Colorado Demonstration Gardens: Xeriscaped Gardens

By Susanne Talbert (art_n_garden)
September 01, 2008

Do you cringe at the word “xeriscape”? Does that mean boring, thin-leaved, un-colorful plants to you? Well think again. Xeriscape gardening can look lush, colorful and be a snap to maintain. To help people learn how to have a beautiful garden while being water consious, Colorado Springs Utilities has created two xeriscaped demonstration gardens for denizens to learn about and apply water thriftiness in their own gardens. The display at these gardens provides a lesson for everyone, even if you don’t live in a drought prone area. Can you imagine not having to water much *at all* between rains?

Even if you don't live in Colorado Springs, the Rocky Mountains, or even in a dry climate, the suggestions from these demonstration gardens will help you save time watering and money on your next water bill. Colorado and areas like it have wonderfully dry climates due to low humidity and unfortunately sometimes high winds.  For most gardeners, this means both dry skin and dry soil.  Besides a good moisturizer, here's how to cope.  Plant water-wise plants and irrigate intelligently!  

Once the plants on this list get established (one-two weeks) they don't need much water, if any, at all.  With the growing water shortage in Colorado and many other states, this is an important feature for sustainability in the coming years.  The Mesa Road Xeriscape Garden (one of CSU's featured demonstration gardens) is actually a lush, colorful and peaceful place that requires very little water.  Come along for a tour and a xeriscaping lesson, Colorado style. 

Why should you xeriscape? 

The biggest and most widely misunderstood lesson of xeriscaping is planting in water-usage zones, or hydrozones.  That is, putting plants that need lots of water next to ones that need lots of water, and putting plants that can don't need any water with the like.  Seems logical right?  If you put a Tall Bearded Iris (that likes dry conditions) next to an Astilbe (which prefers moist soil), you are bound to do one of three things: overwater the Iris, underwater the Astilbe, or kill both.  It just makes sense to put your irises with your blanketflowers and your astilbes next to your cannas.  That doesn't sound all that boring, right?  

When you really get down to it though, xeriscaping does mean planting flora that does not require much additional water than the average rainfall of your area.  Once established, they should practically grow themselves.  

CSU (the utilities company, not the university) has created two demonstration gardens to showcase how good xeriscaping can look: the Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden and the Cottonwood Creek Park Xeriscape Garden in Colorado Springs.  Along with some planting tips and the right plants, xeriscaping never has to be humdrum.                                                                                        

Bee Balm - Monarda	Blanketflower - Gaillardia	Leadplant

 

Texas Red Yucca surrounded by other colorful xerics	Lavender and Creeping Thyme	Shrub Rose

 

Plants you'll find at the Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden (and you should try!)  

Silver Blade Evening Primrose	Russian Sage
Cashmere Sage	Gaura
Pasqueflower	Big Bluestem
Dwarf Garden Phlox	Rocky Mountain Sumac
Blue Speedwell	Mullein 'Southern Charm'
Switchgrass	Bridge's Penstemon
Grayleaf Cranesbill	Mexican Feather Grass
Tatarian Dogwood	Stokes Aster
Dwarf Goldenrod 'Goldenbaby'	Blue Mist Spirea
Hidcote Lavender	Japanese Bloodgrass
Pale Purple Coneflower	Leadplant
Gayfeather	Gray Creeping Germander
Wood Sorrel	Fernbush
Geum	Diablo Ninebark
California Fuchsia 'Orange Carpet'	Desert Olive

Dwarf Goldenrod	Tatarian Dogwood	Horseradish

Xeric gardening does not have to be colorless or boring as you can see from all of these beautiful flowers showcased at the Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden.   Even if you just put in a few xerics, you can benefit from the decreased water usage. 

All photos taken at Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Copyrighted to Susanne and Kyle Talbert

About Susanne Talbert   I garden in beautiful Colorado Springs, half a mile from Garden of the Gods. Since we bought our first house two years ago, I have been busy revamping my 1/4 acre of ignored decomposed granite. My garden passions include water gardening, vines, super-hardy perennials, and native xerics. By day, I am a high school ceramics teacher as well as a ceramicist and painter.

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Discussion about this article:

Subject Topic Starter Replies Views Last Post Arid Colorado Aralee 1 7 Apr 17, 2009 12:20 PM Botanical names? imapigeon 4 31 Sep 8, 2008 2:06 PM Great job! Islandshari 4 32 Sep 1, 2008 10:33 PM Hardy plants Fitsy 2 44 Sep 1, 2008 4:38 PM

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