Holistic Design: A Guide to ColoradoScaping
When putting together a site plan, a look at the larger ecosystem should be considered. Building a custom home provides an amazing opportunity for integrating buildings into the landscape but even starting with existing structures can be adeptly integrated into a beautiful and sustainable place.
Creating a beautiful landscape on the Front Range can be a challenging adventure. The extremes of summer - hot and dry paired with just enough bitterly cold winter days, throws a whole range of conditions at anything planted. With unpredictable bursts of hail and heavy wet snowfall, plants that were thriving can end up crippled through a random whim of the weather. For many people who aspire to cultivate a lush, vibrant oasis in this challenging environment, figuring out and getting things off the ground can seem insurmountable.
Xeric to ColoradoScaping
One of the first things that will come up when starting to think about sustainable planting is xeriscaping. Denver Water introduced the idea in 1981 and the desire for native, self-sustaining landscapes took off. Through the years, xeriscaping has gained a somewhat negative connotation with many people taking no watering to the extreme and putting down gravel, sometimes in swooping forms and colors, with limited to no plants. While using no water, walking by a rock lawn during the summer can feel scorching and creates a heat island. The subtraction of any plant matter also takes away biodiversity and typically can become a breeding ground for weeds since they are one of the only things that can survive.
Finding the Best Plants for Your Colorado Garden:
Plant Select & Resource Central
With these challenges, a new approach has been proposed by Denver Water, Coloradoscaping. Starting with a foundation in waterwise plants offers the most resilient approach to designing amazing outdoor spaces. When selecting plants, starting with the Plant Select list, is a great shortcut to figuring out the types of species that have been found to work generally for Colorado.
Sometimes, it can be a challenge to locate particular Plant Select branded plants but it helps in creating a starting place with substitutions for plants in the same genus. To make it even easier, the Resource Central sells bundles of smaller plants for a great price with their “Garden in a Box” program. My general theory for selecting plants is to envision the landscape as a large spread out bouquet, selecting plants that work together or have a nice contrast.
Plant recommendations
- Lavender: make sure to get a hardy variety.
- Pincushion: very affordable from a big box store but creates an interesting stem that can weave into nearby plants
- Grasses: make sure to select varieties that are drought tolerant. Some ornamental grasses can actually need frequent watering.
Finding plants for areas with part sun to shade can be difficult since most plants for the Front Range are adapted to full sun grasslands. Here are a few that I have had success with:
- Anemone: Produce a nice flower and have nice and interesting foliage
- Sedge: A nice grassy-like plant that fills out shaded areas
- Hyssop: Thrives with sun but has done well in partial shaded areas
The first year might be a little bare but after a couple of years, the plants will get established and be very rewarding. A well-planted landscape provides a wonderful habitat to help many native species from bees to butterflies.
The eventual outcome of creating a ColoradoScaped landscape is to minimize the use of water. However, being able to dramatically cut down on water usage will not be fully realized for the first few years. Not watering new plants can be the biggest pitfall for getting them strong and established.
Getting Started on Your ColoradoScape
- Assess your site: Take a close look at the areas that you wish to transform – note the sun exposure (full, part, shade), soil conditions (a soil test from CSU would be helpful to know if it needs mending), and existing features. This will help you determine which plants will thrive in your specific microclimate.
- Choose the right plants: Native and drought-tolerant species like yucca, penstemon, and blue grama grass are ideally suited for the Denver and the Front Range. Avoid thirsty, high-maintenance plants that will struggle in this environment, they will perpetually need assistance to keep them looking good.
- Incorporate strategic design: Group plants that work well together and use mulch to retain moisture. A targeted drip irrigation system can ensure that plants are getting enough water when they are new. I recommend using a simple system like Orbit’s B-Hyve. The system has a robust range of parts that can provide the right amount of water directly to each plant. Incorporate elements like large rocks, pea gravel paths, and permeable hardscaping.
- Embrace getting plants established: the xeric garden can become lush and visually stunning but will take a few years. With the right plant selection and design, you can see year-round color, texture, and visual interest.
Affordable Xeriscape: Nursery Sales & Smart Shopping
The cost of creating a garden can add up quickly. I think it is the main driver for xeriscape getting a bad reputation for ending up looking like a gravel pit with some grasses in a line. Individual ornamental grasses and perennials can be $20-100 each. With the necessary amount of plants to make a full-looking garden, the costs can add up to approaching $1,000 if you are not careful. One way to help alleviate the cost is to follow the nurseries in the area to get notified when plants are on sale. Depending on the nursery, there will be a spring sale and then a late summer to fall sale and prices can drop up to 50%.
Another way to not spend as much to get a good looking ColoradoScape is to select base plants that can help fill in an area from a big box store. Typically they have nice base plants like grasses for a reasonable price. With selecting an affordable readily available plant, it takes the pressure off from having to buy all unique and expensive plants.
Creating water wise landscaping can be a process over years. You don’t have to go all in right away, starting small and letting the plants fill in is a great option to learn how to grow and maintain plants. This also gives you time to determine what plants really flourish in the conditions that are present on your site. Once grown, some plants can be split and spread, donating to cover more areas in the garden.
There can be a balance between having some lawn and a Coloradoscaped garden, any step towards waterwise landscaping is a step in the right direction. By following these guidelines, residents of Colorado can create a drought-resistant oasis that not only conserves water, but also reflects the unique character of the region. So why not embrace the ColoradoScape lifestyle and elevate your outdoor space to new heights of beauty and sustainability?