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...
Waterwise Gardening in the Intermountain West
12 Waterwise, Blue Flowers: Perennials for Western Gardens
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...
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 Plants Struggle in Colorado?
I received the following question from a gardener who moved to Colorado, and I thought, ooooh, that's a good one! "What plants struggle in Colorado?" Here are some popular plants from other parts of the country that are best to skip in Colorado if: You don't want...
5 Popular Ornamental Grasses for a Prettier Winter Garden
Put your hand up if want a pretty winter garden! Ornamental grasses can make your winter garden look good. They add visual interest to your winter landscape (aka, "winter interest"), and they're easy to grow. But how are you supposed to know which grasses to pick? A...
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...
5 Western Garden Trends to Inspire Your Garden (in Colorado, Utah & More)
Reader note: I first published this article in January 2022, but the content is still relevant and timely! I feel strange saying, “garden trends,” because it implies a fad. Here today, gone tomorrow—like paint colors in a home or trendy flower colors. I’m not here to...
“Should I Water My Garden in the Fall in Colorado? What About Winter?”
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...
Planting a Perennial Garden in Colorado? Here Are 5 Counterintuitive Tips
Let's say you’re thinking about planting a perennial garden in Colorado or a similar western state, so you can enjoy colorful flowers year after year. Yesssss! Before you head to the garden center, here are a few things to know to get your western garden off to an...








