Toolkit Highlight: Plant this, Not That
Many Colorado Native Plants boast similar attributes to common landscape plants but with better ecological benefits. Continue reading "Toolkit Highlight: Plant this, Not That"
Three-Leaf Sumac, Rhus trilobata
Three-Leaf Sumac is a Colorado native plant with exceptional fall color. Continue reading "Three-Leaf Sumac, Rhus trilobata"
Compost and the Native Plant Garden
By Kristine Johnson What is compost? Compost is the “managed, aerobic (oxygen-requiring) biological decomposition of organic materials by microorganisms.” While we know that everything living eventually breaks down and returns nutrients to the earth, the process of composting can speed up decomposition, benefit certain decomposers, conserve nutrients, and yield a uniform product useful in gardening. […] Continue reading "Compost and the Native Plant Garden"
Your Landscape Actions Can Actually Save the Planet!
(Or at least help, a lot) By Kristine Johnson The Wild Ones mission statement focuses on native plants for healthy ecosystems, and the Front Range Chapter speaks to landscaping for a climate-resilient future. Why is this important, and what can sound gardening techniques anchored on native plants provide beyond this? Many people know that we […] Continue reading "Your Landscape Actions Can Actually Save the Planet!"
A Colorado Pocket Prairie
By Deb Lebow Aal As we approach the winter solstice, I am taking time to pull back, pull inside, reorganize, and yes, already think about my landscape for next year. We gardeners don’t only find solace and joy in working in our gardens, but planning them as well, and as a respite from the tumult […] Continue reading "A Colorado Pocket Prairie"
Adding Microhabitats to Your Landscape
Compiled by Deborah Lebow Aal Bugs are in trouble, and our yards, both the plants we put in and the way we garden, can be part of the solution. The Xerces Society had an article I particularly liked on using your landscape to make a difference to bugs by adding microhabitats. I am summarizing and […] Continue reading "Adding Microhabitats to Your Landscape"
Book Review: Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster
Review by Pam Sherman Brad Lancaster lives in a city which gets 11 inches of rain a year. Tucson AZ is one water-stressed city in the desert, getting its city water from the Colorado River 300 miles away. He writes: “we’d typically have more free local water than we need if we’d consciously harvest it, […] Continue reading "Book Review: Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster"
Consider Native Sedges in Your Landscape
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"
Colorado Native Shrubs for Bird Habitat
By Jenifer Heath I have spent several years transforming my yard and specifically building low-water (xeric) and mostly native plant habitat for pollinating insects, and only incidentally for birds and other creatures. This winter I decided that I’d like to make a bigger effort to support birds specifically. Bird habitat should provide water, food, shelter […] Continue reading "Colorado Native Shrubs for Bird Habitat"
Ditch the Peat Moss!
By Ayn Schmit Sustainability of the materials we use in our landscapes is an increasing focus for many gardeners, from the use of gravel mulch (gravel mining harms rivers and wetlands) to the source of soil amendments. Gardeners in the U.S. have relied on peat moss for years for its ability to retain water and […] Continue reading "Ditch the Peat Moss!"