Lmst

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.

#bloomscrolling #nativePlant #colorado #xeriscape

Aspen fleabane has long leafy stems topped by one bloom each. The petals are narrow and lavender with a yellow center. Shades of green, brown, lavender and yellow.

Aspen fleabane in bright, full-sun has many drooping flower buds and slightly wilted leaves. Shades of green, brown, lavender and yellow.

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. 😄

#xeriscape #cacti #cactus

Some photos of my #SidewalkStrip, between the sidewalk and the road. The south half is pretty well established, though I am still adding things in the bare spots. On the north half, I'm pulling off the landscape fabric I used to kill the well-establish perennial weeds, adding squeegee (the tiny gravel), and starting to add plants. There is a young oak tree on the north half, planted and maintained by the city, so I have to look for plants that can cope with dry shade.
#BloomScrolling #xeriscape

A strip of ground, about 8 feet wide and 20 feet long, framed by street, sidewalk, steps, and driveway, filled with xeriscape plants and rocks.

A pretty xeriscape, full of drought-tolerant native plants and rocks.

The ground between a sidewalk and a city street, steep and about 8 feet wide, covered with squeegee. There are some rocks and plants: penstemons, liatris, bee balm. In the background there is black plastic landscape fabric and the trunk of a young oak tree.

Grass, knautia, and catmint, on the house side of the sidewalk. There is a catalpa tree in the background and a large non-native evergreen on the left of the picture.

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

#NativePlants #xeriscape

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

#NativePlants #xeriscape

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

#NativePlants #xeriscape

A tray of 32 small native perennial plants, 4 each of 8 species, and a goldenrod in a gallon pot. They are resting on pea gravel next to a large wooden post set in concrete.

The 33 plants from the previous picture, planted on a slope, mulched with tan squeegee. There is a short concrete retaining wall in the background.

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.

#homeownership #gardening #xeriscape

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/

First day of volunteering at the #Xeriscape Demonstration Garden today! I got to pet and groom many #NativePlants just waking up for #spring. I also disturbed a sleeping #YellowJacket queen, but she did not sting me. And I moved a tiny #PrayingMantis to a plant that had already been cut back.

Now I have to finish reading In Cold Blood for Classics book group tonight. Two social things in one day! That is too many things. According to the dogs, anyway.
#bookstodon #AmReading

It’s that time of year.
#Xeriscape
#gardening
#Colorado

Color photo of a book with a brilliantly purple and yellow bordered book titled “Xeriscape Plant Guide: 100 water-wise plants for gardens and landscapes” resting on my lap. A mug of coffee rests atop the book.

#Today 23: Making headway on planning; protagonist arc is evolving nicely. Need to settle on the crisis dilemma. Stakes are clear, but choices remain fluid. Making lists of important events, of foreshadowing topics and where they become critical. Mapping out three POVs and how they interact to drive each character forward. Exciting! #amWriting #spaceOpera

Can you tell I'm a planner?

A couple of weeks ago when the first snow accumulated, I took these photos of Ericameria nauseosa, Rabbitbrush in the front yard. Until then, I hadn't realized they have pale green stems. Tiny leaves and blossom stems are dried and light brown. Such a contrast! #xeriscape #nativePlants #Colorado

Ericameria nauseosa, Rabbitbrush has long, pale green stems radiating out from snow. At the end of each long stem, a cluster of thin stems branch out, ending in clumps of tiny, dried leaves and seed heads. The dried parts have a light shade of reddish brown, contrasting with the larger green stems.

Ericameria nauseosa, Rabbitbrush. Close view shows long, pale green stems with a cluster of thin stems branching out and ending in clumps of tiny, dried leaves and seed heads. The dried parts have a light shade of reddish brown. The dried leaves are long, slender, and curled. Snow has accumulated on the dried clusters, bending the stems close to the ground.

It’s #CES time and that means one thing: bring on the weird. A company named “Aiper” has announced their $400 “IrriSense Smart Irrigation Sprinker” and I don’t care how smart it is as I will not spend $400 to water the lawn I don’t have. #WeirdCES #CES2025 #Xeriscape www.theverge.com/2025/1/5/…

It’s #CES time and that means one thing: bring on the weird. A company named “Aiper” has announced their $400 “IrriSense Smart Irrigation Sprinker” and I don’t care how smart it is as I will not spend $400 to water the lawn I don’t have. #WeirdCES #CES2025 #Xeriscape https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/5/24335014/aiper-irrisense-smart-irrigation-sprinkler-price-ces

I got this Datura wrightii from another Xeriscape Garden volunteer at the beginning of summer. It just started making these two buds at the beginning of October. It looks like at least one is going to open before it freezes!

#NativePlants #xeriscape #autumn #BloomScrolling

A short plant with large, dark green, opposite leaves and two buds. One is still tightly folded and the other is starting to open. Its white petals are folded and wrapped together like a pinwheel.

White prairie aster, Symphyotrichum falcatum. From early spring though August and part of September, this xeriscape plant added stems and foliage. All for this...

#goodMorning #bloomScrolling #xeriscape

White prairie aster, Symphyotrichum falcatum. Many small white flowers with yellow centers cover the ends of bushy stems with dusty-green leaves.

White prairie aster, Symphyotrichum falcatum. White flowers with narrow petals and yellow button centers stand out against a background of thousands of dusty-green leaves. A honeybee visits one flower below and left of image center.

My #SidewalkStrip is looking lively!

We got a little rain and a double rainbow.

#gardening #NativePlants #xeriscape #rainbow

A small garden between the sidewalk and the street, filled with rocks and plants. Goldenrod and sunflowers are in bloom.

A double rainbow crosses a gray sky above trees. The very tops of some of the trees are in sunshine.

@jwilker
Yes, this is a wonderful trend in Colorado and other states. Fort Collins has had an incentive program for years that gives generous rebates to homeowners who convert lawn to xeriscape. An additional rebate goes to those who plant 80% natives!

https://www.fcgov.com/utilities/residential/conserve/water-efficiency/xeriscape/incentive-program/

#xeriscape #nativePlant

Dense clusters of white flowers on Achillea millefolium. Central part of each blossom is even smaller cluster of white and yellow pollen structures. Surrounding that, are four nearly round white petals. A colorful red, orange and black beetle crawls across the flowers. Photo copyright Crystal Strouse.

I saw this “ABC’s of Life” poster in a café and found the X entry hilarious. #xeriscape #NeedsMoreXylophone

ACCEPT DIFFERENceS
BE KIND
COUNT YOUR
BLESSINGS
DREAM EXPRESS THANKS
FORGIVE
GIVE FREELY
ARM NO ONE
I MAGINE MORE
JETTISON ANGER KEEP CONFIDENCES LOVE TRULY
MASTER SOMETHING NURTURE HOPE OPEN YOUR
MIND PlACK LIGHTLY QUELL RUMORS RECIPROCATE
SlEEK WISDOM TOUCH HEARTS
UNDERSTAND
VALUE TRUTH WIN GRACIOUSLY X ERISCAPE
YEARN
FOR PEACE
ZEALOUSLY SUPPORT A WORTHY CAUSE
The ABC's of Life

Mentzelia decapetala, Ten petal mentzelia update. Eleven days after the first few blooms opened, the plant is still displaying white beauties. When the flowers disintegrate, only the seed capsules remain, looking like green-wax-filled cups. #bloomScrolling #xeriscape

Mentzelia decapetala, Ten petal mentzelia. Half an hour before dark, two ten-petal white flowers have opened. Older blossoms remain closed, their petals decaying and falling off the plant.

Mentzelia decapetala seed capsules. Shreds of spent blooms surround pale green seed capsules. Sepals around the top are drying and turning brown. The capsule tops look like pale green wax in small cups, or like the puddle of wax surrounded by the unmelted rim of a recently snuffed candle.

Missouri evening primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa. This low xeriscape plant has large, showy, yellow flowers that attract moths and native bees. Yes, that's a green-headed bee sleeping inside one blossom. #bloomScrolling #xeriscape

#xeriscape

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