Hot, blazing, dry, thirsty. These descriptive words for a summer day in Colorado are not usually associated with healthy plants. What will survive let alone flourish in that environment? You can create a combination of native plants, xeric plants and Plant Select plants that prosper in full sun with minimal supplemental water.
Spring
Bulbs, corms and tubers flower above gravel mulch in colorful succession: crocus, iris reticulata, chionodoxa, narcissus, and tulipa. Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) complements red tulips with vibrant lavender flowers screaming that spring is here. Ornamental onions show-off purple-pink flower clusters: chives (Allium schoenoprasum), a taller, larger flower cluster (Allium aflatunense), and the most outstanding Star of Persia (Allium christophii). Complementary yellow flowers cascade from the perennial basket-of-gold (Alyssum saxatile).
Summer
Evergreen ground covers start to work their magic. Begin the day with a show of flowers in varieties of ice plants (Delosperma spp.). Bronze Carpet sedum (Sedum spurium) has burgundy leaves and pink flowers while the Goldmoss sedum (Sedum acre) has green leaves with small yellow flowers. Wooly yarrow (Achillea tomentosa) creates an enchanting blanket of white flowers. Paper-like yellow blooms of the native prairie zinnias (Zinnia grandiflora) fill in around the small purple flowers of the creeping thymes (Thymus spp.). Slightly taller perennials like Pineleaf penstemon (Penstemon spp.) displays throughout the day. Varieties of bearded iris (Iris spp.) strut their stuff from May until July. Color is repeated in the afternoon with blossoms of Desert four o’clock (Mirabilis multiflora).
Autumn
Vibrant flowers of the orange carpet hummingbird trumpet (Zauschneria garrettii) lounge on a boulder with seemingly endless blooms. Sunset hyssop (Agastache rupestris) gives off a wonderful aroma and also attracts the hummingbirds. Hen and chicks (Sempervivum spp.) send up their prehistoric looking flower clusters. Taller sedums “Autumn Joy” and “Indian Chief” produce clusters of flowers that mature into interesting seed heads while Sedum rupestre “Angelina” turns from yellow-green to a dusty rose color that persists for winter interest.
Winter
Golden grasses are in their full glory. The blue fescue (Festuca cinerea) pops out of all the cracks in the rocks and the blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) adds a bit more texture. The manzanita’s (Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis) leathery leaves stay put all winter on interesting sprawling branches that arch over the evergreen groundcovers. A large, sprawling “Blue Harbor” juniper (Juniperus horizontalis spp.) has a purple color that contrasts with a thin blanket of snow.
Pam McGivern is a Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Adams County. For more information contact the Colorado State University Extension office in your county or visit ext.colostate.edu.
