From Weeds to Wildlife: An HOA Embraces the Native Garden Revolution
When I relocated from the verdant East to the dry Colorado Front Range, I traded my tractor for a townhouse—and an HOA. We hear many stories about HOAs that do not welcome anything but turf grass and regimented landscape designs, but this was not the case in my new...
Hits and Misses in a Native Garden
No matter how much planning and research goes into the creation of a native garden, there are bound to be hits and misses! Even if we use plants that we know are native to our region, the conditions in our garden – from soil composition and drainage to the...
Embracing the Shade
I’m the proud owner of a 28-year old native plant garden in central Boulder. I started thegarden myself, back in the 90s, by planting many little shrubs and tiny native pines I gotfrom a local nursery. Not so surprisingly, over the intervening decades, my little...
Rise to the Challenges: Every iNaturalist is a Winner!
This spring Colorado is hosting several exciting iNaturalist City Challenges and Special Projects. New to iNaturalist? Now is the perfect time to join! You can learn so much by participating while contributing to an invaluable database for global biodiversity,...
Be Bold, Be Native: Speak for the Plants!
The election is over, now let’s vote for Colorado’s native plants and habitats! The CoNPS is collaborating this year with the Colorado Gives Foundation in our annual fundraising effort and we are reaching out to our members and friends for their support. The...
Wetlands Restoration at Rocky Mountain National Park
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of wetlands in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, where for millennia both humans and wildlife have been relying on them as a source of food, shelter, and clean water. In Rocky Mountain National Park, (RMNP) a concerted effort is...
The Alpine Sublime
When the lowlands are sweltering, savvy Coloradans make tracks to the Alpine Sublime. Up in the higher elevations they find relief from the heat and also revel in a stunning display of wildflowers that are only found on the lofty peaks. Frigid temperatures, heavy...
Solomon’s Seal: A Good Native Plant for Shady Gardens
People often ask what native plants can be planted in the shade, since most native plants sold in nurseries are adapted to full sun and tolerate hot dry conditions. But most people have some spots in their yard or garden that have some shade, such as under trees or on...