Wild Bergamot: Commonly Extraordinary

Wild Bergamot: Commonly Extraordinary

Wild bergamont (Monarda fistulosa) attracts an Aphrodite fritillary butterfly Wild Bergamot is abundantly in bloom right now, covering the hills with exuberant bursts of purple, scenting the air nearby with gentle fragrance, and generously providing nectar to a...
Travel Blog to the Purgatoire River

Travel Blog to the Purgatoire River

Why not? With a fresh dump of snow smothering the wildflowers nearby, and no family obligations for the weekend, why not run down to the ominously named Purgatoire River and discover its mysteries for myself? A check on the weather cam revealed bare ground in La Junta...
Habitat for Native Pollinators

Habitat for Native Pollinators

A native bee heavy enough to lower the keel of a Golden banner flower, (Thermopsis divaricarpa) and receive the pollen reward. ©Carol English Providing foraging habitat for native pollinators with diverse needs! Depending on where you live in Colorado, we are...
Colors of Winter: Colorado Native Plants

Colors of Winter: Colorado Native Plants

Mahonia repens, brilliant in the winter snow. Plant people can go a little nuts in winter, it just can’t be denied. We know of course, that our beloved plants are just taking the necessary precautions to survive winter, and to be prepared for magnificent spring when...
Mountain Mahogany: What’s in a Name?

Mountain Mahogany: What’s in a Name?

In the case of Mountain Mahogany, not much! Cancel any images of grand and stately trees bravely crowning mountaintops, this Colorado native rarely reaches 16 feet. And, partly because it is a favorite browse-snack for deer and elk, its stature is more contorted than...