Category: Native Landscape Planning & Design

Fire Resistant Landscaping and Colorado Native Plants

By Deb Lebow Aal. Updated October 2023. This is a topic every Colorado homeowner should pay attention to. As you all know, our fire season in the West is getting longer and hotter. And, while it’s of much greater concern if you live close to the rural/forest intersection, it is now relevant even for urban […] Continue reading "Fire Resistant Landscaping and Colorado Native Plants"

Native Plant Garden Pairings

by Danna Liebert As advocates for Colorado native landscaping, you may have claimed (as we have) that you can create any traditional landscape style with natives; the whole story, as many of us know, is complicated: not all CO native plants are low-water; some need space to roam (spreading by rhizomes or reseeding); some don’t […] Continue reading "Native Plant Garden Pairings"

Garden Myths #2

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"

Crevice Gardens

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"

Native Garden “Before and After”

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”"

Gaillardia in the Garden

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"

Plant Spotlight: Gaillardia

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"

Towards a Zero Waste Gardening Goal

by Deb Lebow Aal In addition to Alex’s plastic-free seed-starting method, I wanted to write about how we can garden with less waste in general. Since Wild Ones’ goal is not just encouraging native plant gardening, but also sustainable gardening, it only seems right. First, a word about why we should be reducing our plastics […] Continue reading "Towards a Zero Waste Gardening Goal"