By Kate Hogan* I started my home garden native plant conversion back in 2015 – I foolishly decided to attempt to replant my entire front and back garden beds to exclusively Colorado and New Mexico native plants while on maternity leave with my second child, which happened to be September of that year. We had […] Continue reading "Native Plants for Hummingbirds"
By Deb Lebow Aal In July, 2021, we reprinted an article from Harlequin Gardens on tips and tricks to water less. We’d like to highlight some of those tricks, again, add to them, and update some ideas from that article. That article focused on the advantages of xeriscaping your landscape; we’ve moved away from that […] Continue reading "I Know You Want To Water Less"
On June 22, 2024 the Fourth Annual Denver Pollinator/Native Plant Swap & Giveaway Event was held between 10am – 1pm with sunny skies and warm temps reaching 90°F. We appreciate the estimated 700 participants, including volunteers and families, who attended despite construction hassles, lines and heat. 2024 Denver Pollinator/Native Plant Swap & Giveaway at 11:30am […] Continue reading "2024 Denver Pollinator/Native Plant Swap & Giveaway — It’s a Very Successful Wrap!"
By Richard Phillips In the dry steppe environment of eastern Colorado, for years we have been directed to reduce the water consumption of our landscaping by using the Xeriscaping guidelines developed and promoted by Denver Water, since the 1980s. These concepts have been so ingrained in our gardening ethic, that I see them referenced in […] Continue reading "Time for Coloradoscaping to Replace Xeriscaping"
By Jonathan Sciarcon Sedges are “grass-like plants” in that they have skinny green stems, but they are not grasses. Sedges, unlike grasses, are in the Cyperus (Cyperaceae) family, have solid, triangular stems (occasionally round). They are not jointed or hollow like grasses. When looking at the stem, you can see the leaves are in three […] Continue reading "Consider Native Sedges in Your Landscape"
By Pam Sherman Why should we pay attention to this astounding tree? Character, for one. The Colorado Tree Coalition advises landscapers: “Plant as a single species in a rock garden or other well-drained site. It is not a formal looking tree. It develops ‘character.’ Can be trained as a bonsai.” Second, bristlecone provides watershed and […] Continue reading "Wild Ones Front Range Chapter Plant of the Month: Pinus aristata (Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine)"
By Deborah Lebow Aal If you are reading this, you have some familiarity with, and/or, some interest in the interdependence of native plants and native insects. Some native plants provide the ecosystem with more benefits for insects than others. The measure I am using for ecosystem benefits is how many species of caterpillars a native […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Plants for Caterpillars and Birds"
By Pam Sherman Courtesy ponce_photography on Pixabay Julia Georgallis, author of the cookbook How to Eat Your Christmas Tree from which this recipe is taken (p. 86-7), says this is “hands down my favorite recipe” from her fir tree-eating supper club. A special occasion treat to stimulate conversation on native plant gardening and guardian-ing! Georgallis […] Continue reading "Celebrate Local Plants Through Food: Fir Tree and Ginger Ice Cream Recipe"
This question and answer are part of our Ask CSU Extension Anything (About Native Plants) series. We appreciate CSU Extension for answering these questions to expand our community’s knowledge of native plant landscaping. Send us your questions to the Ask CSU email account. FULL QUESTION: I’ve been hearing/reading a lot about using a combination of native […] Continue reading "What combination of drought tolerant native grasses and sedges would you recommend as a “green mulch” between masses of flowering plants?"
This question and answer are part of our Ask CSU Extension Anything (About Native Plants) series. We appreciate CSU Extension for answering these questions to expand our community’s knowledge of native plant landscaping. Send us your questions to the Ask CSU email account. ANSWER: While at least one study has found that in extremely degraded […] Continue reading "Should I add mycorrhizae to the soil when I plant native plants?"
