Confession: I love blue flowers. There’s something about them that makes my heart sing. In Colorado, Utah, and similar states, we’re lucky to have a variety of waterwise, blue flowers available to us as perennials (plants that return for multiple years). Here are 12...
In-ground garden
“What Do I Do With Tulips After They’ve Flowered?”
The tulips in your spring garden have given you gorgeous color. But what do you do with tulips after they've flowered? They're done blooming, and now your tulip leaves are turning yellow and flopping on the ground. They don't look so great. (This is normal, BTW! You...
Jupiter’s Beard: A Long-Blooming Perennial That Attracts Butterflies
Would you like a long-blooming perennial... ... that attracts butterflies and interesting moths, gives you color all summer AND is drought tolerant? Yes, pleasssssse! I can’t wait to introduce you to Jupiter’s Beard (aka, Red Valerian). Its botanical name is...
Red Birds in a Tree: A Drought-Tolerant Flower That’s a MAGNET for Hummingbirds
During the spring of 2020, my husband and I re-worked part of our yard with new garden beds. (Any other weekend warriors out there?) I wanted to include drought-tolerant red flowers that would grow well in Colorado’s poor soils and hot, dry climate. And that’s when I...
“Hail Destroyed My Garden. What Do I Do Now?”
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...
Creating a Native Pollinator Garden in Colorado
I first published this article in 2022. I hope you find it helpful today! I would love to introduce you to Ann Winslow. (Yep, another Ann!) She spent time creating a native pollinator garden in her Colorado yard during the Covid shutdown in 2020. She wanted to attract...
Gardening in a Heat Wave: 5 Ways to Garden Smarter, Not Harder
Many years ago, I cheered on a friend as he ran a local marathon. As my friend began running, he looked like he belonged in a Nike ad: Strong. Healthy. Determined. Just do it, baby! And he set a great pace until about mile 16 … … when heat and exhaustion caught him...
3 Plants That Struggle in Western Winters (What NOT to Plant in Your Colorado Landscape)
No one wants to end up with extra garden chores and sad-looking plants But that’s what can happen if you accidentally pick plants that are known to struggle in Colorado landscapes — particularly during winter. So, in this tip, you’ll get the scoop on 3 popular plants...
Columbine Flowers: An Early Summer Flower to Attract Hummingbirds
Who else loves Columbine flowers? (I have both my hands up.) You’ll see Columbine flowers growing along alpine hiking trails in the Rocky Mountains… and in western gardens. When I see them on mountain trails, I want to turn into Julie Andrews at the start of The Sound...








