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Harlequins Gardens

Harlequins Gardens

Boulder's specialist in well-adapted plants

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Home | Blog | Plants

Plants

Choice Fleabanes for Colorado Gardens

April 22, 2025

Showy Fleabane, courtesy SW Colorado Wildflowers

Erigeron is a large genus in the Asteraceae/Sunflower family, with about 460 species world-wide, 170 of them native to N. America. Our Rocky Mountain region is home to some of the most garden-worthy species. Fleabane, the common name in English, appears to be derived from a belief that the dried plants repel fleas or that the plants are poisonous to fleas. Erigeron species are host plants to the larvae of some butterfly and moth species,[Read More]

What to Plant Now for Fall Garden Color!

August 20, 2024

The end of summer doesn’t mean the end to color in the garden, on the contrary, you can plan and plant now for a vibrant wave of color, and habitat for our insects and birds, that continues all the way to frost!  From native and water-wise perennials, to trees (including fruit trees), shrubs and grasses, the selection is nearly endless.

Our Fall sale is a great opportunity to extend color and interest well into autumn.

[Read More]

Tomato Starts – 2025

April 1, 2025

HARLEQUIN’S GARDENS 2025 TOMATO STARTS

for descriptions, click here

 

Anasazi
Big Rainbow
Black Ethiopian
Black from Tula
Black Krim
Black Sea Man
Burrell’s Special
California Sungold – NEW!
Carmello
Cherokee Purple
Chianti Rose
Chocolate Cherry
Chocolate Stripes
Coyote Currant
Cour de Bue
Carbon
Cosmonaut Volkov
Green Zebra
Glacier
Gold Medal
Indigo Cherry Drops
Isis Candy cherry
Juane Flamme
Koralik
Maglia Rosa
Matt’s Wild Cherry
Martino’s Roma
Magic Bullet
Market Miracle
Mountain Delight
Native Sun
Orange King
Paul Robeson
Pink Bumblebee
Pink Brandywine (Sudduth)
Pink Berkeley Tie-Die
Pinocchio
Pruden’s Purple
Rutger’s Indeterminate
San Marzano
Sasha’s Altai
Sungold
Super Souix
Tasmanian Chocolate
Taxi
Tidy Treats
Thessaloniki
Tommy Toe
Yellow Pear – Beam’s
Dwarf – Vilma (a 2024 Customer Trial Selection)
Dwarf – Awesome
Dwarf – Hundreds and Thousands (a 2024 Customer Trial Selection)
Siberian
Aurora Indeterminate
Azoychka
Italian Roma
Moskvitch
Northern Light
Siberian
Sweetie

Patio Trees

August 22, 2023

Purple Smokebush

MIKL’s ‘MACRO BONSAI’ PATIO TREES FOR YOURSELF!

Every so often, one of the trees or shrubs we’ve grown or received from a grower displays interesting twists, bends, curves or dwarfing that suggest the character of Bonsai specimens, but much bigger. Mikl has been collecting and cultivating these ‘Macro Bonsai’ for quite a few years. We have some available for sale right now.

[Read More]

Help Fall Plantings Beat the Heat

June 28, 2022

Fall is among the best times to plant perennials. While we may begin to wilt from late summer heat, many plants rise to the occasion and burst into bloom!  As days begin to grow shorter, perennials spend the next few months developing root systems or taproots that delve well below the hot, dry surface soil. Pollinators depend on finding pollen and nectar sources through the entire summer, so it’s important to include late-summer and autumn bloomers in your garden. 

Here are a few suggestions for successful planting.

[Read More]

Thanks, Volunteers!

January 17, 2023

Gary Meis teaching

Gary Meis teaching

Last Saturday a group of dedicated plantspeople came in from the cold to learn and volunteer with Harlequin’s Gardens’ expert propagator Gary Meis. We’re passing a few of his native plant seeding and propagation tips along to you.

[Read More]

Allium amplectens ‘Graceful Beauty’

June 18, 2019

Circa 1857, this delicate-looking yet easy-growing North American native has composite 3″ globes of star-shaped, sparkling white flowers with pale lavender stamens tipped with purple anthers and sturdy stems.

Bloom time: May/June. 12″ to 16″ tall. Zone 4-8.

Fall Sale Continues!

September 20, 2022

Our 2022 Big Fall Sale continues, with 30% off most plants! 

Sept. 20 thru end of the season take 30% off perennials, shrubs, roses, and trees, and 30% off soil products in big bags, and Compost Tea. (No discount on fruit trees, veggies, bulbs, 2023 seeds, or Holiday Market Books).

In our experience, fall is the most successful time to establish most plants, especially when mycorrhizae are applied to the roots during planting (and we’re well stocked with several types of mycorrhizae!).  We have a large and diverse selection of perennials, particularly in larger quart and gallon sizes, that are ready for planting. (Photo: Grass Calamagrostis brachytricha)

[Read More]

Fall Sale Updates & More!

September 6, 2022

Our Big Fall Sale continues with many fresh, new plants added. We are continually propagating and potting up plants, and some of them are just ready now, just in time to go on sale at 25% off!

Our 2022 Deep Discount Area opens today & our Big Fall Sale continues, with 25% off for everyone! Included in this week’s sale are:

Sept. 6 thru 11 Enjoy:

  • 25% off perennials, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees
  • 20% off Roses. Note: the discount on roses will not increase
  • 20% off Compost Tea.
    No discounts on fruit trees, veggie starts, and bulbs.

[Read More]

Versatile Hardy Geraniums

July 19, 2022

Hardy Geraniums are some of the most versatile an adaptable perennials for our area! Available in many colors and habits, they can be useful in sun and shade, moist and dry, as individual specimens, companion plants and ground covers.

These are not to be confused with Pelargoniums, the popular house plant, container and bedding plant Zonal “Geraniums” and Ivy “Geraniums,” which are not cold-hardy outdoors in Colorado. The name “geranium” is derived from a Greek word meaning little crane, hence the common name “cranesbill” which refers to the appearance of the seed heads. [Read More]

Bur Oak, the ‘Smart Tree’

July 26, 2022

Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is a majestic, slow-growing tree reaching 60 to 70’ in height and spread, and is typically very long-lived (think 200, 300+ years!). It’s the sort of tree you plant for the benefit of the generations to come. Many oak species don’t thrive in Colorado’s alkaline soils, but Bur Oak is a happy exception. It is also drought-tolerant once established, even in dry clay, and can handle city conditions quite well. Bur Oak’s strong wood and strong, almost right-angled branch connections resist breakage in wind and snow. [Read More]

Fall Sale Updates!

September 13, 2022

Our 2022 Big Fall Sale continues, with 30% off most plants! 

Sept. 13 thru 18 take 30% off perennials, shrubs, and trees, and 20% off roses, soil products in big bags, books, and 20% off Compost Tea. (No discount on fruit trees, veggie starts, bulbs, and 2023 seeds).

We’ve added lots of timely COVER CROP SEEDS and BEEKEEPING SUPPLIES to our DEEP DISCOUNT offers!

In our experience, fall is the most successful time to establish most plants, especially when mycorrhizae are applied to the roots during planting (and we’re well stocked with several types of mycorrhizae!).  We have a large and diverse selection of perennials, particularly in larger quart and gallon sizes, that are ready for planting. (Photo: Sedum “Matrona”)

[Read More]

First Week of our Big Fall Sale – Start Saving Now!

August 30, 2022

Our 2022 Fall Members-Only Sale has finished, and now our Big Fall Sale has begun, with 20% off for everyone! Plants included in this week’s sale are:

  • Grasses
  • Groundcovers
  • Natives
  • Perennials
  • Shrubs
  • Trees
  • Vines

[Read More]

Our Best Selection of Plants for the 2021 Season is Here Now!

May 11, 2021

Our best selection of plants for the 2021 season is here now! Our selection of plants for shade and part shade has never been better, including Hosta (many kinds!), Ferns (5 kinds!), Bergenia, Hellebore, Foxglove, Geranium (many), Coral Bells (many), Monkshood, Persicaria, Pulmonaria, Golden Wood Poppy and Clematis (lots!), and some new selections, like Solomon’s Seal (2 kinds)!

[Read More]

Winter Watering Alert!

December 14, 2021

The weather’s wonderful, but a bit DRY!  All this sun and wind, and little rain or snow, is stressful to our plants, so don’t forget to give your plants some water. This is especially true for new plantings, evergreens, and roses and most any plant that was planted in September or October. These plants are especially vulnerable and are more likely to suffer or die from dehydration than from cold. [Read More]

Ready, Set, Plant!

October 15, 2019

What a storm we had last week!  With the windy conditions and record-setting low temps, everyone’s gardens looks very different this week and may need some attention.  If you haven’t already, this is a good time to review our blog about garden cleanup. The good news is that soil temperatures have cooled down to the optimal soil temperature for bulb planting, ~50 degrees.  And, our current mild daytime temps and above-freezing nighttime temps are ideal for planting perennials, and still good for planting roses, shrubs and trees. Inoculating with mycorrhizae and attention to fall and winter watering are the keys to success.

Bulb Planting and Tulipa ‘Paul Scherer’

Starting with bulb planting:  Recommended planting depths are to the bottom of the planting hole where the base of the bulb rests.  Planting depth can vary depending on how light or heavy your soil is – plant deeper in light soils, shallower in heavier soils.  (If you’re in doubt, a general rule is that planting depth is 3 times the height of the bulb.) 

You don’t have to dig a single hole for each bulb!  You can dig a large hole, say 8-14″ wide by 16-24″ long, to accommodate a large grouping, or swath of bulbs.  This is a great way to save time, to create a more naturalized look, and to combine two or three types of bulbs in one grouping. 

Single Early, Triumph, Darwin Hybrid, and Multi-flowering tulips should be planted 8″ deep to perform as perennials, and fertilized each year just after bloom. Be sure to allow the leaves and stems to wither naturally before cutting them down.

You may want to sprinkle bone meal in the bottom of the hole so that it can touch the bulb roots.  We love Root Rally, which is a blend of bone meal and Endo/Ecto mycorrhizae spores and plant nutrients, providing mycorrhizae life support for all plants.  (See more on mycorrhizae, below.)  Refill the hole and water well. 

See Eve’s ideas for ways and places to use bulbs that you may not have thought of!

Peruse our complete list of 2019 bulbs and individual images and descriptions 

Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’

Planting perennials, roses, shrubs and trees:  The fall is a great time to plant perennials, roses and shrubs as they can focus solely on root growth instead of trying to reproduce.  After gently removing its pot, gently swish the root ball in a bucket of unchlorinated water with water-soluble mycorrhizae  (let the water sit overnight to release chlorine and add the mycorrhizae later).   Mycorrhizae is a beneficial fungi that attaches to roots, allowing them to better absorb water and nutrients.  This results in faster plant and root growth, and better transplanting success.  If you only have granular mycorrhizae on-hand, sprinkle it on the roots as you are planting.  Read more about mycorrhizae in Mikl’s article, “Mycorrhizae: The Hidden Marriage of Plants and Fungi”.

By gently swishing the root ball in water, the root mass will loose its pot-shape and individual roots will be lengthened.  This allows the ends of the roots to be planted deeper, helping to ensure long-term drought hardiness. 

After late-season planting, be sure to (hand) water deeply and frequently, at least twice a month for woody plants, throughout the winter. 

For specific info on rose planting, see Eve’s rose planting instructions.

Zauschneria garrettii ‘Orange Carpet’

Finally, a quick additional word on garden clean-up.  Some of our Southwestern plants should not yet be cut-back.  Wait until April to do so, which will give them additional time to gather and store nutrients, and keep the crowns of the plants from getting too cold. These plants include, but aren’t limited to, Agastache, Salvia  (S. lemmonii ‘Desert Rose’, S. reptans, S. x microphyllus ‘Royal Ruby’, S. greggii ‘Furman’s Red’, S. darcyi), Zauschneria (Hummingbird Trumpet), Scrophularia macrantha (Red Birds in a Tree), Scutellaria suffrutescens (Cherry Skullcap), Gaura lindheimeri.

Wake up and smell the garlic!

August 25, 2020

It’s time to buy your ‘seed’ garlic, which you should store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place until planting time, from mid-October to mid-November. Seed garlic bulbs are specifically chosen for planting because they are the healthiest bulbs with the largest cloves, and they are intact. By planting the largest cloves, you’ll be rewarded with a harvest of big, juicy bulbs.

Garlic has been cultivated since very ancient times. The varieties that developed in different areas express the terroir of their locale, greatly influencing the local cuisines.[Read More]

Great Hummingbird Plants for Your Garden

July 21, 2020

Hummingbirds are zipping and humming and sipping around our gardens, partaking of the summer’s bounty of nectar-rich flowers, many of which are ‘color-coded’ specifically to attract them. And you’ll want hummers in your garden, not only because they’re beautiful, not only because some plants depend on them for pollination, not only because migratory birds are imperiled, but also because they eat prodigious numbers of small flying insects like mosquitoes!  And did you know, some hummingbird have been known to live up to 25 years!

Here are some of the plants we sell that attract and support these flying jewels. [Read More]

Protecting New Plantings in Hot Weather

June 2, 2020

The best time of day to plant your new vegetable starts, or any other container-grown plants, is after sundown, when the temperature has decreased a bit and the sunlight is not direct. Avoid planting in windy conditions, which can desiccate the fragile plant. If you plant in the evening, plants will have all night and early morning to make some adjustment to their new homes.

We have found that applying mycorrhizae to the roots while planting vastly improves a plant’s ability to adapt successfully. You can use either a granular or water-soluble form.[Read More]

Native Plants In Harlequin’s Gardens Display Gardens

November 12, 2019

Achillea lanulosa (Achillea millefolium var. lanulosa) (Yarrow)

Agave havardii (Havard’s Century Plant)

Agave parryi neomexicana (New Mexico Century Plant)

Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry)

Amorpha canescens (Leadplant)

Amorpha fruticosa (False Indigo)[Read More]

Cold Weather and Snow Preparation and Protection

October 8, 2020

As Colorado gardeners, we’ve come to expect snow in October (last year it was October 10), but September?!  In the past 24 hours, we saw a temperature swing of more than 60 degrees, going from record-breaking heat to one of the earliest recorded snow falls in the state (the earliest recorded area snowfall was in 1961 when Denver received over 4″ of snow on Labor Day).

This translates into a lot of flower, fruit, and vegetable crops cut short, and a lot of unanticipated work protecting vulnerable plants, harvesting, and preserving. How many of you spent Sunday and Monday making pesto, tomato sauce, pickles, jam, and flower bouquets?[Read More]

Seed Dreaming

February 1, 2020

By Eve Reshetnik Brawner

“Every day, millions upon millions of seeds lift their two green wings” (Janisse Ray)
(Okay, if it’s a ‘monocot’, it only lifts one green wing, but we can allow a bit of poetic license)

I love seeds. They’ve fascinated me since early childhood. Some of my earliest memories involve examining maple samaras, sycamore balls, acorns and pine cones, and planting peas and Sweet Alyssum and lima beans in cut-off milk cartons on the kitchen windowsill. I am still in awe of the power packed into a seed. [Read More]

Xeriscape: Native Plants

November 11, 2019

Achillea lanulosa (Achillea millefolium var. lanulosa) (Yarrow)

Agave parryi neomexicana

Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry)

Amorpha canescens (Leadplant)

Aquilegia barnebyi

Aquilegia caerulea (Rocky Mt. Columbine)[Read More]

Xersicape: Non-Native Plants

November 11, 2019

Acantholimon glumaceum

Acantholimon hohenackeri

Acantholimon litwanovii

Achillea ‘Moonshine’

Achillea ageratifolia (Greek Yarrow)[Read More]

Narcissus poeticus – Double Albo Pleno Odorata

October 3, 2023

Double Poets Daffodil

Bulb. Z3. 16-18” tall. Blooms late spring. Compost-improved soil. Heirloom.

Full, ruffled, snowy-white blooms are a gorgeous, bright beacon in your spring garden. Highly fragrant, so be sure to place them near paths and patios where you can enjoy them. Blooms are most prolific in cool springs. Deer and rabbit resistant. Lovely combined with columbine, Icelandic poppies and bleeding hearts.

Harvest Guidelines for Summer Crops

June 18, 2019

Here are a few harvest guidelines for summer crops: 

Eggplants should be picked while they are still firm and glossy.  Once their skins have become dull, they will be softer and have dark seeds, which can spoil the flavor. Eggplants don’t keep long, so use them soon after harvest.

Bell peppers and sweet frying peppers are sweetest when allowed to ripen fully to their mature color, yellow, orange, red, purple or mahogany.  Bell peppers are often picked green, but their flavor will be a lot more pungent and they may be more challenging to digest.

Some of the hot peppers are traditionally enjoyed green – poblano, mulatto, jalapeno, Anaheim-type, while most of the rest are allowed to ripen to red (cherry, habanero, cayenne, lanterna, any chile dried for a ristra, etc.) orange (Bulgarian Carrot), or dark brown (Pasilla).[Read More]

A Xeriscape Harvest

April 4, 2019

For most people, harvest time brings to mind a cornucopia of veggies and fruits. For me, the end of this 2009 growing season has been a fruition of over 20 years of cultivating a xeriscape where most of the trees and shrubs have been watered 5 times a year or less. These self-imposed watering restrictions have demonstrated which plants can survive and thrive under serious water shortages. I have done this both to encourage water conservation in Colorado and to demonstrate that a dry western landscape can be beautiful.

The reason why 2009 feels like a harvest year is because many of my woody plants are now mature and because with all the rain we’ve been getting, my xeriscape has never looked better at the end of summer.[Read More]

Eve’s Favorite Fragrant Roses

October 2, 2007

These are among our favorite fragrant roses. While we grow and sell many of these, they are not always ready to be put out for sale, and quantities are always limited! Come by and view our current selection, and check our 2024 Rose list.

  • Banshee Rose

    “Banshee” (found) Z 4, dbl pink 2″ early & long-blooming May-June, rich sweet damask fragrance; large shrub or climber, no die-back, very disease resistant, very tough & tolerant of low water, poor soil, shade, once established. Distinctive matte foliage, fall color- purple, orange. Common in old neighborhoods all along the Front Range.Not terribly prickly. Cut armloads for big fragrant spring bouquets!

  • “Broadway Perpetual” (found, Boulder) Z 5 (4?) Large dbl strong pink quartered, deep old-rose perfume, spring & fall, sporadic in between. Good cut-flower. Seems somewhat shade-tolerant. Strong arching growth to 7’. Potential climber? Healthy foliage, moderately prickly.
  • Fairmont Proserpine, courtesy High Country Roses

    “Fairmount Proserpine” (found, Denver)

  • Abraham Darby (English) Z 4-5. Large, dbl, cupped, pink shading to apricot, repeats very well, strong scent, old-rose/fruity, good cut-flower. Heavy blooms are sometimes pendulous. Large, bushy shrub 5-6’ x 5-6’. Glossy disease-resistant foliage, stout canes are moderately prickly.
  • Alchymist (Lg. Flowered Climber, lg.shrub) Blooms very large, warm apricot shades, very double, looks English, very fragrant, haven’t grown.
  • Apothecary’s Rose (Gallica) Z 3. Very old; semidouble deep pink blooms in late spring on thin, erect prickly canes to 4’. Delicious sweet old-rose perfume. Tolerates some shade but may mildew. Perfect for herb garden.
  • Baronne Prevost (Hyb. Perpetual) France, 1842. Z 5 (4?) Fat globular buds open to large 4″, flat, very double, loosely quartered deep “rose-pink” blooms with rich damask perfume, repeats well through season. Rather thorny, large arching shrub to 6’x6’ or more. Good for wrapping on pillar, pegging, self-pegging, or climbing.
  • Cl. American Beauty (Lg. Fl. Climber) 1909 USA, Wichurana hyb. Z4 Large blooms are double, deep pink, paler on undersides, borne in small clusters on longish stems, strong Damask scent. In 1940’s considered the most fragrant climbing rose. Leaves dense & glossy, healthy. Vigorous growth to ~10’, tolerates some shade, neglect; profuse in June, sporadic repeat (esp. in cool summers).
  • Constance Spry (English) Bounteous, very large double pink flowers in late spring on a large arching shrub easily used for draping or climbing. Bred from the Gallica ‘Belle Isis’. Fragrance includes a hit of ‘myrrh’, present in a number of David Austin’s English roses.
  • Darlow’s Enigma

    Darlow’s Enigma (Cl. Hyb. Musk ?) Vigorous large shrub or climber of unknown origin with very disease-resistant, handsome glossy foliage. Small white semidouble flowers in clusters, borne throughout the season , are very sweetly scented. Very shade-tolerant. Zone 4.

  • Desiree Parmentier (found Gallica) Probably incorrectly identified as Desiree, this rose is found in old neighborhoods throughout the Denver metro area. Healthy, soft apple-green foliage on a shade-tolerant, suckering shrub to 3’ in sun and taller in shade. Flowers are unique – many deep pink petals tightly packed, radiating out from conspicuous green ‘eye’, forming a dome–shaped blossom. Blooms in June. Rich Old-Rose perfume. Buds also unique, appearing to have had their tops cut off. Blooms are produced singly, not in clusters, making it ideal for cutting. Thrives on neglect once established. No die-back in the Denver-Boulder area. Prickles are numerous but very short and non-threatening.
  • Fair Bianca (English) Lovely very double white blooms of old-rose style open flat and are produced in several flushes through the season on a shrub to 3’. Not very vigorous, but the fragrance is unique, including elements of licorice, lemon and myrrh.
  • Felicite Parmentier (Alba Hyb.) An outstanding, classic old rose, with compact, bushy growth to 4-5’ tall. Foliage is matte, slightly greyish green, and completely healthy, even in considerable shade. Blooms are small (1 1/2″), blush pink, double and densely double, borne in small clusters, with exquisite fragrance that seems to match its appearance perfectly. No winter die-back in our area, hardy to at least Zone 4.
  • Gertrude Jekyll (English) Bred from the Portland rose ‘Compte de Chambord’, which may be a better rose. Gertrude got HUGE in my garden, to 9’ tall, likes to bloom mostly at the top of the canes, hasn’t repeated very well, and is incredibly well-armed. Nevertheless, she’s worth growing for her fabulously fragrant, large, oldfashioned, double,flat pink blooms. Best grown with strict discipline (hard pruning) and protective armor.
  • Golden Celebration (English)
  • Golden Wings

    Golden Wings (Shrub) A healthy, vigorous, open shrub to 5-6’ tall and wide, with large, almost single lemon yellow blossoms accented by showy dark red stamens. The petals fade quickly to white in our strong sun. Blooms all season. Keep dead-headed ‘til August , then allow it to form attractive red hips. Hardy to Zone 5, maybe 4.

  • Heritage (English)
  • Jude the Obscure (English) Weird name for a gorgeous flower, double, globular, shading from cream to yellow to apricot, sometimes pinkish. Flowers ball in wet or very hot weather. Blooms occur in clusters of 3 to 8. Strong fruity fragrance with elements of peach, mango, etc. With disciplinary pruning, the shrub will be 5’x5’. Bright green foliage is moderately disease-resistant; Keep dead-headed to ensure good repeat.
  • Konigen von Danemark (Alba) The deepest colored of the Albas, Konigen bears medium pink, very double, 2″ flowers in June, blessed with delicious Old Rose fragrance. Totally healthy, matte grey-green foliage on arching canes to about 5’. Tolerates some shade. Hardy to Zone 4.
  • Louise Odier (Bourbon) Fully double, 2″ camellia-like pink blossoms are borne in great profusion in late spring, and again in pretty good numbers through the season. The fragrance is rich Old Rose. The shrub is very vigorous, theoretically to 5’x5′, but mine is 9’x9′, suggesting the need for a pillar, trellis or wall, or strong pruning. Mine never suffers any die-back, and is pretty healthy. Repeat bloom is best if you deadhead until some time in August. Pretty thorny, but not as bad as Gertrude.
  • Madame Hardy (Damask) One of the most choice Old roses. Beautiful, medium-sized pure white blooms with a green button eye on a robust, upright shrub to 5’-6’ tall. Very fragrant. June blooming, Zone 4.
  • Madame Isaac Pereire (Bourbon) France, 1881. Large, purplish, deep pink, cupped blooms are sumptuous in their appearance and perfume. Blooms are carried on short laterals from strong, large canes, and can be used as a climber to about 7’. Blooms are best if protected from very hot sun, but the plant is not really shade-tolerant. Hardy to Zone 5.
  • Mister Lincoln (Hyb. Tea) Black-red buds open to cherry red, richly fragrant at all stages. Blooms are large (4-4.5″), double, scrolled, high-centered, good cut. “Bush is upright and almost naturally urn-shaped, to 3’ or taller. Susceptible to mildew. Robust grower, reliable bloomer.” I haven’t grown this one yet.
  • Morden Sunrise

    Morden Sunrise (Canadian Shrub) A compact shrub, to about 3’x3’. Seems pretty tough in our test/display garden. Semi-double flowers open from orange buds, are 2 1/2 to 3″wide and shade from soft, tawny yellow to apricot pink, to orange. Moderately strong Tea rose fragrance is unusual for a Canadian rose, which are generally scentless. Hardy to Zone 3, almost continuous blooming.

  • Nuits de Young (Moss)Laffay, France 1845. A must for its fabulously purple flowers, this rose has also been called “Old Black”. Flowers are almost double, very fragrant, with velvety maroon-purple petals emphasized by golden stamens. Mossing on buds and flower stems has a pleasant lemony pine scent when rubbed. The shrub is compact and erect, to 3 or 4’ tall, and suckers. Foliage is small and dark green. We found this rose growing in Boulder’s Columbia Cemetery, where it has survived mowing, drought, and complete neglect for at least 65 years.
  • Pink Peace (Hyb. Tea) France, 1959. Enormous, intensely fragrant, very bright pink, double, with somewhat old-fashioned form, sumptuous flowers throughout the season on an upright bush. A slow starter, not exactly vigorous, but worthwhile for the blooms, which are long-lasting when cut. We know one bush in Paonia that’s about 40 years old, 4.5’.
  • Reine des Violettes (Hyb. Perpetual)
  • Rosa spinosissima

    Rosa spinosissima (Scotsbrier) (Species) My favorite species rose, as it perfumes my gardening hours with its strong, very sweet scent – one of the few fragrances that really carry in our dry air. The 4’ tall shrub is shade tolerant, and has very small leaves on gracefully arching canes that are covered with the lovely pure white single blooms for about 2 1/2 weeks in May. Hardy to Zone 3.

  • Rosa Mundi (Gallica) Ancient, sport of Apothecary’s Rose. Named for Rosamond Clifford, mistress to Henry II. Identical in all respects to Apothecary’s, except: Dramatic semi-dbl blossoms blush-white randomly striped & splashed with crimson & pink. Petals dry beautifully for potpouri.
  • Rose de Rescht

    Rose de Rescht (Portland or Damask Perpetual) A very distictive Old Rose, supposedly discovered in Iran. The flowers are small, 1 1/2″ or slightly larger, rich fuschia-red with strong purple tints, aging to magenta, very double, tightly formed rosettes, almost pom-poms, produced in small clusters amid lots of foliage. Exceptional strong Damask fragrance. Excellent repeat. The shrub is healthy, compact and bushy, to 4-5’ tall and wide. Canes are quite prickly. Hardy to Zone 4.

  • Rose du Roi (Portland or Hyb.Perpetual) Lelieur, France 1815. This is a rose with a story. Bred by a French nobleman loyal to Napoleon (the second one), it was appropriated and re-named by the King, Henri XV, when he regained power. It’s also an important rose for having introduced “red” color to rose breeding in 19th century Europe. The plant is compact and bushy, growing 3-4’ tall and wide, with large leaves (I’ve noticed they’re light green in spring, with later growth being dark green with grey undersides), and prickly canes. The flowers are fabulous, fairly large, double, red mottled purple with pink reverse, loosely formed when open, and very richly scented. Repeats, with especially good display in early fall. Hardy to Zone 4-5.
  • Sharifa Asma

    Sharifa Asma (English) Slow to establish, but worth the wait. Blooms are large, double, delicate shell pink, cupped, and blessed with a strong Old-rose and fruity (litchi) fragrance. Leaves are dark green, slightly leathery, and healthy as long as the shrub is not in too much shade. Growth is upright to 4’.

  • Stanwell Perpetual (Hyb. Spinosissima) The earliest repeat-blooming rose to begin flowering in my garden, vying for 1st with Reine des Violettes. Bred from R. spinosissima and Autumn Damask. Canes are very prickly, arching, dark red, clothed in very fine-textured foliage, and loaded with blooms in several flushes through the season. Flowers are double, small to medium-sized, blush pink opening flat and fading to white. Very sweetly scented, with characteristics of both parents. Growth is awkward the first few years, but then fills out nicely. Hardy to Zone 4.
  • Sweet Chariot (Mini) Tall for a miniature, to 2’. Small foliage and small pom-pom flowers in large clusters, unusual purple-pink color and lovely fragrance. Blooms repeatedly through season. Hardy to Zone 5.
  • Sydonie (Hyb. Perpetual) Extremely reliable repeat bloom, exquisite Damask fragrance, unique flower form. Flowers are “rose-pink”, 2-2 1/2″ very double, very quartered, with strongly in-curved center petals. They are borne on very prickly arching canes on a bush that’s supposed to be 3 1/2’ tall and wide. NOT. Mine is 8’x8’ and I’m planning to do some hard pruning. Hardy to Zone 4-5, I’ve never had any winter die-back.
  • Tradescant (English) I haven’t grown this one yet, but I’ve seen it elsewhere and loved the blooms. They are velvety black-red, very double, opening flat and quartered, 2-2 1/2″ wide, with a powerful Old Rose fragrance. Good cut-flower, holding its shape and color several days. Hardy to Zone 5. Reportedly grows best with hot summer weather.
  • Wise Portia (English) Compact, to 2 1/2’, I grow 2 of these planted very close together to form one shrub. Very large double flowers are a unique raspberry red, rosette shaped, with uniquely pointed, lotus-like petals. Heavy-blooming, richly scented, borne singly or in sprays. Excellent repeat if kept dead-headed ‘til late summer. Then it will form large, red hips. Modern-looking medium green foliage. Provide good light and good air circulation.
  • Zephirine Drouhin (Climbing Bourbon) Bizot, France 1868. Hardy to Zone 5-6. Our strain is definitely hardy in Boulder/Denver. Completely thornless, somewhat shade-tolerant, vigorous tall shrub or climber to 12’ on wall or arbor. New foliage and canes are burgundy colored. Flowers are loosely double, warm deep pink, medium-sized, profuse in spring and repeats regularly into autumn. Strongly scented- fruity Old-Rose.

 

Some fragrant roses to try at higher elevations:

Alba Semi-plena

Alba Suaveolens

Maiden’s Blush

Chloris

Konigen von Danemark

Rosa spinosissima

Rosa rugosa alba

Rosa rugosa ‘Magnifica’

Metis

Banshee

Gallica roses

Centifolia roses

Therese Bugnet

Morden Sunrise

Rugosa roses

Xeric Perennials that Thrived During the 2002 Drought

April 4, 2019

Xeriscape Perennials Thriving in 2002 Drought

Acantholimon glumacium 

Acantholimon hohenackeri

Acantholimon litwanovii

Achillea ‘Moonshine’

Achillea ageratifolia   (Greek Yarrow)[Read More]

Bur Oak

April 4, 2019

BUR OAK—QUERCUS MACROCARPA-MOSSY CUP OAK

One of the most successful oaks for Colorado is the Bur Oak. It is adaptable to our clay soils and tolerates our alkaline conditions better than most oaks. In harsh, droughty areas this tree can be a low shrub, but on rich, river-bottom land can get 170’ high and 6’-7’ in diameter; but most often grows 50’-70’ high. The trunk is often thick and short with deeply furrowed bark, and the stout branches often extend almost straight out making the tree as broad as tall. The leaves are deeply lobed only in the bottom half and these lobes are rounded not pointed as with many other oaks. The acorns are distinctive in that there is a mossy fringe around the cap. The overall effect can be quite grand and sculptural, sometimes like a Chinese painting. The short taproot is surrounded by a massive root system which is strongly competitive. This is why old specimens often are standing alone.[Read More]

Catalpa

April 4, 2019

Western (Northern) Catalpa- Catalpa speciosa

It is surprising that a tree that looks so different from the other Colorado-adapted trees, is so successful. What stands out immediately are the huge leaves which can be 3”x 6” or even 6” x “12” and are heart-shaped. And in June, this large shade tree blooms exquisite, ruffled, bell-like, white, fragrant flowers with yellow and purplish coloration .And in the fall the passerby might be surprised to see the long thin pods 10”- 18” long.[Read More]

Champion Trees Show More Possibilities

April 4, 2019

Growing trees in Colorado, especially big shade trees, can be very challenging. Few of the specimens in our community “forests” are native to Colorado, and areas where big trees are abundant are often so different from our conditions that those trees do not adapt well here. Some of the difficulties trees face here are: alkaline soils, nutrient-poor and shallow soils, low humidity, hot and drying winter sun, strong winds, untimely wet snows in spring and fall, rapidly changing temperatures, and low rainfall. Add to these the confining root zones in which many trees are growing in urban environments, and it is easy to understand why our trees are often stressed, subject to borer and fungus problems, broken and short-lived.[Read More]

Kentucky Coffee Tree – Gymnocladus dioica

April 4, 2019

This member of the pea family (Fabaceae) can get 50’-60’ high and 30’-40’ wide, though most that I’ve seen in Colorado are under 45’. Nearly everybody thinks of this tree as interesting or picturesque.The branching is more open than most trees and the bark is gray to dark brown, rough and deeply ridged even on small branches. The leaves are  bluish-green and somewhat tropical-looking being double compound, each one 18”-24” long and forked with small leaflets alternating on the stem. Fall color is yellow. As the species name implies, this tree is dioecious, having the male and female flowers on separate trees. The flowers are greenish-white, supposedly fragrant and not conspicuous. On the female trees, tough, leathery seed pods follow that are 4”-6” long and 1 1/4”-2” wide. These hang on after the leaves fall and into the winter.[Read More]

Hackberry

April 4, 2019

Common Hackberry  (Celtis occidentalis)

Why would anybody be interested in a tree that is just the common variety? In this case, we Coloradoans can be very interested because “common” means it will grow just about anywhere. In our harsh country that provides a good living for people planting and replanting and pruning and re-pruning trees, the Common Hackberry is somewhat of a relief. It will grow to 7000’. Our 25 below zero winters do not bother it as it is hardy to zone 2, which helps a lot in adjusting to our sudden warm-to-cold swings. It is also not picky about soils, tolerating both acidic and our usual alkaline conditions; rocky is fine, heavy clay is OK; it really likes rich, moist, but grows right along in poor, dry, windy, polluted cities. [Read More]

How to Plant a Tree

April 4, 2019

Planting a tree puts us in touch with one of the most essential parts of a tree that is often overlooked—the roots. When a seed germinates, the first part to develop is the root. The seed has stored nutrients, but if the plant is to live, it must immediately make a relationship with the nourishment of the earth. Then it can make the sprout that pushes into the sunlight to start photosynthesizing. So the first matter of importance in planting a tree is to honor its roots—their condition, their future environment and their nourishment.[Read More]

Mountain Ash

April 4, 2019

European Mt. Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)

This is surely one of my favorite ornamental trees for the front range which can be used up to 8000’.It is an upright oval tree spreading with age 25’-30’ tall aned 15’-25’ wide. If cared for, it will be attractive throughout the season. The bark is a shiny, orangy-brown. The serrated, compound leaves are dark green and in the fall turn yellow and reddish-gold. The clusters of flowers are white, blooming in spring with a peculiar fragrance that some people appreciate more when they’re gone. Clusters of red-orange berry-like fruit follow which color the tree through the fall, accenting the orangy leaf colors. These fruits are greatly loved by the birds and are in fact edible for people. They are known as Rowan berries and are used in Europe in making a brandy. In ancient times the Rowan tree, also know as the Quickbeam, was greatly revered by the Druids and used against lightning and witches’charms. The berries were considered extremely valuable having the “sustaining value of nine meals”, healing the wounded and giving a man the strength of ten men. I had to try this, of course, and found I couldn’t eat even 10 berries. Later I learned they need to “blet” or shelf-ripened. The birds do spread these around, and Mt. Ash seedlings are not uncommon.[Read More]

Pinyon Pine – Pinus edulis (Pinus cembroides edulis)

April 4, 2019

The Pinyon Pine has several advantages over other evergreen trees in a Colorado landscape. For one thing, its size doesn’t consume so much horizontal space. Compare the modest mature Pinyon at 10’-15’ in diameter with Austrian or Ponderosa at 25’-35’ diameter or Blue Spruce at 30’-40’ diameter. A few of these “average” sized evergreens look innocent when freshly planted, but who hasn’t seen them blocking sidewalks and doorways, tearing off gutters and shading solar collectors and windows in the winter? The Pinyon with its gently rounded top only gets 12’-20’ high, which suffices for many screening needs and still leaves the view. If it isn’t crowded, it stays branched to the ground with dense foliage of short, medium green to gray-green needles, two to a bundle. The cones are small 1 1/2”-2” long, brown to reddish-brown, which open to a rosette form and in the wild yield Pinyon “nuts”. These seeds are good-tasting and oily, with a piney flavor much appreciated by birds, animals and humans. They are also nutritious, being higher in protein and carbohydrates than pecans, but lower in fat. For some reason , these “nuts” are unlikely to develop in small urban plantings.[Read More]

Redbud

April 4, 2019

One of the most beautiful ornamental trees is the Eastern Redbud, Cercis canadensis. It is a native of the eastern and southern U.S. and has “naturalized” in older Boulder neighborhoods. It’s most distinctive feature is its reddish purple buds  followed by intense purplish-pink pea-like flowers in late April before the leaves come out. This wondrous and heart-warming display is greatly appreciated so early in spring but cannot be counted on if winters are too harsh.

It is a smaller tree 20’-25’ high and wide with attractive bark and heart-shaped leaves which are shiny and purplish when young. Fall color is yellow. It is said to be hardy  to zone 4 and we have many fine specimens in Boulder.[Read More]

Small Trees for Eastern or Northern Exposures

April 4, 2019

Shade trees 40’-60’ high and wide are great on the south and west sides of our houses and offices. They reduce temperatures and reduce cooling costs in the warm months, but they are not always appropriate. We don’t want dense shade where we grow most xeriscapes, rock gardens, herb gardens, most natives and many perennials. In addition, there is no need for big shade trees on the north side, and the morning sun is usually welcome on the east side of our houses and workplaces. And many plants prosper in morning sun and afternoon shade. It is also significant that a 20’ tree costs far less to have pruned than a 40’ tree. So it seems to me we should be growing small trees under 30’ tall on the east and north sides of our buildings.[Read More]

Stressed Trees: How to prune and care for them

April 4, 2019

Trees have it hard in Colorado. If it’s not the shallow and lean topsoil, it’s the low rainfall and low humidity, or it’s the heavy wet late spring or early fall snows, or like last November, it’s the dramatic temperature changes. After a warm and beautiful fall without a killing frost until November 11, we experienced a 77 degree drop in temperature between November 10 and November 12. This was one of the three largest temperature drops ever recorded in the Denver area, the other two were in December 2013 and January 2014.[Read More]

Supporting Trees in Colorado

April 4, 2019

Trees do a lot for us humans, so we shouldn’t forget to give them some support. When I look at the treeless ten acre lot next to our nursery, or when I see an old photo of the CU campus with bare land around Old Main, I remember why we can’t take trees for granted in Colorado. Trees really have it hard here, but there are things we can do to help them survive and thrive.[Read More]

Tree Roots 1: The hidden support system

April 4, 2019

The roots are the hidden support system of our giant plants, the trees. They anchor their woody trunks to the ground, store food and bring in water, nutrients and oxygen. In this article I will discuss what is going on down there. In the next issue I will discuss more practical applications of this understanding.  

Far less is known about tree roots than about the trunk, branches and leaves. This is understandable since the roots are hidden from our view, and once you dig them up, they are no longer what they were. We are awed by the massive trees swaying over our houses and streets, but usually we give little thought to what is going on under the surface. However, when spring thawing is followed by powerful winds and we see an 80’ spruce toppled over with its roots in the air, which are only 9” deep; that gets us thinking.[Read More]

Tree Roots 2: The hidden support system part II

April 4, 2019

What would we do without trees? What structures could we invent and construct that would hang over our houses and offices, providing shade and cooler temperatures? Such a structure would have to hold up under 80 mph winds and heavy wet snows, and would have to retract in the winter to let in light. Trees provide these values and much more, giving off oxygen, providing housing for birds, and protection for understory plants. Thus it is very important to take good care of our trees, and the most fundamental level of that care must be directed to the roots.[Read More]

Biological Farming and Gardening

March 19, 2019

A New Model for the 21st Century

A newer science that is not tied to petroleum profits is emerging to challenge the industrial approach to agriculture and gardening. Of course, the enormously powerful and politically connected corporate giants like Monsanto, Bayer and Dupont will continue to make money, but after 60 years of dominance, the “Better Living Through Chemistry” model can no longer hide its fatal flaws. Mountains of evidence now point to the effects of chemical agriculture: poisoning the earth, driving global climate change, causing major health problems, killing pollinators and destroying the life of the soil. The good news is that a more long-range, wholistic view is starting to take its place. This new approach is being called Biological Agriculture and Gardening.[Read More]

Biological Thinking

March 19, 2019

It has been suggested that this period of the 21st Century might well be called The Age of Biology, because the biggest challenges will be biological and the biggest breakthroughs will be in the realm of biology.

In this article, we will continue the discussion from the last issue on Biological Agriculture and Gardening, but this time going into specifics of biological thinking, biological discoveries and applications that improve plant and food success with biological solutions.[Read More]

Food Safety and GMOs

March 19, 2019

Food safety is one of the most critical issues of our time. What we eat is directly related to our health, and health care has a direct impact on our personal and national economies. Major chemical companies like Monsanto, Bayer, Dow and Dupont have introduced 86,000 synthetic chemicals into our environment, food, drugs, cosmetics etc and most of them have never been tested for toxic effects on human health and the environment. Since the mid 1990s, some of these same companies have been filling our grocery stores and feed stores with genetically engineered food products which may be causing serious health problems but are being approved by our government without safety testing.[Read More]

Invasives August Issue

March 19, 2019

In February 2000 President Clinton established the National Invasive Species Council. Agriculture secretary Dan Glickman, Commerce Secretary William Daley and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt were asked to work together on a plan to minimize the economic, ecological and human health impact of invasive plants and animals not native to the US. The executive order on Invasive Species directs federal agencies to prevent the introduction of invasive species, to control populations of such species in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner, to monitor populations, restore native species, conduct research and promote public education on invasive species.[Read More]

Invasives Intro

March 19, 2019

One of the hot subjects in horticulture these days is the issue of the invasiveness of introduced plants. Since they did not evolve here, they lack natural enemies, and whereas most are harmless, some have engulfed vast areas of wilderness, national forests, range and farm lands. This has led some people to campaign for “natives only” and others to attack the introduction of new plants as an ecological nightmare. In response to these attacks some in the plant industry have dismissed these fears as invalid over-reactions. As Colorado gardeners, most of us can be both excited by new plant introductions that are well-adapted to Colorado conditions, and feel very protective of our natural ecosystem and our native plants. In a series of articles, we hope to uncover some truths regarding these issues and to educate ourselves about how to work with this situation in a constructive manner.[Read More]

Difficult Broadleaf Evergreens for Colorado

March 19, 2019

In the last issue I discussed the easy broadleaf evergreens for Colorado and this time we will go into the difficult ones. Many people have killed or had poor success with rhododendrons, hollies, azaleas and daphnes etc. so it is good to understand these plants further. Unfortunately in my sunny, low-water gardens, I have had little experience with them so I went to two people who have plenty of experience, Don Zaun and Allan Taylor.[Read More]

Feed the Soil, Not the Plant

March 19, 2019

It is widely known that nitrogen is essential for plants. It is a major component of amino acids, DNA and chlorophyll. It is necessary for photosynthesis, the alchemical process of turning sunlight, carbon dioxide, minerals and water into oxygen and sugars that is the food that feeds life on earth. In Colorado, most of our soils are deficient in nitrogen.

But too much nitrogen can be a problem, especially high nitrogen chemical fertilizers. Bill McKibben, author of The Art of Balancing Soil Nutrients states, “Although all plant nutrients are critical, none seem to produce such quick and dramatic effect on plant growth as nitrogen does. It is because of this reason that nitrogen has been over-used and abused.” A 20%-30% nitrogen fertilizer can make a spring lawn turn bright green practically overnight, and can make plants in a greenhouse or garden grow and look mature really fast. So what’s the problem?[Read More]

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Sign-up for E-Newsletters!

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Our Hours

Seasonally, MARCH to OCTOBER.
MARCH HOURS:
Thursday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM

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Tuesday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM

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The plants we grow are organically grown. All the plants we sell are free of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides.