by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, In-ground garden, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
Winter is a marathon for our plants in Colorado.
It’s an endurance test, and it can take its toll on our landscapes. Typically:
- Most of us don’t get a lot of precipitation during winter in Colorado.
- We get drying winds that pull the moisture out of plants.
- We also get wild temperature swings above and below freezing — like animated 7-year-olds riding up and down on a seesaw.
All of this is tough on our plants.
And it’s especially tough in our gardens that face south or west. These plants get warm afternoon sunshine, and then the temperatures drop at night. As the ground freezes and thaws, it creates cracks in the soil, creating little Grand Canyons. This can push our plants’ roots up. Now our plants’ roots are more vulnerable to getting cold and drying out.
And winter can go on, and on, and on…
Our Colorado gardens have to put up with a lot!
So, if you’re wondering, “Should I water my Colorado garden in the fall and winter?”
Yes, it can be a good idea for many plants if you’re having a dry fall or winter. If you’re going through a prolonged dry period, hook up a hose and give your plant babies a deep watering, so their roots stay hydrated and healthy.
Read on for specific watering tips!
During a dry autumn and winter…
Water 1-2 times per month if:
- It’s been windy.
- Daytime temperatures have been mild (warmer than usual). Or:
- You’ve gotten less than 1″ of moisture from rain or snow.
Just as a point of reference, 1″ of rainfall usually works out to to about 12-13″ of snow. So, a dusting of snow — or even a couple of inches — doesn’t add a lot of water for your plants!
Make sure:
- Temperatures are above 40 degrees.
- The ground isn’t covered with snow.
- You water in the middle of the day when it’s warm. Mid-day watering is ideal in the fall and winter, so foliage can dry before nightfall and water can soak into the ground.
Pro tip: Make a note on your calendar or on your phone when you water. It can help you keep track.
What plants should you water in your Colorado garden?
New plants tend to be more vulnerable to winter stress. However, even waterwise perennials that have been growing in your garden for a number of years can experience winter dieback during drought. (Perennials are your plants that come back each year.)
If you’re pressed for time, focus your watering efforts on your:
- Trees and shrubs, especially those you planted within the last 2-3 years
- Trees and shrubs that keep their needles or leaves over winter
- Any perennials you planted in the fall
- Any perennial gardens that face south, west or are exposed to wind
There are exceptions on what to water.
Because Mama Nature makes her own rules, y’all!
Xeric plants (those that need VERY little supplemental water) that have been growing in your garden for a season or two likely don’t need any irrigation from you.
Many parts of Colorado are in a “rain shadow.”
In the Front Range of Colorado, we live in a rain shadow of the mountains. Weather systems lose their moisture on the windward sides and tops of mountains. This casts a shadow of dryness — aka, a rain shadow — onto the Front Range.
The same thing can happen on the Western Slope. If you live in western Colorado, you can get a rain shadow effect from Utah.
So, if you haven’t gotten much moisture, temperatures have been mild, or it’s been windy in your garden this fall or winter, pull out the hose to water.
If you’d like specific watering tips…
The Colorado State University Extension has more details on fall and winter watering, including how to water your trees.
And for related topics, check out:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Best Flowers for Colorado, Utah & Similar States, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
I received the following question from a gardener who moved to Colorado from New England, and I thought, ooooh, that’s a good one!
“What plants struggle in Colorado?”
Here are some popular plants from other parts of the country that are best to skip in Colorado if:
- You don’t want extra work.
- You’d like to keep money in your wallet.
- You want to be smart with water.
- You’d like your Colorado landscape to consistently look good.
Let’s dig in!
Azaleas and rhododendrons
Azaleas and rhododendrons are flowering shrubs that thrive in parts of the country that get more rainfall and have acidic soil (dirt).You’ll see azaleas growing in gardens along the East Coast and gracing photos in Southern Living magazine. Rhododendrons are popular in the Pacific Northwest.
But azaleas and rhododendrons struggle in Colorado.
Why? Because our soil is too alkaline for them. It’s tough for these acid-loving plants to get the nutrients they need from the ground, and they decline in health.
You may see azaleas and rhododendrons in the box stores and think, “But they look so pretty!”
Keep on walking.
Those stores don’t always have plants that are well suited for our unique growing conditions in the Rocky Mountain region. Azaleas and rhododendrons will have a tough time looking pretty in the ground.
Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are another type of flowering shrub. The majority don’t fare so well here… with a few exceptions.
But more importantly, hydrangeas need A LOT of water. Heck, they even have “hydra-” in their name!
Hydrangeas need up to 2 inches of water per week in hot and dry weather just to keep from wilting, according to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Given how hot and dry our summers are, that’s about 20+ inches of moisture in July and August alone.
To put that in perspective, we get an average of 8-16 inches of moisture for the entire year at our lower elevations in Colorado. (The exact amount depends on where you live.) In contrast, Seattle and Chicago get close to 40 inches of moisture per year. Boston gets about 44 inches per year. And Atlanta and Orlando get around 50 inches per year.
Hydrangeas are beautiful… but typically, they are not a great fit for our semi-arid climate.
Boxwoods and arborvitaes
Boxwoods and arborvitaes are decorative landscape plants that are popular in other parts of the country. When they’re healthy, they (typically) keep their color all winter.
But here in Colorado, these evergreen shrubs and trees aren’t big fans of our winters, and they’ll let you know it!
I wrote a whole article on this topic: See why boxwoods and arborvitaes struggle in our Colorado winters >
Many types of maple trees
I grew up in a Midwestern state with beautiful maple trees, so this was a hard one for me when I first moved here.
But many maple trees have a hard time absorbing iron from our soils. They are prone to “iron chlorosis” in Colorado. Their leaves can turn chartreuse green, and they often need to be treated with iron annually, which means you’re shelling out money to a tree company.
They also can struggle in our drought, our big temperature swings and our heavy spring snowstorms.
If you have your heart set on a maple, check out Bigtooth Maples (Acer grandidentatum) and Tatarian Maples (Acer tataricum). Both have a stronger track record than other maples in Colorado. Bigtooth Maples are native to western Colorado and Utah.
So, what does all this mean for your Colorado garden?
You have a choice!
You can absolutely plant any of these plants if you really want to. But if you want an easier time, why not focus on plants that thrive in our western growing conditions?
There are plenty of beautiful western plants to choose from!
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening for Pollinators, Gardening Tips and Tricks
The sun is shining its warm rays. Birds are singing. And Costco has started assembling its spring pergola displays. Spring is starting to feel like it’s within reach, even if it’s still a ways off.
It’s enough to make you want to skip through the aisles of Costco.
(Go ahead. We won’t judge.)
So, on these warm winter days…
Should you start cutting back your garden in Colorado and similar states?
It’s tempting to want to start cleaning up your western garden for the new season—you know, raking leaves out of your flower beds, cutting back perennials.
But good news, there’s still time to relax. It’s best to hold off on these tasks for now. Yep, step outside and simply enjoy the sunshine instead.
Why wait on garden clean-up?
1) You’re giving your plants extra protection.
When you leave plant stems standing all winter, you’re giving some plants a better chance of returning in the spring, saving you money and effort.
It makes the plants hardier in the cold. This includes beautiful plants that hummingbirds love like western salvias, hyssops (Agastache) and hummingbird trumpet.
2) You’re helping nesting pollinators.
Some pollinators, like Monarch butterflies, head south for the winter like happy retirees. But many beneficial insects (or their babies) overwinter in your garden and don’t emerge until April or May. Some nestle down in leaf debris. Some lay eggs or create cocoon-like structures on the dormant stems of your perennials and shrubs. Many overwinter in hollow plant stems or in holes in the ground.
Your garden is a lil’ Airbnb!
3) You’re feeding the birds.
Local and migrating birds will feed on dried seeds from your plants. In January, I noticed 15 robins in my backyard (it was a robin convention!), along with juncos, woodpeckers and a few mystery cuties. Hopefully, you’re enjoying birds in your yard too.
Cheers to nature right outside your door!
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
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 pots.
2) Move your empty pots someplace dry. Ideally, you’d store them someplace that stays above freezing (like an attached garage). If that isn’t possible, you could put them on a covered porch or in a shed.
If your pots are too heavy to move…
3) Turn them upside down OR cover and wrap them with a thick plastic tarp to help keep the moisture out.
Why does it help to protect your outdoor pots?
If you leave the soil in your containers and moisture gets in the soil, the soil can freeze and expand, damaging your pots.
Even resin (plastic) pots can get freeze damage and crack open. I learned this the hard way when one of my resin flowerpots cracked down the side, like a man splitting his pants. Oops.
Some flowerpot surfaces can hold moisture too, like glazed ceramic and terracotta pots.
Here are examples of winter freeze damage on several of my neighbors’ flowerpots.
Do you have to do anything with your outdoor pots in the winter?
It’s a matter of your risk tolerance for your pots.
I used to leave my pots outside all winter with old soil and dead plants still in them. But after ruining several pots in winter freezes, I’m all for protecting my pots during the winter.
With that said, I have friends who don’t do anything with their outdoor pots in the winter. They’ve NEVER had issues with their pots breaking. And they have glazed ceramic pots that should be vulnerable.
It all depends on how much you want to risk it.
If you have pretty outdoor pots that you don’t want to lose, it’s a good idea to protect them from freezing winter conditions.
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Flower Garden Basics, Gardening Tips and Tricks
– 20 degrees below zero… -50 degrees below zero… -70 degrees below zero …
Yikes.
Every few years, we see some big wind chill numbers across parts of the Rocky Mountain region and high plains during winter, including in Colorado and Wyoming.
With these arctic blasts, it’s natural to wonder:
“Will wind chill kill the plants in my garden?”
The short answer is no.
Wind chill affects humans, not plants. The temperatures that affect your plants are the actual lows, not the wind chill temperatures.
Do you have snow in the forecast? That can be a good thing. Snow acts like insulation. It can serve as an insulating blanket on the ground, helping protect your plants’ roots from really cold temperatures.
Mid-winter is a better time for cold blasts than spring or fall. No one wants arctic temperatures, but if we’re going to get them, it’s better for our plants to get them in the heart of winter. Most perennials (and shrubs and trees) are in their hardened winter mode. Extreme lows can be much more destructive to plants in the spring or fall.
Many plants are “cold hardy” and can tolerate frigid dips.
It will be a wait-and-see game when spring and summer come around to find out if and how plants are affected by winter’s arctic blasts. In the spring, I’ll keep my eye on my “marginally hardy” perennials and newer plants that are still developing their root systems.
But if you hear weather forecasters toss around epic wind chill numbers, don’t let the wind chill numbers alarm you for your garden.
To learn more…
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Flower Garden Basics
Colorado has 5 plant hardiness zones: 7, 6, 5, 4 and 3.
If you’re new to plant hardiness zones, they tell you whether your flower plants are likely to survive the coldest winter temperatures that are expected in your area and come back next year.
(For the full scoop on hardiness zones, check out: What is a plant hardiness zone? And why they matter.)
So, what plant hardiness zone is your Colorado garden? It depends on where you live, as you can see in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Colorado below. Scroll down this page for specifics.
Areas with warmer winters have higher zone numbers. They’re in green. Areas with colder winters have lower zone numbers. They’re in purple and pink.
Let’s look at plant hardiness zones in Colorado in broad strokes:
- If you live in the hottest parts of Colorado — like the southwest corner and parts of the Grand Junction area — you’re likely in plant hardiness zone 7. Surrounding areas are in zone 6.
- Much of the Front Range is in zone 5.
- But if you live in an urban corridor — like parts of Denver, Aurora, Boulder and Fort Collins, as well as parts of Colorado Springs — you’re likely in zone 6a. Buildings and concrete can heat things up. Much of Pueblo is in zone 6 too.
- At higher elevations, like up in the mountains, your plants often need to be able to withstand colder winter temperatures. (For every 1000 feet you go up in elevation in Colorado, temperatures drop about 3 to 4 degrees.) Your garden will likely have a lower plant hardiness zone number. The majority of mountain towns are in zone 4. Some are in zone 5 and a few are in zone 3.
There are exceptions to the “it gets colder as you go higher” guideline.
For example, if you live on a valley floor in Colorado, your garden can be up to 10-degrees COLDER than your neighbors on nearby hillsides or mountainsides.
Cold air slides down the slopes and settles on valley floors at night.
Another exception…
If you live on a north-facing slope, your garden may be a lot cooler and damper than the dry, heat-gathering gardens on south- and western-facing slopes.
And one more exception…
It’s possible to create “microclimates” in your garden that are warmer than the surrounding area. For example, you could include large boulders in your garden. Boulders and large rocks can radiate heat to surrounding plants and help block winds. Often times, flowers planted along the south and western sides of buildings or rock walls can receive more heat too.
Also worth noting… the USDA released an updated zone map for 2024.
With the new release, some parts of Colorado grew “warmer” in plant hardiness zones.
For example, my garden in the Front Range went from a 5b zone to a 6a zone. This means the lowest coldest temperatures that are expected where I live went from -15 degrees below zero to -10 degrees below zero.
But here’s something to consider. While our summer temperatures are getting hotter, it’s still possible that we can get a really cold winter. (Brutally cold winters just may not be as frequent.) Where I live, we’ve had winter temperatures reaching -15 degrees below zero and -17 degrees below zero in two of the last five years. Technically, these are still zone 5 temperatures. So, even though the USDA map says I’m 6a, I’m going to continue to think of my garden as zone 5. That way, I’m buying plants that are more likely to survive.
What’s the takeaway? Your local surroundings play a role.
The zone you’ll get from the USDA may not accurately reflect what’s going on in your individual garden in Colorado. You may want to adjust down a zone (for colder conditions) or up a zone (for warmer conditions). Just keep this in mind as you get your Colorado hardiness zone below!
To get the Colorado plant hardiness zone for your garden:
Click to the USDA website here and enter your zip code >>
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Best Flowers for Colorado, Utah & Similar States, In-ground garden, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
Confession: I love blue flowers. There’s something about them that makes my heart sing. In Colorado, Utah, and similar states, we’re lucky to have a variety of waterwise, blue flowers available to us as perennials (plants that return for multiple years).
Here are 12 waterwise perennials with blue flowers to get you started. These drought-tolerant beauties can handle our tricky, western conditions—from low precipitation to summer heat.
SPRING BLOOMERS
Blue flax (Linum lewisii)
Zones 4-9
Blue flax is a “What’s that?” plant… as in, your neighbors will stop and ask about this drought-tolerant perennial. It has airy, ferny leaves and charming, blue flowers in May and June. The flowers can be pale blue, powder blue or sky blue. Flowers open in the morning and close in the evening.
Blue flax can reseed heavily if you let it go to seed—like a fairy godmother tossing pixie dust—so think about where you plant it. It prefers a lot of sunlight and well-drained soils.
If you’d like a blue flax that’s native to Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, Linum lewisii is the easiest one to find in stores and at plant exchanges. The Colorado State University Extension says it can grow at elevations up to 9,500 feet! If you aren’t picky on native origin, there are European blue flaxes available too, such as Linum perenne (zones 4b-8) and Linum narbonense (Zones 5-8).
Colorado desert bluestar (Amsonia jonesii)
Zones 4-9
Colorado desert bluestar has pale-blue flowers that look like stars. It blooms in April and May. During autumn, its leaves turn yellow, offering a splash of fall color.
Colorado desert bluestar thrives in hot, sunny and dry locations. It’s very waterwise. Worth noting, this perennial can take several years to grow in size, so consider buying a bigger plant to get started. Otherwise, plan on being patient for a few years. (It’s worth the wait.)
This perennial can be a hard one to find, so if you see it at the garden center or a plant exchange, snag it!
Blue penstemons / beardtongues (Penstemon)
Penstemons (aka, beardtongues) typically put on a colorful show in late spring and early summer gardens in the West. They thrive in hot and sunny locations. They can keep their green foliage through most of the year, including winter. These plants attract hummingbirds and bees.
There are a number of penstemons that have blue flowers, including:
- Grand Mesa penstemon (Penstemon mensarum) — native to Colorado and Utah (zones 3-9)
- Blue Mist penstemon (Penstemon virens) — native to Colorado and Wyoming (zones 4-8)
- Electric Blue penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Electric Blue’) — a selection of a California native penstemon (zones 5-9)
- WAGGON WHEEL® bluemat penstemon (Penstemon caespitosus ‘P022S’) — a selection of a low-growing penstemon that’s native to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Arizona (zones 4-7)
All of the penstemons listed above thrive in waterwise gardens.
Muscari / grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)
Zones 4-9
Muscari (aka, grape hyacinth) has deep-blue flowers that bloom in the middle of spring. It grows from a bulb you plant in the fall. It naturalizes easily in western gardens, so it can spread and come back year after year. Muscari is drought tolerant, making it a good addition to waterwise gardens. Plant it en masse for a big splash of color.
Muscari offers bees an early source of food before many other plants have started blooming.
Turkish veronica (Veronica liwanensis)
Zones 3-10
Turkish veronica is a low-growing groundcover. It gets tiny, blue flowers in May. Plant it among pavers and walkways for a pretty look or along the fronts of your garden beds.
Turkish veronica will grow in partly shady locations, as well as in sunny locations. (You’ll get more flowers in the sun.) The leaves are evergreen, meaning they typically stay green throughout the year, including winter. This plant takes low to average water.
There are variations of this perennial that have blue flowers as well. For example, CRYSTAL RIVER® veronica has lilac-blue flowers with a white center (zones 3-7), and SNOWMASS® blue-eyed veronica has white petals with blue centers (zones 3-10).
SUMMER BLOOMERS
Indigo blue dragonhead (Dracocephalum ruyschiana)
Zones 3-8
Indigo blue dragonhead gets blue flowers in the late spring/early summer. This perennial has vibrant-green foliage with needle-like leaves. I think it looks pretty when it’s paired with waterwise perennials that have silver foliage.
Indigo blue dragonhead is drought-tolerant and easy going. You can plant it in a variety of soils. It’s happiest in sunny locations.
Cape forget-me-not (Anchusa capensis ‘Cape Forget-Me-Not’)
Zones 5-10
Cape forget-me-not grows in full sun and part shade. In sunny locations, it prefers a little more water.
This attractive perennial from South Africa starts blooming in April, and it can bloom into the fall if you keep deadheading it. Honey bees love the sky blue flowers.
This waterwise, blue flower can be a shorter-lived perennial. If you want it to continue in your garden, let some of the spent flowers go to seed. With that said… it easily reseeds, so if you don’t want a lot of new plants, be sure to deadhead the spent blooms.
Prairie salvia (Salvia azurea)
Zones 5-9
Prairie salvia is a regionally native plant that gets blue flowers on tall stems in mid- to late summer. It’s a prairie plant that attracts pollinators, like bumble bees and hummingbirds.
This waterwise perennial grows well in our tricky western soils, from clay to sand. It doesn’t need a lot of water, and it’s happiest in sunny gardens. If you plant it in rich garden soils (meaning your dirt has a lot of organic material in it), it can get floppy.
Prairie salvia looks lovely when it’s planted among ornamental grasses, like little bluestem, and goldenrods.
Blue Glow globe thistle (Echinops bannaticus ‘Blue Glow’)
Zones 3-8
Blue Glow globe thistle produces round flowers—blue globes—in the middle of summer. The round flowers create an interesting focal point in waterwise gardens, creating contrast with other plants. This perennial can get reasonably tall (up to four feet tall), so plant it in the middle or back of your garden. It thrives in sunny, hot and dry locations, and it can bloom for a long time.
This beauty attracts a range of pollinators, including honey bees and bumble bees. In my garden, I’ve seen hummingbirds visiting it as well.
When you see the word, “thistle,” you may think, “Eeek, is this the bad kind of thistle?” Blue Glow echinops isn’t the invasive type of thistle, but it can reseed. If you don’t want it taking over neighboring plants, deadhead it when it’s done blooming.
Blue Glitter sea holly (Eryngium planum ‘Blue Glitter’)
Zones 4-9
Another waterwise plant with interesting flowers!
Blue Glitter sea holly gets blue, spiny flowers on blue stems in the middle of summer. It thrives in sunny, dry locations. (You’ll find other sea holly plants on the market, but they aren’t always as drought tolerant as Blue Glitter.)
My neighbors ask me about this plant every summer. I’m partial to it because it looks unusual, and it’s a party for pollinators, including native bees, beneficial wasps and butterflies.
FALL BLOOMERS
Autumn Sapphire sage (Salvia reptans ‘P016S’)
Zones 5-10
There are a couple of waterwise, blue flowers that shine in the fall, including Autumn Sapphire sage. This drought-tolerant perennial adds a pop of color in September and October when other flowers have stopped blooming. Plus, it’s a source of nectar and pollen for late-season pollinators, including bees and butterflies.
Autumn Sapphire sage has willowy, green leaves. It looks lush and green in July and August, despite our heat in Colorado and Utah. Small, sapphire-blue flowers cover this plant in early fall. It can bloom until frost.
I think it’s pretty when it’s paired with hyssops (Agastache), western salvias and ornamental grasses.
Hardy plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)
Zones 5-9
Hardy plumbago is another late-season bloomer. It gets bright blue flowers in the late summer and early fall in Colorado. Hardy plumbago is a groundcover, growing up to 8 inches tall and spreading about 18 inches wide.
Hardy plumbago will happily flower in the shade. Known as a “dry shade” plant in Colorado and Utah, hardy plumbago doesn’t need a lot of water in the shade. (You can plant it in the sun too, but it will be happier with more water in the sun.)
Another bonus… Hardy plumbago’s leaves turn a deep red color in the fall, adding an extra pop of color to your fall landscape. In the photo above, the leaves have started changing color.
Related topics that may interest you:
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by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, In-ground garden
Your spring flowers look as happy as kids on the first day of vacation… and then, you see the weather forecast: SNOW.
Ugh.
The good news is…
Spring flowering bulbs — like tulips and daffodils (pictured below) — are surprisingly resilient. Snow can be a good insulator for plants. And yes, I know we need the water.
So, if you’re wondering, “Will snow kill spring flowers, like tulips?”, the good news is it’s extremely unlikely.
(Phew, right?)
The bad news is…
Heavy spring snows can make a mess of tulips and daffodils that have started flowering.
Depending on how much snow you get, it can weigh down, smoosh or break your flowers, ending your pretty blooms for this year.
Temperatures can be an issue too
Cold temperatures (like a hard freeze) can ruin the blooms on some spring flowers, including the buds that haven’t quite opened yet.
I want my flower blooms to last as long as they can
That’s why I prefer to protect some of my spring flowers that are blooming — or are just about to bloom.
When my tulips or daffodils are blooming and there’s more than a dusting of snow in the forecast, I choose to cover them with tall buckets, empty flowerpots, frost tents, etc.
I do this so they don’t get crushed by the snow. That way, I still have flower blooms when the snow is over.
I keep my eye on the low temperatures too
Some spring flowers are more sensitive than others to freezing temperatures.
In my garden, allium and tulips tend to be the most sensitive. You can see an example of allium below.
I’ve had enough flower buds (the blooms that haven’t opened yet) get dinged by hard freezes in the spring that I like to protect them.
When I see nighttime temperatures dipping and dancing into the mid-20s (or below) in the forecast, I’ll cover my allium and tulips — focusing on the ones that are blooming and the ones that have flower buds.
I’ve never gotten a freeze or hard frost that’s killed my spring plants. Rather, I just don’t get flower blooms that year. I have to wait until next year.
So, when I’m covering my spring flowers, I’m trying to protect that season’s blooms.
Do you have to cover your spring flowers when snow is coming?
Nope! Depending on your snowfall and how naturally protected your flowers are, they may be just fine. It’s all a matter of how proactive you want to be.
I don’t worry about my tulips when they’re just leaves
If my tulips are coming up and they only have leaves (but no buds or blooms yet), I don’t cover them.
Personally, I also don’t worry about the early spring bloomers, like crocuses below. Those lil’ dudes are tough!
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Best Flowers for Colorado, Utah & Similar States, Garden design Ideas, Gardening for Pollinators, Gardening Tips and Tricks, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
Reader note: I first published this article in January 2022, but the content is still relevant and timely!
I feel strange saying, “garden trends,” because it implies a fad.
Here today, gone tomorrow—like paint colors in a home or trendy flower colors.
I’m not here to tell you that violet is the new purple in your garden.
Instead, think of these 5 western garden trends as where landscaping is going in Colorado, Utah and the intermountain west.
These are movements that will shape our gardens today—and well into the future. Use these garden trends to inspire you as you think about your western landscape and the plants you choose.
#1: Naturalism is in.
When you think of a traditional garden, what comes to mind? Many people think of formal gardens like they have on the East Coast and Midwest.
Tidy rows of plants. Shaped hedges. Lots of symmetry. (You know, like the photos in magazines.)
But there’s a trend to create gardens that reflect more of our natural environment.
With “naturalism,” there’s a relaxed ebb and flow to the plants.
These gardens are reminiscent of what you may see in nature, like in a high plains prairie or in a mountain meadow.
If you’d like to embrace a more natural look in your garden in Colorado, Utah or a similar state, here are a few ways to start:
- Let go of symmetry.
- Plant your flowers in drifts or clumps. (This is good for pollinators too!)
- Intermingle low-growing plants (like groundcovers) among larger, structural plants.
- Integrate parts of the natural landscape into your garden design, such as boulders, rocks or tree trunks.
- Choose plants that thrive in our tricky western conditions. (More on this below!)
#2: Pollinator gardens are growing in popularity.
Bring on the bees, butterflies, birds and more! People are taking an interest in pollinator gardens—which is helpful with many types of pollinators at risk.
I used to think, “But I already have bees in my garden.”
I didn’t really get it.
What I’ve learned in recent years it that not all bees were created equal.
Commonplace bees are becoming more common, while rare bees are becoming more rare.
Some bees are generalists. They’ll seek nectar and pollen from a variety of plants. They aren’t picky.
But we also have specialist bees, and some are rare. They tend to prefer a very narrow palette of plants.
The same principle is true of other pollinators.
For example, Monarch butterflies use a specific plant (Milkweed — aka, Asclepias) to host and feed their young. That’s it! Just one type of plant.
The idea behind a pollinator garden is that you create an environment that attracts and nurtures a variety of species, including the rare ones.
Biodiversity, baby!
Want to create a pollinator-friendly garden? Check out: “How do I attract bees and butterflies to my garden?”
#3: Gardening with native plants is getting lots of buzz.
For many decades, if you’d walk into a western garden center, you’d find perennials (the flowers that come back each year) that were ideal for high-moisture regions of the U.S., like the Midwest and East Coast.
Not so great for our semi-arid gardens in Colorado, Utah and the intermountain West!
Today, there’s a big push to include “native plants” in western landscapes. Native plants have been around for a looooong time—usually before European settlement.
Native plants are “ecologically adapted” to where you live. They can tolerate your soil (dirt) and local climate. They tend to be resistant to disease and troublesome insects. They create a sense of place. They feel like the West and reflect where we live.
And most importantly, native plants are excellent plants for native bees and other pollinators—especially pollinators that are in decline. They’ve evolved together.
TIP: If you’d like to learn about plants that are native to where you live, visit your state’s Native Plant Society website. To find it, search for: [your state] native plant society.
#4: “Waterwise” gardens are smart gardens.
This isn’t a new gardening trend, but it’s an important one here in the semi-arid West—especially as more of us go through sustained periods of drought.
The idea behind waterwise gardens is that you:
- Choose plants that don’t need a lot of moisture to survive.
- Group plants with similar watering needs together, so you can be efficient in your irrigation. (Good for your water bill — and Mama Nature too!) In other words, you avoid placing plants that prefer lots of water next to ones that need very little water.
This doesn’t mean your yard has to look like a desert. You can still have a gorgeous flower garden!
But it does mean you may need to think differently about your plant choices. For example, a big part of waterwise gardens is embracing native plants that can tolerate drought.
You also may want to learn about waterwise plants that thrive in our sister climates. These are plants from “high steppe” regions of the world that share our growing conditions.
For example, did you know that plants that are native to Patagonia, Central Asia and the steppe region of South Africa often grow well in states like Colorado and Utah?
Yep, our gardens have more in common with Patagonia than Pittsburgh.
(Explains a few things, right?)
Does this mean you can’t plant flowers you love from other parts of the country?
Nope!
But it does help to understand that not every plant is a good fit for semi-arid gardens.
The good news is there are some plants that many people know from other places that grow well in states like Colorado. For example, bearded irises and lilacs tend to be drought tolerant and can thrive in our tough, western growing conditions.
Looking for inspiration for drought-tolerant plants? The western plant introduction program—Plant Select—has a variety of western native plants and plants from sister regions of the world.
#5: Lawn/turf conversions are becoming more common.
I recently crossed paths with a homeowner from Park City, Utah. She was telling me that Park City residents are allotted a finite amount of water per household each year. If you exceed that amount, you have to pay a BIG financial penalty.
Yikes!
She said they pay close attention to their monthly water bill. They’ve also rethought their lawn. They still have some areas of lawn, but only where it makes sense.
As more people are looking for ways to get smart with their water use (whether it’s to save money or do good for Mama Nature), there’s a growing interest in replacing portions of traditional lawns with turf alternatives, like:
- Drought-tolerant perennials (the flowers that return year after year) and native plants
- Waterwise groundcovers
- Turf grasses that thrive in hot temperatures
These new alternatives to traditional lawns “allow homeowners to cut back on pesticides, fertilizers, mowing and watering,” says the National Wildlife Federation.
Yes, please!
Many of us have lawn grasses that thrive in cooler, damper parts of the country.
Kentucky Bluegrass, for example, is a common lawn grass in the Front Range of Colorado. It’s a “cool season” grass. It thrives in cool temperatures ranging from 40 to 70 degrees—typically going dormant in our summer heat.
Kentucky Bluegrass can be a good lawn grass for yards that get a lot of activity (like if you have young kids).
But many of us have parts of our landscape that just aren’t used that much.
In this case, it may make sense to rethink what’s planted there.
There are some types of “heat tolerant” turf grasses that do much better in hot and dry locations, like blue grama grass, buffalo grass, and special types of Bermuda grass, like Dog Tuff™ grass and Tahoma31.
These grasses thrive in hot temperatures. They are known as “warm season” grasses. This means they grow and green up when temperatures warm up. They use significantly less water than Kentucky bluegrass, and they rarely need to be mowed. (Less work for you!)
These types of lawns may be good solutions for parts of your yard that:
- Get lots of sunlight. (Heat tolerant grasses often don’t grow well in shade.)
- Don’t get heavy foot traffic.
- Don’t have mature trees nearby that may need more water.
Dog Tuff™ Grass is an example of a heat tolerant grass. Photo credit: Kelly Grummons. Photo courtesy of Plant Select.
I’ve transformed unused parts of my traditional lawn into waterwise gardens with a lot of native plants. Maybe you’ll be doing the same!
If you’d like to learn more about why turf conversions are beneficial, the National Wildlife Federation has an insightful article called: A Farewell to Lawns—Native turf-grass alternatives can reduce your environmental footprint while supporting birds, butterflies and other living creatures.
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