Just got a new box of plants at the end-of-season sale. Now I have to find spots to plant them all.
We had a wet spring in Fort Collins, CO. Most of my xeriscape plants grew fast and lanky. The weight of all that water, and sometimes wind, laid some stems on the ground. Now summer heat has arrived. Highs of 90°F (32°C) and cloudless skies at high altitude create intense sunlight.
Aspen fleabane (Erigeron speciosus) is rated full-sun to shade. But it seems to do best in the middle. In shade at 3pm, a perky Aspen fleabane shows off its lavender petals. Another fleabane, in bright sun, has washed out petals and many drooping flower buds.
Gardening with climate change has its challenges.
The cactus in our front yard is blooming. I was just doing some outdoor chores and there was a point of color attracting my attention.
Two years ago we replaced one side of the front lawn with mulch, rock, and cactus to save water and labor. Most of the time I don’t mess with it and ignore it. Crazy cactus. 😄
Nectar/pollen source for: Monarchs, Striated Queen, Swallowtails, Checkerspot Butterflies, Skippers, Painted Ladies, Fritillaries, Sulphur Butterflies, Checkered White Butterfly, Marine Blue Butterfly, Hunts Bumblebee, American Bumblebee, Nevada Bumblebee, Brown-belted Bumblebee, White-shouldered Bumblebee, Green Metallic Bees, Digger Bees, Leaf-cutter Bees, Longhorn Bees, Bee Flies, Gaillardia Flower Moth, Common Buckeye Butterfly, Long Horn Beetles
WILDLIFE RELATIONSHIPS:
Larval host plants for: Checkerspot butterflies, Skipper Butterflies,
Painted Lady Butterflies, Glorious Flower Moth, Blakes Tiger Moth,
Gaillardia Flower Moth, Painted Schinia, Common Buckeye Butterfly
Winter seed forage for: Goldfinches, Dark Eyed Juncos
I got a kit from High Plains Environmental Center and planted it out on a west-facing slope.
This kit contains 32 plants in 2.5" pots of 8 different plant species!
Sun requirements: 6 hours - full sun
Water needs: Low when established
4 each of
Achnatherum hymenoides, Antennaria parvifolia, Artemisia frigida,
Echinacea angustifolia, Gaillardia aristata, Koeleria macrantha,
Liatris punctata, Penstemon strictus
Annoying and 98% my bad. Was so focused on picking out new annuals to replace what I lost over winter that didn't I didn’t see that several of the ones I picked were only hardy to 30 degrees.
Shame on Lowe's for even selling annuals that aren't hardy in Denver's climate. That'll look nice this season I suppose.
Hey, #Denton folks. First day of the year that TAMU/AgriLife is recommending watering your lawn. If you've been doing so already, shame on you. They recommend 0.57in of water this week for Denton County. Better yet, #xeriscape and avoid the whole thing.
They have an app, but you can just get emails, too.
https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/asset-local/water-my-yard-program/
iolaire
Susan Ramirez
Ray N. Franklin 🇺🇸
Michael Ormsby
John Wilker 👨🏽💻
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