a limited amount of funding to accelerate lawn conversions. Grants provided under HB-22-1151 will complement and further support the existing rebate and incentive programs of local municipal […] Continue reading "Colorado Continues to Invest in Turf Conversion Programs"
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"