Create a Western Flower Garden You Love
Hi there, I’m Ann. I help western flower gardeners create more beauty with less effort, so they can enjoy outdoor spaces that have friends saying, “Wowww!”
If you’ve ever admired your neighbors’ gardens and thought, “I wish I could do that,”
you’re in the right place. 🌻
Find inspiration for your western garden
Discover 10 of the best long-blooming perennials for the semi-arid West, & enjoy months of color!
Find out 7 ways that gardening in Colorado is dramatically different than other regions.
It’s not you …
It’s flower gardening in the West
You know those parts of the country where you dig a few holes, plop in plants and watch them grow into a lush jungle?
All the while, you sip chilled beverages and laugh about how easy flower gardening is.
That isn’t Colorado or the interior west. 🙂
Located in the semi-arid, high steppe of North America, we have unique conditions for growing flowers. Throw in the Rocky Mountains, and well, it’s an adventure!
More like Patagonia than Pittsburgh
Did you know that our growing conditions are often more like parts of Patagonia, South Africa and Central Asia than other parts of the U.S.?
(Explains a few things, doesn’t it?)
Here’s the good news …
You CAN grow colorful flowers in western states like Colorado even if:
- You’re just getting the hang of gardening at elevation … in a semi-arid climate … with 60-degree temperature swings … and wait, is that an ELK in your yard?
- You don’t have endless hours to spend in your garden
- You don’t have a mind like Martha Stewart (nor should you have to!)
But when learning how to garden, it helps to have a guide to skip over the bumps that surprise many gardeners here. 🌻
If we haven’t said hello on a Colorado hiking trail …
Hi there, I’m Ann
Western garden journalist. Master gardener. Dog mama.
I grew up in a family of gardeners, but when I moved west, I quickly discovered that gardening in our high-altitude, dry conditions is an adventure!
So, I became a master gardener and a professional garden writer. And I’ve learned a ton through 20 years of practice too.
When flower gardening clicks, it’s such a fun way to relax and reconnect with nature. I created Go West Gardener to help western gardeners navigate our tricky growing conditions, so you can create a flower garden you love.
“Growing flowers is so much more rewarding”
“Because of Ann’s awesome gardening tips, my annuals are lasting much longer, and my flowers are thriving. Growing flowers is so much more rewarding.”
Ana Zellars | Golden, Colorado
Western flower gardening is an adventure
Where would you like to begin?
Go from, “I hope this grows,” to, “I’ve totally got this”
Get my latest flower gardening tips
What to Do With Outdoor Pots in the Winter, So They Look Good for Many Seasons
The seasons are changing. It's time to figure out what to do with your outdoor pots in the winter. (Good thinking!) Before you start getting winter snow and freezing temps, it helps to: 1) Empty the dead flowers and dirt (or "soil" in garden lingo) from your outdoor...
11 of the Best Gifts for Flower Lovers 2023 (That Western Gardeners Will Loooove)
Looking for fun gift ideas for flower lovers in the West? You'll find 11 of the best gift ideas for flower lovers below — perfect for holidays, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day and more. And if you’re looking for gardening gift ideas for yourself… well, then,...
3 Plants That Struggle in Western Winters (What NOT to Plant in Your Colorado Landscape)
No one wants to end up with extra garden chores and sad-looking plants But that’s what can happen if you accidentally pick plants that are known to struggle in Colorado landscapes — particularly during winter. So, in this tip, you’ll get the scoop on 3 popular plants...