Plants/Perennials | Mikl Brawner | Harlequin’s Gardens Co-Owner

Beautiful Autumn Colors

We are all enjoying and appreciating the exceptional fall colors this year. The yellows are especially rich, and the reds are especially vivid. What is going on when the green leaves turn colors and why are the colors so spectacular this year?

We know that the green color of the leaves comes from the pigment chlorophyll that makes it possible for plants to capture energy from sunlight and use it to make the sugars that feed the whole planet. When the long days of summer get shorter and shorter, highlighted by the fall equinox this year on September 22, the plants get less and less sunlight and less and less energy to make chlorophyll. When leaves contain less chlorophyll, other pigments become more dominant. [Read More]

Lycium (Goji Berry)

Whoever heard of Goji Berry 20 years ago? Now, with the current interest in superfoods, phytonutrients and antioxidants, Goji Berry juice and dried fruits can be found in many urban grocery stores. The 70+ species of Lycium are found on most continents and one species, Lycium pallidum, is native to Colorado. But the best known and most grown Goji is Lycium barbarum, the Chinese Wolfberry, also known as Matrimony Vine, Desert Thorn and Boxthorn. What is not commonly known is that this exotic superfood can be easily grown in Colorado.[Read More]

Geraniums for Sun or Dry Shade

Hardy Geraniums are in general very serviceable and these four have been very useful and successful for me. They are tolerant of diverse and adverse conditions and are especially useful in dreaded dry shade.[Read More]

Groundcovers Project in its 18th Year

In 1993 I sent a survey to 29 local horticulturists to get their suggestions on the best groundcovers for a demonstration project we were planning at Harlequin’s Gardens. I asked them to list 5-10 groundcovers that could be used to replace bluegrass in low traffic areas, that would need a quarter to a half the water of bluegrass, have few pests and diseases, would grow densely to limit weeds, would look good in most seasons and would not be invasive in gardens. The survey was typed on a typewriter and most of the replies were hand-written. People did drive cars back then. But that was a long time ago and I had a lot to learn.[Read More]

Hardy Geraniums

Hardy Geraniums are one of 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 a single specimen, as companion plants and as ground covers. These are not to be confused with the Pelargoniums which are the house plant, container and bedding plant “geraniums” which are not hardy outdoor plants in Colorado. The name “geranium” is derived from a Greek word meaning little crane, hens the common name “cranesbill” which refers to the appearance of the seed heads. The majority of the species of geraniums are native to the northern and mountain regions of Eurasia and North and South America although some are found in South Africa, India, Indonesia etc. Most grow in grasslands, meadows, roadsides and open woodlands. Therefore the natural habitat for most hardy geraniums seems to be sunny and moist or part-shade and moist or dry.[Read More]

Heat-Tolerant Plants

Most of our native plains plants and shrubs including:

Sumacs
Penstemons
Rabbitbrushes
Desert Four O’Clock
Saltbrush
Heterotheca
Artemisias (Sages)
Thelesperma
Gambel Oak
Sulfur Flower (Eriogonums)[Read More]

Lavandula – The Lavenders

Lavenders are great xeriscape perennials for Colorado, which bloom in the heat and dry of July and August. They are native to the rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean region. Here as well, they like good drainage, full sun, our alkaline soil and dry, loamy humus. Lavenders are aromatic herbs with gray foliage, the leaves as well as the flowers being strongly fragrant.[Read More]

Lawn Alternatives and Groundcovers

In our American communities, one of the responsibilities of home-ownership is to keep the ground covered. Bare earth, like weeds, indicates lack of care. So then, how do we cover the ground? The cheapest, fastest, and easiest way is to roll out bluegrass sod. “Instant” landscapes can be accomplished with a supervised construction crew that knows little about plants. And as long as water was plentiful, bluegrass was the unquestioned solution.[Read More]

Noxious Weed Profiles

Diffuse Knapweed, Centaurea diffusa is a relative of the cottage garden flower, Bachelor’s Button and a native of southern Europe and the Ukraine. I used to think that Bindweed was a bad weed, but that was before Diffuse Knapweed moved into north Boulder and has taken over several acres all around me. It is classified as a biennial that can be a short-lived perennial. I am beginning to think that if it is mowed and flowers little, it is perennial, but if it grows to a mature plant producing thousands of seed, then it is a biennial or annual.[Read More]

Noxious Weed Profiles II

We are continuing to profile noxious weeds in order that we all get to know them. Although not the most fun aspect of gardening, it is important that we help to control their spread so as to avoid impacting our native plant and animal populations, and in some cases, helping to reduce the spread of weeds into our own gardens. An added benefit of learning to recognize weeds is that any plant that appears in our garden that we do not recognize to be a weed, may be left to grow. Wonderful wildflowers and other desirables can thus windfall their way into our gardens.[Read More]

Plants in the Home Greenhouse

The opportunity of winter sun in Colorado for heat and light to grow plants in a greenhouse

cold and sunny
short season
energy from coal and petroleum are expensive and atmosphere-polluting
greenhouse captures free energy
greenhouse is a tool to produce food and
is a cheerful winter room
protects plants from deer, raccoons, hail and grasshoppers.8) efficient use of water

[Read More]

The Other Three Vines at the Teahouse

In the last issue I discussed three vines recommended by Jim Knopf for serving the special needs of the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse arbors. These vines were Clematis tangutica, Bokaravine Fleeceflower, and Riverbank Grape. Because the legs supporting the arbors are 12’-15’ tall, only the most cold-hardy and vigorous vines could be used.[Read More]

The Native Artemisias

There are several native artemisias that are naturally well-adapted to our soils and climate, drought-tolerant, and useful in our landscapes. These silver-leafed shrubs make great contrasts with green foliage and great foils for flowers of any color. They are now classified under three genuses: Seriphidium, Oligosporas and Artemisia.[Read More]

To Plant to Fertilize

(Just this PDF – should we turn it into a regular page?)

TO PLANT TO FERTILIZE