Western Gardening Blog

Inspiring western gardeners to grow beautiful flowers with less effort in Colorado, Utah & the intermountain west

The latest flower tips

VIDEO: Japanese Beetles In Colorado & How to Control Them

What the heck is turning your plants into lace-y skeletons? If it's late June, July or August in the Front Range of Colorado, Japanese beetles may be to blame. "What do Japanese beetles look like?" you may be wondering. Japanese beetles are metallic green insects with...

“Will Snow Kill My Spring Flowers Like Tulips? Should I Protect Them?”

Your spring flowers look as happy as kids on the first day of vacation... and then, you see the weather forecast: SNOW. Ugh. The good news is... Spring flowering bulbs — like tulips and daffodils (pictured below) — are surprisingly resilient. Snow can be a good...

What Is a Plant Hardiness Zone? (And How to Find YOUR Zone)

When you buy a flower plant... You may notice a strange phrase on the plant tag that says: "Hardiness zones" or "Zones." If you're wondering, "What is a plant hardiness zone? What does that mean?", you're in the right place. At its most basic, a plant hardiness zone...

VIDEO: How to Trim Petunias to Keep Them Looking Pretty

If you have petunias, you may be wondering how to keep your petunias looking good, especially when the blooms start dying. In this week's video, you'll: See exactly where to trim your petunias, so your plants look pretty and you encourage them to keep giving you new...

Lantana: A Heat-Tolerant Flower for Pots and Summer Gardens

This cutie is known as Lantana. This colorful flower reminds me of a delicious bowl of sherbet. It isn’t a flower you want to eat, though — no matter how yummy it looks. It's actually a little poisonous. Be careful where you plant it if you have wee ones or dogs. The...

When’s the Best Time to Cut Back Perennials in Colorado and Similar States?

It's tempting to want to get out early in the fall and tidy up your western garden for winter, especially if you're having a mild fall. But is it too early? When's the best time to cut back perennials in Colorado and similar states? In this article, you'll get the...

Pre-Planned Gardens for Colorado and the West: Beautiful Gardens for Less Work

Buying flowers for western gardens can feel like a lot of work. Especially when you live in the semi-arid, gotta-have-some-moxie West — like Colorado and Utah! This isn’t a place where you a dig a few holes, plop in some flowers and watch them grow into a lush jungle....

“Hardening” Flowers: How to Get Flowers Ready to Plant Outside

You’re at the store this spring, and colorful flowers catch your eye. It’s natural to want to drive straight home and plant them. Bring on the curb appeal! But hold up... Before you plant your flowers, it's a good idea to help them adjust to outdoor conditions first....

Pansies: A Colorful Flower for Your Spring Flowerpots in Colorado

Are you feeling adventurous this spring? Want to add a splash of color to your flowerpots? Get to know pansies — a type of viola! These early spring flowers can add a BIG pop of color to your Colorado garden, especially if you're ready to kiss winter goodbye. You may...

5 Drought-Tolerant Spring Flowers for Sunny, Dry Gardens (You Plant in the Fall)

Most of these spring flowers are low maintenance too! Let’s say you want to add a splash of color to your spring garden, but you live someplace dry, like Colorado or Utah. It would be nice to find spring flowers that don’t need a lot of watering, right? (Less work for...

What to Do With Old Potting Soil (the Dirt From Your Pots)

What can you do with the dirt in your pots after your flowers have died? Good news! You have a few options for what to do with old potting soil. Let's assume, for a sec, your plants were healthy at the end of the season. If yes... Here are 4 things to do with old...

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

This article was first published in March 2023. Enjoy! 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!...