Native Plants Toolkit

Coloradoscaping with Native Plants

This Front Range Wild Ones Toolkit is designed to empower people to garden with native plants and promote native & sustainable landscapes. Learn How to Use this Toolkit. Use the search or choose a topic below:

Definition of Coloradoscaping
Why Coloradoscape with Native Plants?
Time for Coloradoscaping to Replace Xeriscaping

Getting Started

Establish Native Plant
Landscape Goals
Analyze your site

Developing a Design

How to Approach
Developing a Design
Low Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens Booklets
Kenton Seth’s Generic Front Range Design Plan (pdf)
Mulch Selection
Fire Mitigation

Preparing Your Site and Removing Turf

Removing Your Turf
Xerces Society Site
Preparation Guide
Building a Rain Garden in Colorado
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond/Brad Lancaster

Selecting Native Plants for Your Landscape:
Native Plant Lists/Guides

Native Plants Species Sheets
Low Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens
Hardiest of Hardy Native Plants for Denver’s Front Range
Native Plants No Colorado Garden Should be Without
Rocky Mountain Penstemon - Idelle Fisher
Plant This, Not That
Plant This, Not That (one pager)

Native Plants for Specific Purposes

All Native Plants are NOT Created Equal
Canada Goldenrod in Pot
Container Gardening with Colorado Native Plants
Shade Tolerant Native Plants - Fleabane Daisy by Idelle Fisher
Shade Tolerant Native Plants
Edible Colorado Native Plants - Serviceberry - photo by Idelle Fisher
Edible Colorado Native Plants
A Brief Introduction to Colorado Native Short Grass Prairie Plants – Easy to Find and Grow
Attracting Butterflies with Colorado Native Plants
Native Plants for
Caterpillars and Birds
Low Water Native Plants for Pollinators

Native Plants by Form
• Grasses

Grasses are the Foundation
Glorious Grasses Native to Colorado’s Front Range
Cool and Warm Season Colorado Native Grasses Chart
Native Grasses for Use in Colorado Landscapes: CSU Extension

• Flowering Perennials/Forbs/Wildflowers

Native Herbaceous Perennials for
Colorado Landscapes: CSU Extension

• Trees

Native Trees for
Colorado’s Front Range
Native Trees for Colorado Landscapes: CSU Extension

• Shrubs

Colorado Native Shrubs – Ecological Powerhouses and More
Colorado Native Shrubs for Bird Habitat
Native Shrubs for Colorado Landscapes: CSU Extension

Planting and Maintaining Your Native Plant Garden

Best Practices for Establishing and Maintaining Colorado Native Plants
Ask CSU Extension Anything: Keeping Dead Perennial Plant Stems for Insect Nesting
Protecting Colorado Native Bee Habitat | Spring Stem CleanuP
Video of BARE ROOT
planting method Technique

Growing Native Plants from Seed

Native Plant Seed Collection and Germination
Germination Guide for Native Seeds
PDF by Jan Midgley (8/14/25 edition)
Native Plant Propagation
Sourcing Native Plants and Seeds

Seeking Inspiration

Public Native Plant Demonstration Gardens to Visit
A Broomfield Front Yard Rewild 2024
(Youtube video)

Advocating for Native Plants and Landscapes

Resources for Advocating for Native Planting Ordinances
What to do if the “Weed Police” Knock on Your Door
“How to Make Friends with the Weed Police” VIDEO
Native Plant Demonstration Garden Guide

Coming soon:

  • Actions to Influence Change at the Local Municipal Level
  • Native Trees to Promote in Tree Ordinances and Landscaping Codes

Additional Resources

Book Reviews
Recommended reading
Colorado Native Landscaping Coalition
Like-Minded Organizations