I’ve thoroughly been enjoying the show-stopping displays of all the beautiful flowering perennials this summer. Flowers bring so much joy to our lives and perennials come back year after year. What could be better? I love new varieties of plants, but after working in Colorado landscapes for over twenty years there’s a special place in […]
Archive | Great Plants
Indomitable Irises!
Irises are having a fantastic bloom year. It’s a welcome surprise, especially when many trees and shrubs were damaged by frost. Imagine that– many other plants are having a tough year, but the same conditions led to an abundance of iris flowers! Irises produce huge flowers in a rainbow of colors that always lift my […]
How to Care for Annual Flower Pots
They’re so seductively beautiful, just hanging out in the garden center waiting for someone to take them home. Their impressive color combinations and gorgeous flowers cause thousands of shoppers to grab them purely on impulse and buy them before they even think the purchase through. But how do you keep that container of annual flowers […]
Success with Spring-Flowering Bulbs in Colorado
Looking for more early spring color? Here’s another great bloomer. This is a giant crocus cultivar called ‘Flower Record’ (Crocus vernus ‘Flower Record). I love Flower Record’s deep purple color, which is quite eye-catching in spring. One of the great things the Dutch have given to the world is flower bulbs. They’ve taken naturally occuring […]
A Great Spring Bloomer- European Pasque Flower
At this time of year, any blooming plant is a welcome sight. One adorable, reliable plant that comes back year after year is the European pasqueflower (Pulsatilla vulgaris). It’s gorgeous fuzzy purple flowers and hardy nature make it a perfect addition to a Colorado landscape. If you’re searching beyond traditional daffodils and tulips for spring […]
Should You Cut Back Russian Sage in Fall?
You can, but it might be better to wait until spring. If you want the quick answer, here’s a 90-second video on cutting back Russian sage in fall. Read on if you’d like a deeper explanation. Keep in mind it doesn’t need to be cut down in fall. There is absolutely not a problem in […]
Video: How to Prune Russian Sage in Spring
Another video is here! Due to all of the interest I’ve received related to the best method to prune Russian sage before it starts growing in spring, we finally got a video together to SHOW you how to do it. In the video, I demonstrate the two best methods to prune Russian sage on some […]
Video: How to Prune Blue Mist Spirea during Spring Cleanup
Have you ever been out in your yard in spring cutting back your plants, and felt puzzled when faced with a blue mist spirea shrub? If so, check out this new video we made that demonstrates how to prune blue mist spirea in spring. The methods I cover can also be used for dark knight […]
Does Pruning to Ground Level Delay Blue Mist Spirea Bloom Time?
After I wrote a post about cutting blue mist spirea to the ground in spring as part of spring cleanup, one question I received was, “Will cutting it to the ground delay flowering?” Be sure to check out this video about how to cut back or prune blue mist spirea in spring. July and August […]
Weed or Wildflower #2
Back in May, I wrote my first post about determining if a plant was a weed or wildflower. You might have been out in your yard and come across a plant that strikes you as pretty, but you don’t remember planting it. The thought may cross your mind, “Is this a weed or a wildflower?” […]
Marvelous Moonshine Yarrow
There are a lot of fantastic plants out there, but Moonshine yarrow (Achillea x ‘Moonshine’) is one of the best perennial flowers for Colorado Front Range landscapes. Here are several reasons why: Eye-Catching Want colorful flowers in your yard that come back year after year? Moonshine yarrow could be a great choice for you. Beginning […]