Keep It Water Wise: Plants for a Beautiful Colorado Garden

Spring is here, and that means gardening is just around the corner. As Coloradans along the Front Range plan and prepare for the impending growing season, they must do so with one important concept in mind: water usage. In the West, water conservation is crucial to long-term sustainability. The good news is that there is a wide swath of low-water plants that are easy to maintain and that bring exceptional interest and color to any landscape. Read on for water-wise plant selections suited for the area’s unique high plains climate.

Drought-resistant (and deer-resistant!) plants for a water-wise landscape

Careful consideration must be given when planning a garden, whether it be for space, resources, beauty, or purpose. Successful plants will withstand the ever-changing seasonal elements such as wind, hail, and drought. Check out this lineup of climate-friendly varieties perfect for your Colorado garden:

Annuals:

Annuals pop with color and unmistakable fragrance and are suited for garden beds and containers alike.

• California poppy (orange)
• Cosmo (orange, purple, pink, red, white)
• Dusty miller (silver)
• Marigold (yellow, orange, red)
• Snapdragon (red, orange, yellow, pink, white)

Perennials:

Year after year, perennials impress as they emerge from the earth and deliver low-maintenance, low-resource beauty to the landscape.

• Blanket flower (red to yellow)
• Coreopsis (yellow)
• Iris (variety)
• Lavender (purple)
• Yarrow (yellow, orange, pink, red, white)

Grasses:

Ornamental grasses couldn’t be easier to maintain, and they bring a beautiful, wispy touch to any landscape.

• Blue fescue
• Feather reed
• Giant sacaton
• Mexican feather
• Zebra

Groundcovers:

These low-growing plants fill in the gaps and are an ideal alternative to grassy spaces. Some even tolerate foot traffic!

• Carpet bugle
• Creeping
  • Oregon grape holly
  • Thyme
  • Veronica
• Sweet woodruff

Shrubs:

Big, bold, and incredibly resilient, low-water shrubs are the ideal plant-it-and-forget-it addition to your garden.

• Barberry
• Chokecherry
• Cinquefoil
• Common juniper
• Silver fountain butterfly bush

Curious for more information as you begin your garden planning? Search for additional plants and learn more about gardening in the West by visiting Water Wise Plants, a web page by Colorado Springs Utilities. Happy planting!

Meridian Ranch is the premier master-planned community in Falcon, Colorado, where you’ll find extensive onsite amenities and an incredible year-round climate. Residents enjoy a variety of nearby shopping and dining options, parks and recreation opportunities, and top-notch schools. Contact us today and discover our inventory of beautiful, functional ranch and 2-story floorplans available now.