by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Apr 24, 2025 | Flower Garden Basics, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
Wondering how to get started with flowerpot gardening?
Pop in your ear buds, find a comfy spot and listen to this 30-minute episode of the @liveblissedout podcast!
I was honored to be a guest and chat about flowerpot gardening in Colorado, Utah and the West. Click the blue play button below to listen.
In this flower gardening podcast, you’ll discover:
- How to feel more confident growing flowers — even if you’ve struggled or you’ve never grown a flower before
- What to think about when choosing flowers for pots, so your flowers live longer
- How to INSTANTLY make your flowerpots prettier
- How to know how many flowers to buy, so you don’t waste money
- Where to buy flowers if you like unique flower blooms (beyond the home improvement stores)
- And more!
The Live Blissed Out podcast is an educational variety show focusing on how you can achieve happiness through awareness and taking action. I loved being a guest.
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, In-ground garden
Let’s say you’d like to grow pretty spring flowers in your western garden, like tulips or daffodils.
Awesome! These spring flowers grow from bulbs that you plant in the fall in Colorado, Utah and the West.
Here are a few examples of spring flowering bulbs:
In this week’s tip, you’ll get 5 helpful tips for buying spring flowering bulbs.
Tip 1: The best time to plant spring bulbs is when your weather starts to cool.
Generally, it’s a good idea to plant your bulbs when temperatures start to cool off — but there’s still time before the ground freezes. That way, your bulbs have time to establish their roots.
(Yep, bulbs have roots!)
Look for days when temperatures are in the 60s. For example:
- The best time to plant bulbs in Colorado’s Front Range is usually October.
- In western Colorado and northern Utah, the timing is often October into early November.
The timing can vary slightly from year to year. If you’re getting blazing-hot temps and it still feels like summer, it’s likely too early to plant your spring flowering bulbs.
So, what does this tip have to do with buying spring flowering bulbs?
It’s common to buy bulbs earlier than they should be planted. Simply put them in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant, so they don’t dry out.
Tip 2: Spring flowering bulbs often start appearing in stores in August and September.
Typically, you can buy spring flowering bulbs from:
- Independent garden centers
- Online retailers like High Country Gardens (they often have unusual bulbs)
- Costco and similar retailers
- Home improvement stores
- Bulb sales at local botanic gardens (For example, the Denver Botanic Gardens typically has a spring bulb sale in late September. The Durango Botanic Gardens often has a spring bulb sale in August with bulb delivery in October.)
If you live in Idaho, Oregon or Washington, you may have restrictions on where you can buy some types of bulbs (like allium). You can get the scoop in this publication from the University of Idaho Extension.
Tip 3: Spring flowering bulbs are sold in different types of packages.
You can buy bulbs as:
- Pre-assembled packages (sometimes with several types of flowers)
- Individual bulbs you can choose from open containers
Buying a pre-assembled package is easy. You just pick the bag of flowers you want and go!
The tradeoff is that you may not be able to tell whether you have healthy bulbs in your package.
If your package contains several types of flowers, the bulbs may be all mixed together or they may be bagged separately. In the photo below, you’ll see two types of daffodil bulbs that were included in the same package. (I like it when they’re bagged separately because you have a little more control over the design.)
Sometimes, you can pick individual bulbs at local garden centers. But this is becoming less common.
Why would you want to choose each bulb individually?
- You can be picky and look for healthy bulbs.
- You can choose as many bulbs as you like.
The downside is you have to trust that the right bulbs are in the right containers. If someone picked up a bulb and put it back in the wrong place, you may not be able to tell … until that flower comes up next spring.
(Hooray for surprises!)
Tip 4: Here’s how to choose healthy bulbs, so you aren’t wasting money on duds.
Think of a flower bulb as a battery. It stores energy for the plant. Ideally, you want the bulb to be fully charged (totally hydrated), as big as it can be, and in good condition.
With that in mind:
- Don’t mind the papery skin — it’s good for the bulb! Bulbs have a brown, papery skin on them, kind of like an onion. It’s called a tunic. The tunic is good for a bulb. It helps keep moisture in the bulb.
- Choose the heavier bulbs. You want the bulbs to feel heavy in your hand. Hold a few, so you can get a sense for which ones weigh more than others. If a bulb feels light, it’s probably dehydrated. Don’t choose that one. (Keep in mind, some types of flowers have small bulbs, so “heavy” is relative.)
- Look for the biggest bulbs of the bunch. Yep, size matters in most cases. There is a correlation between the size of the flower and the size of the bulb.
- Focus on the bulbs with minimal blemishes. If the papery tunic has fallen off (it happens), look at the condition of the bulb underneath. Ideally, the bulb should look smooth, creamy and firm. If the bulb has nicks and blemishes, is turning brown, is shriveled, or looks moldy, it’s a good idea to skip that one.
These tips are helpful when you’re picking individual bulbs.
But you can also use them to inspect bulbs that come in clear or semi-clear packages. You can pick out the best bag of the bunch.
Tip 5: Spring flowering bulbs bloom at different times.
You may want to choose bulbs that bloom at different times of the spring. That way, you’ll have longer-lasting color.
Usually, you can find the description of when the bulbs will bloom on the package. I’ve included a few examples below, so you can see what I mean.
By the way, this approach can help you with our wacky spring weather in Colorado and Utah too. Let’s say you get freezing temperatures in the spring that ruin some of your blooms. If you have flowers that bloom at different times, you may still get color from your other spring flowers.
It’s like you’re hedging your bets with Mama Nature.
Ah, the joys of living in the intermountain west! 🙂
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Feb 5, 2026 | Gardening for Pollinators, Gardening Tips and Tricks
Let’s say you’ve noticed some strange, round holes in your plant leaves. These circular holes have fairly smooth edges. It almost looks like someone took an office hole punch and punched circles along the edges of your leaves.
What’s making these round holes in your plant leaves?
Is it Japanese beetles??
Nope, Japanese beetle damage looks different.
It’s more likely you have leafcutter bees—a native bee and beneficial insect in Colorado and many western states. They’re important pollinators for wildflowers and some fruits and veggies.
(Cool!)
Leafcutter bees aren’t eating your leaves. Rather, they’re cutting circular pieces to use in the nests they’re building for their babies. They’ll insert the leaf piece into a hollow tunnel, along with nectar and pollen. Then, the mama bee lays an egg and seals it off. Her bee nursery is ready to go.
What plants do leafcutter bees like?
Almost any plant with broad, thin leaves is fair game. In my garden, the leafcutter bees love cutting round holes in the leaves of my lilac bushes and a flower plant called Golden Candles (Thermopsis lupinoides).
I’ve noticed circles and semi-circles that are dime size, but many of the holes are smaller.
So, should you be worried about the round holes in your leaves?
Typically, no. The damage from leafcutter bees is only aesthetic.
Insecticides will not prevent bees from cutting holes, according to the Colorado State University (CSU) Extension. So, save yourself money and a trip to the hardware store. Skip the insect sprays and powders.
(This will keep your garden ecosystem healthier too.)
In most cases, you don’t need to do anything…
Except maybe point out the leaves to your friends, so they can see that your garden is a favorite among pollinators.
If you have a plant that the leafcutter bees have become REALLY fond of, the CSU Extension suggests covering the plant with loose netting or cheese cloth if you want to deter the bees from making holes. Put up the netting when you first notice damage.
Just keep in mind the damage is only aesthetic. You’ve got busy pollinators at work in your landscape. 🙂
Now, if the holes on your leaf edges are jagged and look like notches…
Then, you likely have a different insect.
Root weevils are a type of beetle. At night, the adults chew jagged notches along the edges of plant leaves. You can find root weevil leaf damage on lilacs, peonies and privets, as well as other plants.
To me, the edge of a leaf with root weevil damage looks like the edge of a key. It’s more jagged than the symmetrical, round holes from a leafcutter bee. Can you see the difference below?
If you want to learn more about root weevils (and see more photos of their leaf damage), check out this root weevil summary from the CSU Extension.
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by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jun 20, 2025 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
9 ways to prepare for hail to minimize damage to your western garden
Hail can leave you wanting to yell, “WHHHHYYYYYYYY?????” to Mama Nature. Sometimes, thunderstorms pop up so suddenly, there’s very little that can be done except for cleaning up the damage.
But other times, you may see thunderstorms in the forecast, and you can plan ahead.
In this tip, you’ll find options for how to protect your flowers from hail.
With a little planning, you can reduce hail damage and keep your sanity (and garden) intact.
Here’s how to protect your flowers from hail.
#1: Plant drought-tolerant flowers in your garden.
One of the easiest ways to minimize hail damage and reduce your clean-up after a hailstorm is to plant drought-tolerant flowers. These waterwise plants are more than just pretty. Many of them are as tough as heavyweight champs.
You’ll see a couple examples of drought-tolerant flowers that are more resistant to hail below, such as Coreopsis and Salvia (sometimes called Meadow Sage).
Find out why drought-tolerant plants are more resistant to hail and see examples here >>
#2: Plant your annuals in flowerpots, rather than in the ground.
Annuals are your flowers that bloom for one summer, but typically don’t return.
Unfortunately, they tend to be vulnerable to hail.
When you plant your annuals in pots, you can keep them on covered porches or under overhangs, so they’re out of harm’s way. If you want to put your pots in your garden, you can quickly move them to a protected spot in a hailstorm (assuming the pots aren’t too heavy).
I pull my pots under an overhang on our porch when severe thunderstorms are in the forecast or when I see red storm cells approaching on the radar.
#3: Proactively move your flowerpots to a protected spot if hail is in the forecast.
I know some of your pots may be too heavy to move, so let’s focus on your pots that aren’t too heavy.
You may want to get “plant caddies” to help you.
Nope, you aren’t recruiting anybody from the local golf course.
Plant caddies are devices with wheels that make it easier for you to roll your pots. I keep my flowerpots on plant caddies all the time. That way, I’m ready to roll them when bad weather is coming in.
The home improvement stores often carry plant caddies. You also can google them to find more decorative versions.
If you can pull your pots under a tree, that sometimes helps too.
#4: Cover vulnerable plants in your garden when hail is in the forecast.
Get creative!
You can use a variety of materials to cover your vulnerable plants.
For example, you can:
- Cover your plants with trash cans, laundry baskets, cardboard boxes, buckets, empty flowerpots and plastic storage bins turned upside down.
- Use outdoor lawn furniture to cover your plants.
- Hang fabrics and netting that protect against hail.
Some netting is specifically made for hail, like “anti-hail netting.” But these fabrics can be hard to find when you need them, and they can be pricey.
So, don’t be afraid to get creative!
I know many gardeners who use other fabrics, such as breathable netting from a fabric store or metal hardware cloth.
I even have one neighbor who makes tents over her flowers with old shower curtain liners.
(How’s that for creative?)
Ideally, what you’re trying to do is reduce the force of the hail and lower its kinetic energy, so it does less damage.
Hopefully this goes without saying, but don’t use anything as a cover that you don’t want to get destroyed. If your hailstorm is intense enough, it can damage just about anything.
#5: Don’t cover your flowers for long amounts of time.
If you’re using something that isn’t breathable to cover your plants, don’t keep the cover on for too long.
You don’t want to accidentally cook your flowers, particularly on warm days.
If you’re going to work for the day and hail is in the forecast, cover your plants with a material that’s breathable, like netting. Or, use something like a laundry basket or a lawn chair, so the air can still move and you aren’t trapping heat.
#6: Be on the lookout for thunderstorm clouds.
Thunderstorm clouds start out as tall, white, puffy clouds that resemble cauliflower heads.
Often, right before hail, part of the sky has an aqua green color to it. Check out photo below, so you can see what I mean.
The second I see that aqua color in the sky, I jump into action!
These are your signals to leap into flower plant protection mode if you have vulnerable plants that you want to protect.
#7: Watch for orange, red or purple storm cells on your weather app.
Be on high alert when you see orange, red or purple storm cells on the radar moving your way. These colors indicate severe storm cells.
Hail may not be far behind.
Photo credit: Weather.com
#8: Find a neighbor who shares a love for flowers and create a buddy system.
Let each other know when hail is coming.
#9: Think about what kind of mindset you want to have as a western gardener.
There are two ways to think about hail:
- You can be proactive in trying to prevent it, following tips like these to protect your flowers from hail.
- You can go with the flow. You can choose not to worry about hail, welcoming whatever Mama Nature throws at you — rain some days, hail some others. You’ll let Mama Nature do her thing and see what happens.
Full disclosure, I fall into the first category. But I have friends in the second category, and they certainly have a more carefree gardening experience.
It’s up to you!
If these tips were helpful, you may also like:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jun 20, 2025 | Best Flowers for Colorado, Utah & Similar States, Gardening Tips and Tricks, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
When you live in states like Colorado, Wyoming and Texas, you may not get hail every year, but some years, you’ll get it 2 … 3 … 7 times.
(I’m not crying. I have something in my eye.)
It’s like playing the lottery, except hail is a prize you DON’T want to win.
In this tip, you’ll get the scoop on plants that do better in hail than others, so you won’t have as much damage and clean-up.
Flower plants that are “drought tolerant” or “xeric” — meaning they need less water — tend to do better in hail than others.
If “drought tolerant” makes you think you can only plant cacti, I have good news.
You have LOTS of options for beautiful, drought-tolerant flowers. They just may not be the flowers you know from other parts of the country.
In the photos below, you’ll find examples of drought-tolerant, hail-resistant plants.
Hyssop (Agastache)
Salvia (Salvia greggii)
Ice plant (Delosperma)
Salvia or Garden Sage (Salvia nemorosa)
Coreopsis
So, why can drought-tolerant plants resist hail?
Often times, drought-tolerant plants have narrow leaves, small leaves or heavier, waxy leaves.
Many of them also tend to stand more upright in a garden.
On sunny days, these features help protect them from the sun’s intense rays and help the plants hold onto water.
But it turns out these traits also come in handy when it comes to hail.
Typically, drought-tolerant plants don’t get as damaged by falling ice chunks.
This means you’ll have less plant debris to clean up after a hailstorm. (Less work!) It also means these plants bounce back better after hail.
So, as you plan your western garden, think about planting drought-tolerant flowers.
Keep in mind, it all depends on the hailstorm you get. Every plant has its limits. Unfortunately, there is no perfect plant for hail.
Ornamental grasses tend to do better in hail too.
Some ornamental grasses are more drought tolerant than others.
Regardless, ornamental grasses do share traits in common with drought-tolerant plants.
For example, they tend to have really narrow leaves.
You know that expression, “Bend, but don’t break?”
Your grasses may get flattened by hail, but they may not break. This means they may perk back up with some sunshine and water.
Once again, the damage to your grasses depends on how bad your hailstorm is.
Plants that thrive in other parts of the country tend to struggle more in hail.
Plant that are vulnerable to hail damage include:
- Woodland plants with larger leaves
- Plants with big flower blooms and
- Most types of annuals (the colorful flowers that bloom through the summer but won’t return next year)
They’re easily shredded by hail stones. This means you’ll have more clean-up, and you may need to replace destroyed plants.
Below you’ll find examples of plants that are vulnerable to hail damage.
Hostas
Begonias
New Guinea Impatiens
What does hail damage look like?
Check out the flowerpots below: pre- and post-hail. I took these photos one week apart. Ugh!
The flowers that held up the best are the center red plants (Cordyline Spikes) and the red and yellow flowers in the foreground (a perennial known as Blanket Flower or Gallardia). But most of the annuals in these flowerpots have been shredded. There is very little left of them.
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jun 20, 2025 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, In-ground garden, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
In my opinion, there is nothing that will suck the soul from your gardening body like hail
You can have your flowers looking SO DARN GOOD … And after a few minutes of hail, your Instagram-worthy flowers have become a sloppy, shredded mess.
Ugh.
Mama Nature doesn’t always play nice.
If hail destroyed your garden or your flowerpots, I’m so sorry. It’s demoralizing. You may be at a loss for where to even start cleaning up the hail damage.
If you’re wondering, “What do I do now?”, let’s chat about how to care for your plants after hail.
1) How to reduce your plants’ stress, so they perk up
Prozac for plants
It may be weird to think that your plants can get stressed, but they can. And a hailstorm counts as a VERY stressful event for your flower garden — not to mention, for you too!
Luckily, there are products that can help.
The micro-nutrients in seaweed and kelp can help your plants reduce stress. You may want to give your plants a mild, liquid plant food that contains seaweed or kelp, like Age Old Fish & Seaweed or Age Old Kelp.
Think of these products like Prozac for plants.
Your local, independent garden center should carry products that can help with plant stress too. If you visit your local store, ask them what they have in stock that they recommend for reducing plant stress.
2) How to clean up your perennials after hail, so they stay healthy
Perennials are your plants that return every year
Let’s chat about the hail damage you may see on your perennials.
Is there a lot of debris on the ground?
Rake it up. If you leave it, it can collect moisture and be a home for pesty insects or disease.
Do your perennials have broken stems?
If yes, trim off those stems. Take your finger and run it down the stem BELOW the break. Stop just above the first set of leaves you reach or at the first intersection with another stem. This is where to make your snip.
Did the hail break or destroy your flower blooms?
If yes, trim them off too.
Similar to trimming off broken stems, take your finger and run it down the stem below the destroyed flower bloom. Stop just above the first set of leaves you reach or at the first intersection with another stem. This is where to make your snip.
(Are you familiar with “deadheading?” This is basically what you’re doing here.)
Do you see tattered or hole-y leaves?
If the leaves are really shredded or dangling, cleanly trim off.
But if your leaves have mild damage, you may want to leave them. Why? Because the leaves are where photosynthesis happens. This is where your plant is making food and energy for itself, so it can grow new leaves and/or return next year.
Are your perennials bent over, but the stems aren’t broken?
A few days of sun and water may help your plants perk up. (It depends on the plant.)
There are some perennials you can aggressively trim back, and they should grow new leaves and flowers.
Two examples are Salvia (Salvia sylvestris) and Catmint (Nepeta), pictured below.
You can cut these plants back to just above the first or second set of leaves from the ground. They should push out new leaves and flowers for you over the next 3-4 weeks.
Don’t shear (cut) straight across the plant, though. Instead, trim each stem just above a leaf — like you’re deadheading.
Keep these plants well-watered after you give them an aggressive haircut.
It’s worth noting that timing matters.
Later in the summer, it’s best if your plants focus on getting ready for winter, rather than using their energy on new growth. If you get your hailstorm in the latter half of the summer, you may not want to aggressively trim back your plants. I know they may not look the best after hail, but this way, they can put their energy into becoming more “hardy” for winter.
If you’re unsure whether to cut your flowers way back or not, take photos before you go to your garden center for “plant Prozac.” Show them your photos and ask whether you can aggressively trim back the plants in your garden.
3) How to clean up your annuals after hail
Annuals are your one-summer flowers
Your clean-up depends on how bad the damage is.
Just a few minutes of hail can make a real mess of annuals.
In the photo below, you’ll see a before and after picture of flowerpot hail damage. This is what flowerpots look like before and after hail. Oye!
The flowers that held up the best are the center red plants (Cordyline Spikes) and the red and yellow flowers in the foreground (a perennial known as Gaillardia or Blanket Flower). But most of the annuals in these flowerpots are in rough shape.
So, what can you do?
You can always follow all the steps above to see if they help. If the damage isn’t too bad, your plants may bounce back in a few days.
But if your annuals are mushy or they just don’t bounce back over the next few days, I’d pull them out.
Composting is a topic for another time, but if you do have a compost pile, you should be able to add these plants to the pile. To ensure you’re adding healthy plant remains to your compost pile, the key is to clean up soon after the storm.
If your hailstorm happens early in the summer…
You can plant new annuals.
Later in the summer…
The garden centers should have pretty flowers that look autumn-y. You can plant them if you’re really missing the color.
Otherwise, wait until next year and give it a fresh start.
4) Take photos
I know the last thing you may want to do is document the devastation, but we tend to have short memories as gardeners.
Or maybe we just block hail damage out of our memories!
It’s helpful to take photos of your plants before you clean them up, so you remember which plants did better in hail than others.
Then, create a folder on your phone called: Garden Hail Damage. Put the photos in it, so they’re easy to find.
If you continue to get hail storms, you may want to transition to plants that are more hail-resistant.
A word of encouragement…
I have a flower lover on my email list who closely followed all these tips after a “heartbreaking” hail storm last summer. She said her plants came back bigger and more beautiful than before the hail storm.
So, please know, there’s hope!
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening Tips and Tricks
There is no perfect gardener, no matter what your neighbor up the street with the pristine landscape wants you to think.
So, if you have a flower that looks sick, is struggling or is dying, take heart. It happens to everyone.
(Yes, even to your neighbor. Though, she may not admit it!)
Flowers can get stress, weather issues, disease, insects…
And that’s just the beginning.
The tricky thing is that sometimes the issues you see AREN’T the primary issue.
They’re signs or symptoms of an underlying problem.
Insects, for example, are known to show up when a plant is stressed and something else is going on.
So, wouldn’t it be awesome to have a plant detective to help you figure out what’s going on?
Good news, you DO have a local resource if you need plant help.
But you may have never heard of it before!
It’s called an agriculture extension office or a cooperative extension.
The lingo can vary slightly from state to state.
These offices are usually associated with a state university.
They’re staffed with horticulturalists and trained volunteers who are there to help you figure out what’s going on with your plants.
Pretty cool, right?
You can reach out to them by email or phone. Some have locations you can visit.
Usually, they’ll ask questions to help you identify what’s going on with your plants. If there are solutions, they’ll help you understand what to do. And it’s all based in research and science.
This service is typically free or available for a very small fee.
So, how do you find your local extension office?
Here are links to the cooperative extension offices in western states:
If you don’t see your state listed above, search for: [your state] agriculture extension office.
When you open your state’s website, look for the extension office for the county you live in. Generally, it’s best to start with your county’s office.
If you don’t see your county, look for a nearby community.
Before you reach out, you may want to collect a few pieces of info.
1) Take clear photos of what you’re seeing on your plant.
Include a close-up photo, a slightly wider shot and a very wide shot of your yard.
Sometimes the issue on your plant is related to something else that’s going on in your garden environment.
Plus, photos can be helpful for identifying your plant, whether it’s a flower, vegetable, shrub or tree.
2) Make notes about what you’re seeing.
This makes it easier for someone who isn’t there by your side in your garden to understand what’s going on.
For example:
- What are you noticing?
- When did you first notice it?
- Did it happen suddenly or gradually?
- Where is this plant growing in your landscape?
- Have you noticed the issue on any other plants?
- Has anything happened recently in this area?
- Have any fertilizer, weed killers or other products been used around this plant? If yes, what kind?
- How are you watering this plant? How often?
- When was this plant planted?
Thinking through these questions in advance can be helpful.
And if you aren’t sure what the name of your plant is or you don’t know some of the answers, don’t worry! That’s okay.
3) Collect a sample.
If your plant looks diseased or like it has insects, take a sample and immediately seal it in a plastic bag.
For example, it may look like your plant has diseased leaves. Trim off a section of that plant (some leaves and stem) and seal it in a bag.
Why a sealable bag?
If you have insects, those lil’ critters move quickly. If you put your sample in a paper bag or something open, many will turn into escape artists.
Do you need to pull this info together before you reach out?
Nope! But if you’re chatting with your extension office through email, this can eliminate the need for a lot of back-and-forth messages.
You’ll make more efficient use of your time.
Plus, this background information can help your local extension office give you a more accurate diagnosis of what’s going on.
Don’t hesitate to contact your local extension office.
You don’t have to be a gardener with tons of experience to contact your local extension office.
If you have flowers that look sick or are dying OR you have another pressing plant or yard question (for example, you’re having a hard time getting rid of a weed), it’s 100% okay to reach out.
Your extension office should be there to help you without judgment.
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jun 20, 2025 | Best Flowers for Colorado, Utah & Similar States, Flower Garden Basics, In-ground garden, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
If you’ve been wondering, “Where can I learn about plants for waterwise flower gardening?”, you’re in the right place.
It’s dry in the West, which means we need to be strategic about the flowers we grow in our gardens.
Where I live in Colorado, we’re lucky if we get 14″ of moisture per year. Depending on where you live, you may get even less!
Just to put that in perspective, Seattle and Chicago get close to 40″ of moisture per year. Boston gets about 44″ per year. And Atlanta and Orlando get around 50″ per year.
So, what is waterwise flower gardening?
Generally, waterwise flower gardening means two things:
- You intentionally choose flowers that don’t need as much supplemental water to grow. (No need to use the sprinkler today!) You may hear these plants called “drought-tolerant” or “low water” flowers.
- You group plants together that have similar watering and sunlight needs. For example, plants that need less water and a lot of sunlight go in one section of your yard. Plants that need more water go in a different section of your yard. That way, you’re being efficient with your irrigation.
While drought-tolerant flowers may make you think of cacti, rest easy, there are many beautiful flowers that grow well with less water.
They just may not be the flowers you know from other parts of the country!
To help you learn about waterwise plants, here are 4 useful resources.
I’m sharing the links below for your convenience only. You may be able to find the books locally.
1) “Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens” (book)
Lauren Springer and David Ogden are western flower gardening experts. They have a wonderful book called: “Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens.”
This is one of my go-to books for waterwise flower ideas.
It’s filled with photos and helpful tips that can be used whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced gardener.
This book contains plant ideas for different regions of the semi-arid West, including the West Coast.
Pro tip: As you go through the book, make sure that the flowers you like match your plant hardiness zone. A plant hardiness zone tells you whether a plant is likely to survive the coldest winter temperatures that are expected in your area. Some of the flowers in the book may be better suited for parts of the West with warmer winters.
2) “Pretty Tough Plants” (book and website)
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone actually tested which low-water plants grow well in the intermountain west?
Good news, there are people that do!
Plant Select is a western plant introduction program. They introduce smart and sustainable plants that are inspired by the Rocky Mountain region. (They’re a non-profit collaboration between Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens and the western green industry.)
Plant Select has a GREAT book called “Pretty Tough Plants.”
I refer to this book all the time. It’s another book that is user-friendly for gardeners of different levels. My understanding is this book is no longer in print, so if you can find a copy online, snag it!
Do you prefer online resources, rather than books?
You can see photos and descriptions of all the Plant Select flowers on their website, including both flowers and shrubs.
And if you’d like to see these flowers in person…
You can find Plant Select demonstration gardens across Colorado and in some additional western states.
I’ve visited a number of the demonstration gardens in the metro Denver area. My favorite Plant Select garden is at Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms. It’s beautiful.
I’ll share upfront, some demonstration gardens are better than others, and the plants aren’t always marked.
So, if you’re just getting started with waterwise gardening, my suggestion is to visit the Plant Select demonstration gardens at your local botanic gardens. That way, you can ask what a flower is if you like it. We’ll chat about plant identification apps in a future tip, but you can always try identifying plants with plant ID apps too.
3) Online workshops, videos and low-water plant lists
Colorado Springs Utilities has a number of helpful resources on gardening with less water.
On their waterwise plants website, you can find links to:
- A variety of online workshops, including a video called “Waterwise Landscaping for Beginners”
- Photo galleries of waterwise landscapes
- Low-water plant lists
While the online workshops are tailored to Colorado Springs residents, many of their waterwise gardening tips are relevant well beyond.
This is a website worth checking out, regardless of whether you live in Boulder, Boise or Cheyenne.
4) Native plant lists and tips
Native plants are plants that have occurred naturally in a region. They were there before European settlement. They’ve adapted to local growing conditions, and they can provide great habitats and food sources for birds, insects, etc.
Many native plants are drought tolerant. (Though, not all of them.)
If you’d like to learn more about drought-tolerant native plants, your state probably has a “Native Plant Society.”
Here are the native plant societies for the intermountain west:
If you don’t see your state listed above, simple google: [Name of your state] Native Plant Society.
In Colorado, the native plant society has a dedicated resource page for gardening with native plants in Colorado. You’ll find their plant guides for every region in the state. For example, they have suggestions for low-water, native plants for the Front Range of Colorado. You’ll also find their recommendations for flowers to avoid planting because they can be invasive.
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 28, 2026 | Gardening Tips and Tricks
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, share this article with friends or leave it out on the kitchen counter where your honey can’t miss it.
(Wink, wink!)
Botanic Garden Tickets, Classes or Memberships
Share the experience of exploring beautiful gardens
If your idea of the best garden gift is an experience (rather than stuff), may I suggest a membership to a local botanical garden?
Taking time to explore beautiful gardens is a fun and relaxing way to discover flowers that grow well in our semi-arid climate. Not to mention, being outside in nature has shown to lower stress. Yes, please!
Want to keep it simple? A one-day ticket is a good gift idea for a flower lover too. You could meet up to stroll through the gardens and then head out for drinks or dinner.
Here’s how to find western botanic gardens near you >>
Pretty, Metal Plant Markers
Keep track of plants in an attractive way
Photos courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company / gardeners.com
Plant markers come in handy for all kinds of reasons — from remembering the names of flowers, to keeping track of where you planted your spring bulbs (like tulips and daffodils). X marks the spot!
But the plastic plant tags you get when you buy your flowers can break easily, get buried or blow away. Plus, they aren’t that pretty.
Gardener’s Supply Company has come up with a good solution: metal, weatherproof plant markers that are attractive, as well as functional. Made of galvanized steel, these plant markers are 10″ long, so they’re easy to stick into the soil and they’ll last a long time. You can choose either a copper label tag or a zinc-coated label tag.
Give copper plant markers or steel plant markers as a gift to your favorite flower lover!
Flower Photography Classes
Inspire an artistic soul
One thing I’ve noticed about flower lovers is many of us enjoy taking photos of our plant babies.
If your favorite flower gardener would like to get better at taking artistic photos of flowers, there are online classes that can help. For example, Click Photo School has a variety of online training courses to help people channel their creativity. They offer a self-paced course called Macro Style: Finding Beauty in the Details. It’s designed to help students improve their skills with “macro” photography, such as taking close-up photos of flowers.
These types of classes would be a good gift idea for flower lovers who have basic knowledge of how to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
These classes probably aren’t the right fit for someone who primarily takes photos with a phone. But worth noting: Click Photo School also offers beginner classes on how to get started with photography.
Gift Cards to Local, Independent Garden Centers
Give the joy of flower gardening
To be clear, I’m NOT talking about a gift card you pull off the rack for a home improvement store. Nope, nope, nope! Step away from the gift card kiosk.
I’m talking about getting a gift card for a local, independent garden center — a store that specializes in plants and flowers. Think of these stores like book shops for people who love to read. To find an independent garden center near you, simply search for: local garden center in [your city or area] or plant nursery in [your city or area].
Prefer something online instead? There are online garden centers. (Yep, they’re a thing!) High Country Gardens is an online retailer of flower plants that are ideal for the western United States. You can find High Country Gardens e-gift cards here. And Gardener’s Supply Company has all kinds of wonderful garden gadgets and supplies. You can find Gardener Supply e-gift cards here.
The flower lover in your life can use this gift money to buy flowers, pretty flowerpots, garden art, special garden tools… Sooooo many ways to spend that money, so little time!
Packets of Flower Seeds
Grow beautiful flowers from a pretty packet of seeds
Seed packet illustration courtesy of Botanical Interests
How much joy can come from a little packet of seeds?
A LOT.
Seeds make fun hostess gifts and stocking stuffers for flower lovers.
If you’re new to choosing flower seeds, I suggest zinnias. Unlike many seeds, zinnias can be grown right from the ground, so they’re easier to grow. Zinnias are native to Mexico. This means they’re heat tolerant, which is awesome for our hot summers in Colorado, Utah and similar western states. These flowers offer vibrant color for one summer, but typically won’t return. Best of all, zinnias make beautiful “cut flower” arrangements. You can cut them, put them in vases and watch as even more blooms fill in!
In the photos below, you’ll see the “Cut and Come Again” zinnias I grew from seeds last summer and my last bouquet of the season. (There are a couple of cosmos flowers tucked in the bouquet too.)
I get many of my seeds from Botanical Interests. They’re a seed company with Colorado roots. Each of their seed packets comes with gorgeous illustrations and helpful instructions. Their seed packets are little works of art — so they make good flower gardener gifts!
Botanical Interests sells seeds to gardeners across the country. So, if you want to buy flower seeds, just make sure you’re choosing flowers that are a good fit for where you live. (They have great customer service and are happy to help.)
Shop zinnia seeds here >>
Cute Shirts for Flower Lovers
Show the world you’re a plant mom (or plant dad)
Shirts for plant lovers (above): Piper & Ivy
I love a cute plant shirt. A friend of mine introduced me to Piper and Ivy with a “just because” gift, and I’m hooked.
Check out the plant lover t-shirts from Piper and Ivy here: Easily distracted by plants + and other plant lover shirts >>
Plant Books for Western Gardeners
Discover flowers that thrive in our semi-arid climate
In my opinion, one of the trickier things about gardening in the semi-arid West is figuring out which flowers, shrubs and trees grow well here. Many plants from other parts of the country don’t like our growing conditions — or they’re gas-guzzlers for water.
One of my favorite books for discovering beautiful, drought-tolerant plants is called: “Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens.” This book is ideal for gardeners of all levels — from new gardeners to avid gardeners. It contains helpful photos and lots of inspiration.
Sometimes, you can find this book at local, independent garden centers. Or shop for the book online here >>
Floral Snips
Keep flowers looking pretty and tidy
Floral snips are like scissors for plants. They’re a good gift for flower gardeners, especially new gardeners. Floral snips make it easy to trim off dead blooms, so new flower buds can grow in. Best of all, you can be really precise in your cuts, so you don’t accidentally remove more of the flowers than you intended.
I keep a pair of floral snips near my back door in the summer. That way, I can grab them when I walk outside and quickly tidy up my flowerpots and garden beds. Snip, snip, snip!
You can find floral snips at your local garden center and on Amazon.
Local Flower Bouquet Subscriptions
Brighten a home with fresh and unusual bouquets
Photos courtesy of Piper’s Lane
If you’re looking for creative or unusual gift ideas for flower lovers, give a subscription to a local flower service.
(Imagine having a bouquet of freshly-cut flowers on your kitchen table each week during the summer. Ahhhhh!)
These aren’t your same-old, same-old bouquets from the grocery store. I’m talking about fresh and unique bouquets from a local flower farmer. These flowers:
- Smell wonderful because they’re freshly picked from the garden
- Contain unusual flowers you just can’t find in store bouquets
- Have been grown close to you rather than flown in from South America, which is where many of the store bouquets come from
If you live in the south Denver area, definitely check out Piper’s Lane. The founder, Kristen, has an urban farm and offers a local, flower bouquet subscription service. Kristen’s beautiful bouquets are made up of unique and seasonal flowers that are grown from seed without chemicals. You can choose from several types of subscriptions (which Kristen calls “shares”) in the spring, summer and/or autumn. You pay in advance. Then, you simply pick up your flower bouquets on your designated weeks.
Live someplace else?
To find local flower farmers near you and explore their unique services, check out the Floret flower farmer network.
Decorative Garden Art
Add a pop of color to flowerpots and garden beds
Photos courtesy of Iron Bird Salvage
Gotta love a little garden bling!
These rustic, metal flowers from Iron Bird Salvage look super-cute tucked in flowerpots or planted in the garden. I have several “bunches” of metal flowers in my shade garden. They add a pretty pop of color, and friends always ask about them.
These flowers may look painted, but they’re actually made out of recycled materials, like old wheelbarrows, toolboxes, wagons and more. Each flower is the color of the reclaimed metal item it’s being made from. You can buy as many flowers as you like, and you get to choose your colors.
The flowers are cut by hand, so they’re all unique. And because they’re made from reclaimed metal, they have imperfections. That’s part of the rustic charm.
They make fun gifts for flower lovers!
Shop for these decorative metal flowers here >>
Paperwhite Bulbs (Narcissus)
Brighten up winter with these beauties
Photo courtesy of Longfield Gardens
Brighten up a looooong winter with the gift of paperwhite bulbs. These flowers are easy to grow inside during the winter. (Yep, indoor winter flowers!)
Check out the Longfield Gardens website to:
Happy gifting!
Related topics that may interest you:
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