A Simple Hack for a Beautiful Western Garden (to Do in Winter)

by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Jan 15, 2024 | Gardening Tips and Tricks

I’d like to interrupt the depths of winter to bring you visions of summer.

And flowers.

And things that are green.

(Remember the color green?)

Let’s say you want to add gorgeous perennials to your yard for this coming summer, so your neighbors stop to look… flowers that offer big color for very little water… flowers that don’t require a lot of work…

But you’re busy.

Or, you just want to keep it simple.

Here’s a simple hack to get a beautiful garden. Best of all, you can do this while you’re snuggled up in a chair watching snow fall outside.

Check out pre-planned flower gardens

Pop online and check out pre-planned flower gardens (aka, gardens in a box)

Yep, despite the frozen tundra that many of us have outside, winter is the time of year to sign up for one, so you can get it in the spring.

It’s tempting to think: “Pre-planned gardens are just for beginners.”

Or: “Sounds like something for master gardeners.”

Nope and nope.

I volunteered at a pick-up location for pre-planned gardens last spring, and I can assure you, these gardens are for everybody. They are not a reflection of your gardening skill level. You can still enjoy choosing flowers for different parts of your yard!

So, what are preplanned flower gardens?

Here’s a look at what pre-planned flower gardens are >>

When you click the link above, you’ll also find 4 pre-planned garden options that are ideal for the high plains and intermountain west.

Worth noting, I don’t get paid to share the options above. (Though, I wish I did because I’m a fan of all of them.)

I’m just sharing them because they make western gardening easier.

Even if you like the idea of pre-planned flowers, you may still want to learn which plants grow well in our gotta-have-some-moxie West. Stay tuned for some of my fave resources for finding beautiful western plants.

Cheers to things that are green!

Related topics that may interest you:

• 5 western garden trends to inspire your garden
• Planting a perennial garden in Colorado? 5 counter-intuitive tips!
• Popular ornamental grasses for a prettier winter garden

3 Popular Spring Gardening Questions (for Colorado & the West)

by Ann at Go West Gardener | Updated: Mar 27, 2024 | Gardening Tips and Tricks

We’ve entered that time of the year in Colorado and the intermountain west when we tend to bounce between seasons, like animated 5-year-olds jumping around wildly in an inflatable bounce house.

Winter! Spring! Winter! Summer! Spring! Ack, winter!

Given that we don’t always follow a linear path into the growing season, it feels like a good time to chat about these common spring gardening questions in Colorado and the intermountain west:

“Will snow kill my spring flowers, like tulips?”

The short answer is no. (Yay!) March and April snowstorms shouldn’t affect whether your spring flowers return next year.

With that said, snow can “smoosh” your taller-growing spring flowers—like tulips and daffodils—and make their flower petals a little mushy if they’re blooming. Here’s what you can do.

“Are there flowers I can plant in pots in late March and April?”

If you’re up to your elbows in snow, we’ll chat in a few months. 😊

But if you live at a lower elevation, you may start to notice violas and pansies at garden centers. These are “cool season” flowers. They’re like your relatives from Minnesota. Typically, they don’t mind a little chill.

Here what’s helpful to know about pansies.

“Can I plant flowers as soon as I bring them home from the store?”

Imagine the start of the skiing or snowboarding season. Sure, you could hit the slopes without working out in advance, but your legs are going to be on fire, right? But if you cross train first, your muscles will be tough and ready. You can ski or ride with ease.

The same is true for your flowers, especially the ones you get in the spring. There are simple things you can do BEFORE you plant them that will greatly improve your success rate with them. Get the scoop here.

More gardening questions and topics that may interest you:

• “What do I do with tulips after they’ve flowered?”
• When’s the best time to plant perennials in the spring in Colorado?
• 3 misconceptions about when to buy and plant flowers that can lead to dead plants (ack!)