by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: May 20, 2026 | Best Flowers for Colorado, Utah & Similar States, Gardening for Pollinators, In-ground garden, Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
Want to add a splash of color to a late-summer garden?
Dig into some of the best flowers for late summer in Colorado—whether you live in Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction or another Colorado town!
These late-summer flowers bloom in August, September and some into October. They’re ideal if you’d like to:
- Add beautiful color and texture that will have neighbors taking notice.
- Attract pollinators to your garden, like hummingbirds and bees.
- Reduce the amount you have to water. (Yay for less work—and less water! They’re all drought tolerant plants.)
These plants are perennials, so they should return for multiple years. They prefer sunny spots that get 6+ hours of sunlight per day.
If you live at a higher elevation in Colorado (or a similar western state), your growing season may not be long and warm enough for these late-summer and early-fall flowers. But good news, you can find a list of flowers for mountain gardens from the Colorado State University Extension.
Let’s jump in!
The best flowers for late summer in Colorado include…
Sunset Hyssop
Agastache rupestris
Hummingbirds adore Sunset Hyssop. This late summer flower is Grand Central Station for hummingbirds. You may notice butterflies, bees and sphinx moths visiting it too. And bonus, this plant is typically deer and rabbit resistant, meaning Bambi will likely visit your neighbors’ gardens first.
Sunset Hyssop is one of the more reliable hyssops in Colorado when it’s planted in sunny, well-drained locations. Translation: It has a good track record of returning when other hyssops may not! Its salmon-orange flowers tend to be the showiest in August, but you should see blooms into fall.
Sunset Hyssop is native to the mountains of the Southwest. Zones 5-10.
Not familiar with “zones?” Learn what a hardiness zone is and how to find your zone here.
Dakota Sunshine Maximilian’s Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani ‘Dakota Sunshine’
If you like sunflowers or you simply like daisy-like flowers, this may be one of the best flowers for late summer in your garden! Dakota Sunshine gets spires of showy yellow blooms that grow up tall stems. It’s a drought-tolerant perennial that can reach 5’ to 6’ tall, so it’s ideal for adding height to the back of a garden. Native to the prairies, Dakota Sunshine blooms in August into early September. It’s a favorite of bees when it’s blooming. When it goes to seed later in the fall, the seedheads attract birds. Zones 3-8.
If you’d like a version of this plant that blooms in the fall, look for Maximilian Sunflower. It grows even taller—often 6′ to 8′ in height—and typically blooms in September and October in western states like Colorado.
I found Dakota Sunshine at High Country Gardens. You also may be able to find these plants at local, independent garden centers.
Autumn Joy Sedum
Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’
So many reasons to love Autumn Joy Sedum, so little time! This perennial has beautiful pink flowers that appear in late summer and last into fall. Honeybees love the flowers.
Autumn Joy has thick leaves that add great structure and textural contrast to a garden. It tends to be a longer-lived perennial, coming back for many years. It adapts well to our tricky Colorado weather and soils (dirt). And during the winter, its seed heads can catch snow, adding interest to your winter garden too. Zones 4-11.
Meadow Blazing Star Liatris (aka, Rocky Mountain Gayfeather)
Liatris ligulistylus
When I’m strolling through the Denver Botanic Gardens in August and September, this is the plant I usually hear people asking about. It’s an attention getter.
Blazing Star Liatris sends up vertical shoots of rosy-purple flowers that look like fuzzy buttons. The narrow, vertical shape of this plant offers a nice contrast to round-shaped plants in late summer gardens. And its flowers are extremely attractive to adult butterflies, including Monarchs. In my garden, Blazing Star Liatris also attracts native bees—particularly bumblebees.
If you see the words, Liatris punctata (Dotted Blazing Star) or Liatris ligulistylus (Meadow Blazing Star), on the plant tag, your plant is native to Colorado and the Central Plains. Zones 4-9 and 3-8.
If you see Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star) on the plant tag, it’s native to the eastern United States. It tends to prefer more moisture.
Goldenrod
Solidago
Many Goldenrods put on a show with their vibrant, golden flowers in late summer and early fall. There are many species of Goldenrod that are native to different parts of North America, and you can find them in a variety of heights. Look for Goldenrods that bloom in August and September.
Goldenrod flowers are extremely attractive to a wide variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. In my garden, tiny native bees love these plants. Zones 4-8.
Goldenrod has been blamed for seasonal allergies like hay fever, but this is a garden myth that has been disproven. The allergy-causing culprits are typically wind-pollinated plants like ragweed, which happen to bloom at the same time.
Little Bluestem Grass
Schizachyrium scoparium
Ornamental grasses are in their glory in late summer and early fall. One of my faves is Little Bluestem.
It has a column-like shape rather than a round, mounded shape, so it fits in well in small urban gardens, as well as spacious western landscapes.
Native to Colorado (and the prairies of much of the United States), many varieties of this blue-green grass turn a red color in the fall, making it a wonderful accent to other plants. During winter, it can take on a bronze hue with light seed heads, so it can add colorful interest to your winter garden too. Zones 3-8.
Ruby Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia reverchonii
If you’re looking for a late summer flower that’s a showstopper for your Colorado garden, check out Ruby Muhly Grass. It has airy, pink seed heads that dance in the wind and catch the late summer light. It’s ethereal! And it’s another ornamental grass that looks beautiful in the fall and through the winter.
Ruby Muhly Grass grows in a mounded shape, up to a few feet wide.
If you live in the Denver area, you can see beautiful examples of Ruby Muhly Grass at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Zones 5-10.
Blue Mist Spirea
Caryopteris x clandonensis
Blue Mist Spirea is an easy-to-grow shrub that’s covered with blue flowers in late summer. It often blooms for up to 8 weeks during August and September. This shrub is a pollinator MAGNET! It attracts a variety of bees and butterflies in late summer—when many other shrubs and perennials are done blooming. And bonus, deer and rabbits tend to skip it.
Use Blue Mist Spirea to add structural interest to your garden, as a border plant or in a hedge. It grows to about 3 to 4’ wide and tall. Zones 5-8.
Dwarf Rabbitbrush (aka, Baby Blue Rabbitbrush)
Ericameria (Chrysothamnus) nauseosus var. nauseosus
Dwarf rabbitbrush offers vibrant, late summer flowers that attract native bees and butterflies.
As the name suggests, dwarf rabbitbrush is a mini version of rabbitbrush. It grows up to 2′ tall and 3′ wide. It’s native to Colorado’s Front Range. It has dense, silver-blue foliage and keeps its shape well. It lights up with golden flowers in late summer and fall in Colorado, often from September to November.
Rabbitbrush can spread its seeds like a fairy godmother tossing pixie dust, so be prepared to pull some seedlings. This shrub benefits from a light shearing in the late fall or early spring to increase next season’s flowers. Zones 4-9.
Related topics that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Oct 20, 2025 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, In-ground garden
It was a winter week to make a gardener shudder.
In February 2021, an arctic blast covered the western United States like a frosty ice pack from the kitchen freezer. Where I live in Colorado, the high temperature for several days was a not-so-balmy zero degrees. The nightly lows danced between -15 and -20 degrees below zero.
(It may have gotten even colder where you live!)
In the spring, many of my “marginally hardy” perennials did not come back.
Ugh.
Marginally hardy perennials are your “iffy” plants.
They could come back after winter. They should come back if your winter is mild. But if you get tough winter conditions or extreme colds, they’ll die.
So, if you want to know, “How can you tell if a perennial is marginally hardy?”, read on.
You’ll find a helpful way to tell if a perennial is marginally cold hardy.
Use this tip to choose plants that are more likely to handle our western weather and return to your garden!
First, a disclaimer…
(Don’t you love when people lead with disclaimers?)
There are MANY factors that can affect whether perennials will survive winter and return to your western garden in the spring — things like moisture, drought, wind, root health, micro-climates in your landscape, etc.
But to keep this simple…
We’re going to focus on winter temperatures.
Every plant has a threshold for how cold it can get over the winter and still survive.
If it gets too cold, it will die.
Your marginally hardy perennials won’t come back if it gets too cold for them over the winter.
And this is where plant hardiness zones come into play!
If you’re new to plant hardiness zones, don’t worry. I’ve included a brief explanation below. Or, you can learn about zones here, including how to find your garden’s zone.
Here’s a quick way to think about it.
When you buy plants, you’ll see zone numbers on their plant tags.
These numbers are a guide to how cold (or warm) it can get in the winter without killing the plant.
Zone numbers are kind of like a thermometer:
- Plants with lower zone numbers can survive colder winters.
- Plants with higher zone numbers can survive warmer winters.
The flower pictured above, Red Birds in a Tree, can survive very cold winter temperatures (in chilly zone 3), up through warm winter temperatures (in balmy zone 9).
Let’s say you live in plant hardiness zone 5 — like much of the Front Range of Colorado.
You find a flower plant you want to buy.
The plant tag says it grows in zones 5-9. (Remember, lower zone numbers mean the plant can handle colder winters.)
You live in zone 5, and the lowest zone that’s suggested for this plant is zone 5.
This perennial is marginally cold hardy where you live.
It’s right on the edge of being able to survive the coldest winter temperatures that are expected in your area.
If you get a winter with extreme lows, this plant may not make it, especially if it’s newly planted.
You may be more successful growing this perennial if you wait until the spring to plant it. That way, it has the entire summer to get established in your garden.
The same is true if you find a plant that grows well in zones 6-9.
Again, we’re looking at that first number.
This plant doesn’t like winters as cold as the ones that are possible in your area.
This plant is only marginally hardy where you live. If temperatures get too cold over winter, it won’t come back.
Still with me?
Let’s continue our example and talk about:
How to identify hardy perennials (aka, “cold hardy perennials”)
Again, let’s say your garden is in plant hardiness zone 5.
You find a flower plant that grows well in zones 4-8 or zones 3-9, like Red Birds in a Tree below.
This plant is a cold hardy perennial where you live.
It can survive colder winter temperatures than you normally get.
Related tips that may interest you:
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: Sep 12, 2025 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
I used to leave everything in my flowerpots until spring. The whole shebang. Dead flowers, old potting soil, all of it. And for a few years, everything was fine.
But then, I lost a few flowerpots to cracking. (Ugh.) I also learned about some pesky insects that like to overwinter in potting soil.
Now I’m on Team Fall.
There is no right or wrong approach here, so if you prefer to wait until spring, it’s okay! But here are 5 reasons to consider emptying your flowerpots in the fall.
#1: Fall is a good time to get rid of your old potting soil (dirt).
In the fall, I’ve found there are more ways to get rid of old potting soil, like local leaf and composting drop-offs. Not every one of them takes old potting soil, but some of them do. It’s one less thing to worry about later.
#2: You take insects out of the equation.
There are pesty insects—like leaf miners and budworms—that will overwinter as “pupae” (little cocoons) in soil. And your container of potting soil can be a great place to call home. Emptying your flowerpots in the fall helps take insects out of the equation, so you’re less likely to have issues next year.
#3: You can protect your flowerpots from breaking over the winter.
Some flowerpots are vulnerable to cracking and breaking over the winter—like clay, ceramic and resin pots.
Here are examples of winter freeze damage on several neighbors’ flowerpots. Do you see how parts of the flowerpots have cracked and fallen off?
Some pots can absorb moisture directly into their surfaces. When that moisture freezes, it can crack or damage your pots. I suspect this is what happened in the photos above.
In other cases, moisture can get into the old potting soil that’s in your pots. When the soil freezes, it can expand and break your pots—including your resin (plastic) pots.
I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.
And we get A LOT of freeze/thaws in the West!
When you empty your flowerpots in the fall, you remove the potential of old potting soil freezing, expanding and breaking your pots. Plus, you can move your flowerpots (that aren’t too heavy) to a garage or a covered porch, so they’re protected from moisture. That way, they last longer.
#4: You can remove the salt build-up on your pots while it’s still relatively fresh.
Cleaning your flowerpots is like cleaning up after a dinner party. Most of us don’t ENJOY scrubbing the lasagna dish or the mashed potato pan, but it’s a heck of a lot easier to get the residue off while it’s still fresh.
The same is true with your flowerpots.
We have hard water in many parts of the West, including Colorado. It can leave deposits of different types of salts (calcium, magnesium and iron) on the inside of your flowerpots. The build-up looks like a white, crusty material. It’s similar to the crusty material that can appear on kitchen and bathroom faucets.
And some types of popular flower fertilizers are based in salts. These salts can build up inside your pots too.
Do you see the salt build-up in the below? One of my neighbors hadn’t cleaned her flowerpots before. She was struggling to keep her flowers looking good. (Her flowerpots also didn’t have holes.)
At some point, all this salt build-up in your pots and soil can affect your flowers, especially after it builds up over a few years. It can become toxic to your plants.
Not to mention, salt attracts H2O molecules. It can pull water out of your plant’s roots.
I’ve found that this salt residue is easier to remove in the fall when it’s still fresh. It can become more of a chore to remove after time has passed, especially if you don’t do it every year.
#5: You have one less thing to do in the spring!
I know, I know, this means you have one MORE thing to do in the fall. But hey, it can be nice to get it done. That way, you can focus on cleaning up your garden in the spring or doing more of the fun flowerpot stuff, like planting.
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jun 20, 2025 | Flower Garden Basics, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
You want to add a big splash of color to your front porch or back deck this summer (“heyyy, neighbors!”), but you’re just getting the hang of flower gardening. You may find yourself with a lot of questions swirling around your brain.
This is normal!
In this week’s tip, we’re going to cover commonly asked questions, like:
- What are the best flowers to grow in containers for big, showy color?
- In your containers, should you plant flowers that come back every year or flowers that only bloom for one summer?
Then, in my next tip, we’ll dig deeper. You’ll get 4 proven questions to help you narrow down your flowers choices and choose the best flowers for YOUR flowerpots.
Watch my video below or scroll down for the article.
What are the best flowers to grow in containers for big, showy color?
If you want flowerpots that are overflowing with color — like the vibrant containers you see in mountain villages or in town centers — then you’re looking for “annuals.”
Annuals are flowers that give you lots of color all summer long, but they don’t return next year.
The word annual is confusing because of how we use it in everyday conversation.
“Hey, we’re hosting our annual barbecue.”
We usually use it to mean recurring. But in gardening, annual actually means one and done. These flowers grow for one season, and then they’re done.
If you like word games to remember these types of phrases, here’s a helpful trick:
Annual = A single season.
So, when you go to your garden center, how do you know which flowers are the annuals?
Well, there are a couple of hints.
One, you may see a section of the store where it looks like the color dial has been cranked way up. There’s just so much color! Chances are, those are your annuals.
These flowers offer you big, showy color.
What’s another hint that you might be looking at the annuals section?
If you’re at an outdoor nursery, many of the annuals (and possibly all of them) are likely going to be located in a section with a cover or a greenhouse.
Annuals often need more moisture than perennials, so they’re typically in a section where the sun isn’t shining directly on them.
And of course, you can always ask:
- “Where are the annuals?” or
- “Where can I find the best flowers to grow in containers or pots?”
People are more than happy to point you in the right direction, so you know where to go.
Annuals may be the most popular flowers for colorful containers … But they aren’t your only options.
Let’s say, for example, you want to add scent to your flowerpots.
You could include herbs in with your flowers.
Or, let’s say you want to include plants that have interesting textures.
You could grow perennials in your flowerpots, like the container below with Coral Bells and Creeping Jenny.
Perennials are flowers that return year after year, but (usually) bloom for a shorter amount of time.
Many perennials bloom for a few weeks only.
So, if you plant perennials in your containers, most of them are not going to give you that big, showy color for the entire summer.
They’ll still be pretty, though, and they should give you interesting leaves and textures.
Here’s an example of how I use perennials in my containers.
I like to plant lamium in some of my flowerpots. Lamium is a perennial.
It gives me flower blooms for some, but not all, of the summer.
I like to use lamium because its leaves are white. It’s unusual for a container garden. It’s a nice contrast with green-leafed flowers.
In the early fall, I can dig it out of my containers and plant it in the ground, so it can return next year.
Want to create pretty flowerpot designs like the ones you see at the garden center? Join the wait list for my spring training program: The Proven Flowerpot Formula.
Often times, perennials grown in containers won’t survive the winter.
It can be too cold on their roots. Too cold and hard. They prefer to be in the ground to return.
So, if you want your perennials to come back next year, simply dig them out of your containers in the late summer or early fall and plant them in the ground.
If you want big, showy color in your containers, look for annuals!
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Sep 12, 2025 | Gardening Tips and Tricks, In-ground garden
What NOT to Plant in Fall Gardens
Early fall can be a good time to plant perennials in many places in the intermountain West. (Perennials are your flowers that return year after year.)
But as I’ve learned the hard way in my Colorado garden…
There are some flowers you may not want to plant in the fall in Colorado, Wyoming and similar western states.
Some plants need a little more time for their roots to get established before winter.
Here are a few examples.
Avoid planting “marginally hardy perennials” in the fall.
What’s a marginally hardy perennial?
It’s a plant that won’t come back if it gets too cold or if it can’t handle winter conditions where you live.
Usually, these plants are better off when they’re planted in the late spring or early summer. That way, their roots have ALL summer to get established in the ground.
This gives them a better chance of surviving their first winter.
Here’s a simple trick to tell if a perennial is marginally cold hardy >>
The pink flower pictured above is known as Gaura or Wandflower (Gaura lindheimeri). I LOVE this flower plant, but it’s marginally hardy in my garden along the Front Range of Colorado.
Some years it comes back. Some years it doesn’t, and I have to replace it.
Because I know it’s marginally hardy in my garden, I wait until spring to plant it. I don’t plant it in the fall. That way, it has as much time as possible to get established before winter.
Native western salvias often do better with spring planting.
Native western salvias occur naturally in Texas, New Mexico and the Southwest. They go by botanical names like Salvia greggii and Salvia darcyi.
You may see popular ones at the garden center called Furman’s Red Sage and Wild Thing Sage.
Native western salvias thrive in hot and dry climates, so they grow well in our summers at our lower elevations.
These showy flowers are drought tolerant, long blooming and a favorite among hummingbirds.
So many reasons to love them!
But native salvias can be fickle in our winters.
It’s best to plant them in the spring or early summer (like May or June), rather than in the fall.
That way, their roots can get a running head start into autumn and winter.
In general, don’t plant evergreen trees in the fall. Spring is a better time.
While we’re on the subject of “what not to plant in the fall” in states like Colorado and Wyoming, add evergreen trees to your list too.
Evergreens (aka, “conifers”) are your trees that have needles. They don’t go dormant in the winter. This means they don’t go into hibernation mode like your trees that lose their leaves. They are awake and “ever green” through the winter.
Evergreen trees need to be well watered over the winter.
They’re also vulnerable to our tough winter conditions — like our drying winter winds and our big temperature swings — because they aren’t dormant.
It’s best to plant your evergreen trees in the spring, so their roots have more time to get established before winter.
Keep in mind, these are guidelines, rather than rules.
We may get a mild winter, and your plant babies may be fine.
But if you’d rather not risk it, then just wait until late spring to plant the flowers and trees in this article.
Related tips that may interest you:
by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Sep 12, 2025 | Garden design Ideas, Gardening Tips and Tricks
You want your spring flowers to look pretty, but what’s the best way to design them?
How do you make the biggest impact?
Great questions!
In this week’s post, you’ll find 4 simple tips for spring bulb garden design. Use these tips when you plant your bulbs in the fall, so you can get a pretty look in the spring.
Plus, I’ve included a bonus tip on bulb planting… because gardening in the high-elevation West is an adventure, y’all!
For this article, let’s say you want to plant spring flowers in selective places in your yard.
For example, you want to plant them along a walkway or add pops of color through your garden.
We’ll assume you DON’T want to fill an entire garden bed with a mass planting of bulbs. (Your design approach will likely be different for a mass planting.)
I like to share upfront: Gardening is personal.
It’s your own form of artistic expression.
So, if you prefer to do something different than what I’m suggesting, do what makes you happy!
Okay, let’s jump into these tips on spring bulb garden design.
Design tip #1: You can create visual interest when you plant bulbs in small groups.
Translation: It looks really pretty!
For most plants, you dig a hole, and you place 1 plant in the hole.
But spring flowers can look lonely or out of place when you see a single flower only.
Instead, you can make a bigger impact with your spring flowers when you plant them in small clusters or groups.
And hey, we want some “wow” factor!
This means you’ll place a number of bulbs in a hole — rather than just 1 individual bulb per hole.
Design tip #2: Flowers look really good when they’re planted in odd numbers.
They look really good in sets of 3, 5, 7 or 9 plants.
This is known as the “rule of odds.”
Think of it as a helpful guideline, rather than a “you must do this” rule.
But it’s the same principle that’s used in many forms of art and design — from photography, to interior design.
Odd numbers create visual interest. They look good to our eye.
Why? Because:
- Odd numbers look natural.
- They feel more dynamic. (They aren’t too matchy-matchy to lose our interest.)
- They don’t compete for our attention, which can happen with even numbers.
- They give us repetition, but with variety.
So, what does this mean for your garden?
Spring flowers look great when you plant them:
- In an odd number of groupings
- With an odd number of flowers in each group
When you plant your bulbs, dig a wider hole. Place more than 1 bulb in the hole.
Here are common questions that come up about this:
- “What if I have an even number of bulbs?” If you’re buying a package of bulbs, you’ll often end up with an even number, like 12, 20 or 50 total bulbs. Do your best to achieve odd numbers where you can, but it’s 100% okay to plant an even number of bulbs in 1 or 2 holes.
- “What if I don’t have that many bulbs?” Try small groupings of 3 to 5 bulbs. They should still look good.
- “How far apart do you place the bulbs in the hole?” It varies by plant. Generally, you want to give the bulbs some space, rather than having them touching each other. With tulips, for example, you may want to space your bulbs 2″ to 5″ apart in the hole.
Design tip #3: Plant the same colors together for big pops of color.
Let’s say you’ve purchased several colors of spring flowers.
You can create vibrant pops of color when you group the same colors together.
This means you may want to plant 1 color per grouping.
For example, let’s pretend you bought bulbs for pink tulips and for white tulips:
- Group the pink tulips together.
- Put the white tulips in different clusters.
You can still plant the different clusters near each other for pretty variety!
And yes, there are times when mixing the bulbs together may make sense for you. For example:
- If you bought a bag of pre-mixed bulbs, those bulbs are likely designed to look great together. Mix away!
- If you’re doing a mass planting and filling an entire garden bed with bulbs, you may want to mix all the colors together. It depends on the look you’re going for.
Design tip #4: Consider planting your spring bulbs behind or among perennials.
Some spring flowers — like tulips — go through a not-so-pretty phase when they finish blooming. Their leaves get floppy and turn yellow.
It’s important to resist the urge to cut off those floppy, yellow leaves.
And this is where spring bulb design comes in handy!
Plant your bulbs behind or next to perennials. Perennials are the flower plants that return year after year.
When your perennials begin to grow in the spring, their foliage can help mask the fading leaves on your spring bulbs.
BONUS tip: Be careful planting bulbs in hot spots in your garden.
We’re gardening at elevation in Colorado, Utah and the intermountain west. This means that the sun is very intense on our flower plants — especially in certain parts of our yards.
Let’s say you want to plant your spring flowers along a sunny, south-facing or west-facing structure (like a wall, fence or building).
The temperatures can get hotter here than other parts of your yard.
In garden lingo, this is known as a “heat sink.”
Think of it like a little micro-climate in your yard.
Sometimes, this can create tough conditions for your flowers.
So, what does this have to do with your bulbs?
When you plant your bulbs in these hot spots, your bulbs may think it’s time to get the party started earlier in the spring.
The ground may warm up faster.
Your flowers may want to emerge too early.
They become vulnerable to freeze damage.
If your flowers are getting ready to bloom and the temperatures plummet for a few days, it can nip your flowers’ buds for that year.
Some years, you may not have an issue.
But other years?
You may need to babysit your plants.
I had purple allium planted along a sunny, south-facing fence.
We had a bad year of freeze damage. The allium had brown leaves and shriveled up buds. I realized I should have taken extra steps to protect them.
You’ll have less work if you avoid planting bulbs in these hot spots.
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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! 🙂
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by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: May 8, 2023 | Flower Garden Basics, Gardening Tips and Tricks, Western Container Gardening With Flowers
Buying flower plants at your local home improvement store is definitely convenient. But did you know you have other options on where to buy flowers for your garden in western states like Colorado, Utah and Wyoming?
Let’s say you’d like to find unusual flowers in additional colors …
Or more options for flowers that thrive in our tough climate (yes, please!) …
Or more plants that have been locally grown …
If yes, there are OTHER garden stores where you can buy flowers, including:
- Locally-owned garden centers. They specialize in plants for your home and garden. (Think of this like going to a dedicated wine shop to buy a bottle of wine.)
- Online retailers where you can order hard-to-find plants. They’re like Zappos for flowers.
In this article, you’ll get a high-level look at the pros and cons of different types of garden stores, so you can choose where to buy flowers for your garden in Colorado, Utah and similar western states.
Let’s take a closer look at your options.
Home improvement stores
(A normal starting point)
Plant selection:
- Your plant choices are limited … but if picking flowers feels overwhelming, a limited selection can be a good thing!
Types of flowers available for your garden:
- You’ll find common, popular flowers.
- Different flowers bloom at different times of the season. So, the store’s plant selection will change over the spring, summer and fall, depending on what’s flowering at that time.
Knowledge of staff:
- Hit or miss …
- Sometimes, you’ll find really helpful and knowledgeable employees. Other times, you may find employees “who normally don’t work in this department.”
- It depends on your store and who is working at the time.
Pricing:
- You can find inexpensive prices.
Guarantee:
- Some stores offer a one-year guarantee on perennials.
- If the plant dies in the first year, they’ll replace or refund it as long as you have the original receipt.
Pro tip: Ask if your store offers a guarantee on perennials. If they do, put your receipt someplace where you’ll remember it.
How to be a smarter shopper at home improvement stores:
(1) Be aware that some flowers and shrubs you’ll find are not an ideal fit for our semi-arid climate.
Some plants are a better fit for regions of the country that get more precipitation. This means you’ll need to give them a lot of water here.
Others just don’t do well in our soil conditions.
In the photo below, you’ll see an Endless Summer Hydrangea. My local home improvement store sells them every summer, and they are GORGEOUS in the store … but generally, they don’t thrive in Colorado gardens. It’s tough to recreate their blooms every year. They need a lot of water. And they need very acidic soil to give you blue flowers. (We have alkaline soil in the West, so their flowers are pink.)
(2) Watch out for plants that have grown too big for their containers.
Roots are growing at the same time that plants are growing, so the containers need to be big enough for that root growth.
Sometimes, plants outgrow the size of their containers. This means the roots have gotten too big for the pots.
When you remove the pot, you may see the roots are tightly circling the plant. This is known as “root girdling.” You’ll need to take extra steps to fix it (read: extra work), so your plant doesn’t strangle itself.
Pro tip: As a general rule, the size of the plant should be about equal to the size of the container. You may want to skip a plant if the pot looks small compared to the plant OR you see A LOT of roots coming out of the bottom of the container. You could be buying a problem.
In the photo below, you’ll see an example of a plant with a lot of roots growing out of the container. (Big red flag!) The roots were a matted mess. It also looked like the roots had been trimmed off. This plant was likely in this container for a long time. It would have been happier if it had been transplanted to a larger pot. Roots need room to grow. I decided to skip buying this plant.
(3) Sometimes, annuals and perennials are mixed together at these stores.
Annuals are the flowers that give you big, showy color for one summer, but they don’t return next year. Perennials are flowers that return year after year, but they normally bloom for a few weeks only.
If you’re unsure whether a plant will return next year or not, you may want to ask.
Local garden centers
(aka, “plant nurseries”)
Plant selection:
- You’ll find a good-to-extensive selection of flowers.
- This can be great for finding more “wow”-worthy flowers, but it also can feel a little intimidating on your first visit. (This feeling is 100% normal, by the way. It will go away as you build some momentum with gardening!)
Types of flowers available for your garden:
- You’ll find a wider range of flowers.
- You’re also likely to find seeds, bulbs, vegetable plants, indoor plants, shrubs, and/or trees.
- The flower selection will likely change over the spring, summer and fall, depending on what’s flowering (“in bloom”) at that time.
- Often times, many of these plants have been grown at local or regional greenhouses and farms. This means these plants may adjust better to our western growing conditions when you plant them.
Knowledge of staff:
- Knowledgeable (typically).
- Because these stores are specialized, there are usually employees on-site who can answer your questions.
Pricing:
- Their plants can be a little bit pricier, but not always.
- Keep in mind, quality and price can be related. These plants may be grown in better soil and have fewer issues with girdled roots.
- They may offer sales or special offers. (“Buy three, quart-size plants for just $x.”)
Guarantee:
- Some offer a guarantee on certain types of plants. Some don’t. It varies widely by garden center.
- If the store doesn’t mention it, it doesn’t hurt to ask!
- It also helps to save your receipt.
How to be a smarter shopper at local garden centers:
- Watch for plants that are too big for their pots: While this isn’t quite as common at local garden centers, it’s still important to be on the lookout for perennials that have a lot of roots growing out of the bottom of the pot or plants that seem much bigger than their containers. Remember, you may be buying a problem.
- Some flowers you’ll find don’t necessarily do well in Colorado and the West. As I mentioned above, some plants may need A LOT of water here. But this really depends on the garden center you’re visiting. Some stores are better than others in carrying western-friendly plants.
How to find local garden centers in your area:
- To find locally-owned garden centers, search for “garden centers,” “plant nurseries” or “plant stores” in [your city/town] on the Internet. These phrases may pull up some home improvement stores too. It depends on where you live.
- Here’s a list of local garden centers by city that carry Plant Select flowers. Plant Select is a western-friendly brand of flowers plants and shrubs created by Colorado State University, the Denver Botanic Gardens and local horticulturists. It’s a great brand for western states like Colorado, Wyoming and Utah because these plants tend to grow well in our western conditions, are hail resistant and are less work. (Can I get an amen?!) The Plant Select website lists where to buy these flowers. I’m just sharing this brand for your convenience.I do not make a commission.
Online retailers
(They’re like Zappos for flowers)
Plant selection:
- You’ll find unusual flowers and exclusive plants that are often hard to find elsewhere.
- Typically, they have a finite supply, so once they sell out of a plant, it’s gone for the season.
Types of flowers available for your garden:
- These stores often have a specialty, such as perennials, bulbs (like tulips), cut flowers (the flowers you see in wedding bouquets or centerpieces) and/or seeds.
Knowledge of staff:
- Knowledgeable (available by phone or email).
Pricing:
- It varies, but be sure to factor in shipping costs.
- They may offer sales and special offers (like free shipping) from time to time.
Guarantee:
- Some may offer a first-year guarantee if you follow their planting guidelines. They’ll replace or refund the plant if it doesn’t survive.
- If you’re interested in a guarantee, always ask whether the online store offers it.
How you buy flowers at these stores. It’s DIFFERENT than buying local:
- You indicate the type of plant you want from a website or print catalog.
- The individual plant is picked out for you.
- The plant is mailed to you — often on a schedule, such as a certain week of the growing season.
- The plant may be small to make it easier to ship.
- If your plant isn’t available, the company may substitute a different plant. (They’ll likely notify you first.)
How to be a smarter shopper online:
- Look for mail order companies that specialize in flower plants for the semi-arid West — like High Country Gardens based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (I am not an affiliate for this company. I’m simply sharing it for your convenience.)
- If you are ordering plants from a company that’s based in another region of the country, keep in mind:
(1) Flower plants that thrive in the East, Midwest, South, Pacific Northwest and along the West Coast may not do as well in our high elevation, semi-arid, inter-mountain West.
(2) You likely need to read between the lines on flower descriptions because the descriptions may be written with the East Coast (and their climate) in mind. For example, their sun conditions are different than ours. The sun is more intense at our elevation than in other parts of the country. 6 hours of afternoon sun in Colorado can be like full day of sunlight in other regions. Other parts of the country also get more annual precipitation than we do, so we may have a different definition of what it means for a plant to be “drought tolerant.”
- Know that plants can get a little beat up in transit. See the photo below for an example of a flower plant I received from an online retailer. The before image shows how the plant arrived. The after shows what the plant looked like after I removed the broken pieces. (This plant grew like crazy and was thriving by mid-summer, so don’t let the first impression scare you.) As long as the roots are okay and you follow the planting instructions that come with your plant, your plant should be okay. Good roots are firm. They look white or creamy in color. (Poor roots are soft, mushy and brown.) If you ever have concerns, you can reach out to the online retailer’s customer support team.
How to find online retailers:
Yes, there are other places where you can buy flowers for gardens
… ranging from your local grocery store to Costco.
But if you’re just getting the hang of gardening in Colorado, you want to know where to buy flowers that last, AND you want to keep it SIMPLE, these are good options to get started.
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