Xeriscape Plants Colorado Springs: A Guide To Thriving, Colorful,
Let’s be honest: gardening in Colorado Springs can feel like an uphill battle. You’re wrestling with dry air, intense sun, surprise spring snows, and clay soil that can be as stubborn as a mule. Are you tired of watching your water bill skyrocket every summer, only to see your thirsty plants struggle?
What if I told you that you could have a stunning, vibrant garden that’s practically bursting with color, texture, and life, all while using less water? It’s not a dream—it’s the reality of xeriscaping. This isn’t about covering your yard in rocks and a few lonely cacti. It’s about creating a smart, beautiful, and sustainable landscape that works with our unique Pikes Peak climate, not against it.
Imagine a garden alive with buzzing bees and hummingbirds, showcasing brilliant blooms from May through October, and giving you back your weekends from endless watering and maintenance. It’s completely achievable!
In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing, planting, and caring for the best xeriscape plants Colorado Springs has to offer. Let’s dig in and create the garden you’ve always wanted.
What's On the Page
- 1 What is Xeriscaping, Really? (And Why It’s Perfect for Us)
- 2 The Best Xeriscape Plants for Colorado Springs: Our Top Picks
- 3 How to Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs: A Step-by-Step Guide
- 4 A Pro Xeriscape Plants Colorado Springs Care Guide
- 5 Common Problems with Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs (and How to Fix Them!)
- 6 Frequently Asked Questions About Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs
- 7 Your Beautiful, Water-Wise Garden Awaits
What is Xeriscaping, Really? (And Why It’s Perfect for Us)
First, let’s clear up a common misunderstanding. It’s “Xeriscape” (from the Greek xeros, meaning dry), not “zero-scape.” The goal isn’t to eliminate life from your landscape; it’s to cultivate a thriving garden with minimal water.
Xeriscaping is a gardening philosophy built on seven core principles. Think of them as your roadmap to a gorgeous, water-wise yard.
- Good Planning and Design: Mapping out your yard before you plant.
- Soil Improvement: Giving your plants the healthy foundation they need to thrive.
- Practical Turf Areas: Using grass where it makes sense (like a play area) and replacing it elsewhere.
- Efficient Irrigation: Watering deeply and infrequently with systems like drip lines.
- Mulching: Covering the soil to hold in moisture and keep weeds out.
- Low-Water Plant Selection: Choosing the right plants for our climate—the fun part!
- Appropriate Maintenance: Less work than a traditional garden, but still requires some love.
The benefits of xeriscape plants in Colorado Springs are immense. You’ll conserve a precious resource, lower your water bills, and reduce yard work. More importantly, you’ll be creating a beautiful, sustainable xeriscape plants colorado springs garden that provides a habitat for local pollinators and birds. It’s an eco-friendly approach that celebrates the rugged beauty of our region.
The Best Xeriscape Plants for Colorado Springs: Our Top Picks
Ready for the plant shopping list? Here are some of my absolute favorite, tried-and-true performers that flourish in the Front Range. I’ve chosen them for their beauty, resilience, and ability to handle our wild weather swings. Don’t worry—these are perfect for beginners!
Vibrant Perennials That Steal the Show
Perennials are the backbone of a xeriscape garden, returning year after year with more vigor and beauty. They provide the bulk of the color and attract a host of happy pollinators.
- Penstemon (Beardtongue): A true Colorado native hero! Rocky Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus) sends up stunning spires of purple-blue flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist. It’s incredibly tough and loves full sun.
- Gaillardia (Blanket Flower): This is the workhorse of the sunny garden. With its fiery red and yellow daisy-like blooms, Gaillardia flowers non-stop from early summer until frost. It asks for almost nothing in return.
- Salvia (Autumn Sage): Want hummingbirds? Plant Salvia. Varieties like ‘Furman’s Red’ or ‘Wild Thing’ are drought-tolerant powerhouses, producing delicate, vibrant flowers for months on end.
- Yarrow (Achillea): With its feathery foliage and flat-topped flower clusters in shades of yellow, pink, or white, Yarrow adds a soft, meadow-like texture to the garden. It’s as tough as nails and deer resistant.
- Ice Plant (Delosperma): Looking for a groundcover that explodes with color? This is it. The hardy ice plant forms a dense mat of succulent foliage, which is covered in shimmering, neon-pink or yellow flowers in early summer. It’s perfect for hot, dry slopes.
Stunning Shrubs for Structure and All-Season Interest
Shrubs provide the “bones” of your garden, offering height, structure, and interest even when perennials are dormant. These are some of the most reliable and beautiful options.
- Three-Leaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata): A fantastic native shrub that offers something in every season. It has small yellow flowers in spring, glossy green leaves in summer, and jaw-dropping orange and scarlet foliage in the fall.
- Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus): Don’t let the name fool you; this shrub is a star. In late summer and fall, when other plants are fading, Rabbitbrush erupts in a giant cloud of brilliant golden-yellow flowers. It’s a critical late-season food source for bees.
- Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa): This is a truly magical plant. It produces simple, white rose-like flowers all summer, which then transform into feathery, pinkish seed heads that catch the sunlight beautifully. It’s unique and utterly charming.
Ornamental Grasses for Movement and Texture
No xeriscape garden is complete without the graceful movement and sound of ornamental grasses. They add a soft, naturalistic feel and look incredible in the winter landscape.
- Blue Avena Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens): This grass forms a neat, porcupine-like clump of icy blue blades. In summer, it sends up tall, oat-like flower stalks that sway in the breeze. It’s a fantastic, low-maintenance accent plant.
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium): A native prairie grass that is a master of transformation. It starts with blue-green foliage in the spring, which deepens to a rich burgundy and orange in the fall, holding its color all winter.
How to Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs: A Step-by-Step Guide
Feeling inspired? Great! Here’s a simple, step-by-step process for turning that inspiration into a reality. Following this xeriscape plants colorado springs guide will set you up for long-term success.
Step 1: Plan and Design Your Space
Don’t just start digging! Grab a pencil and paper and sketch out your area. Watch how the sun moves across your yard. Note the super sunny, hot spots and the shadier areas. Group plants with similar water and sun needs together—a practice called “hydrozoning.” This is one of the most important xeriscape plants colorado springs tips we can offer.
Step 2: Amend Your Soil (This is Crucial!)
Most of us in the Springs are dealing with heavy clay soil that drains poorly. Water-wise plants hate having wet feet. To fix this, you need to amend your soil. Work in 2-3 inches of good quality compost to add nutrients. Then, for sharp drainage, add materials like expanded shale or squeegee (small, angular gravel). This creates air pockets and allows water to drain away from plant roots.
Step 3: Choose the Right Plants for the Right Place
Now, take your design and your knowledge of the best plants and start matching them up. Put the sun-lovers like Blanket Flower and Yarrow in the hottest spots. Use grasses and shrubs to create a backdrop. Pay attention to the mature size on the plant tag—give them room to grow!
Step 4: Water Wisely: The “Deep and Infrequent” Rule
When your plants are new, you’ll need to water them regularly (every few days) to help them get established. But after the first season, the magic happens. Water established xeriscape plants deeply but infrequently. This encourages deep root growth, making them much more resilient. Instead of a light sprinkle every day, give them a good, long soak once a week or even every few weeks during the heat of summer, depending on the plant.
Step 5: Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!
Covering the bare soil around your plants with a 2-3 inch layer of mulch is a game-changer. It helps retain soil moisture, keeps roots cool, and dramatically suppresses weeds. Wood chips, shredded bark, or even gravel mulch work wonderfully.
A Pro Xeriscape Plants Colorado Springs Care Guide
One of the best things about a xeriscape garden is its low-maintenance nature. However, “low-maintenance” doesn’t mean “no-maintenance.” Following this simple xeriscape plants colorado springs care guide will keep your garden looking polished and healthy.
Watering New vs. Established Plants
As mentioned, this is key. New plants (in their first year) need consistent moisture to grow a strong root system. For established plants (year two and beyond), always check the soil before you water. Stick your finger a few inches down. If it’s dry, it’s time to water. If it’s moist, wait a few more days. This simple check is one of the best xeriscape plants colorado springs best practices to prevent overwatering.
Pruning and Tidying Up
Most perennials benefit from being cut back in early spring, just as new growth is emerging at the base. This removes the old, dead growth from winter and makes way for a fresh flush of foliage. You can deadhead, or remove spent flowers, during the summer to encourage more blooms on plants like Salvia and Gaillardia.
Common Problems with Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs (and How to Fix Them!)
Even the toughest plants can run into issues. Here are some common problems with xeriscape plants in Colorado Springs and the easy solutions.
- The Problem: Yellowing Leaves and Mushy Stems. This is almost always a sign of overwatering. You’re killing your drought-tolerant plants with kindness!
The Fix: Stop watering immediately. Check your soil drainage. Remember the “deep and infrequent” rule and always check soil moisture before turning on the hose. - The Problem: Plants Are Stunted or Not Thriving. This often points to poor soil.
The Fix: If you skipped the soil amendment step, it’s not too late. Gently work compost in around the base of your plants and top-dress with a layer of mulch. - The Problem: Weed Invasion! Weeds compete for water and nutrients.
The Fix: Maintain a healthy layer of mulch. Pull weeds when they are small and before they go to seed. A healthy, dense planting of desirable plants will eventually crowd out most weeds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs
When is the best time to plant xeriscape plants in Colorado Springs?
The ideal times are in the spring (after the last hard frost, typically mid-May) and in the early fall (late August to September). Planting during these milder seasons gives the plants time to establish their roots before the stress of summer heat or deep winter cold.
Can I still have a green lawn with xeriscaping?
Absolutely! Xeriscaping encourages using “practical turf areas.” This means keeping lawn where you truly use it and replacing it elsewhere. For a more eco-friendly lawn, consider low-water turf alternatives like Buffalo Grass or Dog Tuff™ grass, which use a fraction of the water of traditional Kentucky Bluegrass.
How much does it cost to xeriscape a yard?
The initial cost can vary widely depending on the size of your project, whether you do it yourself, and the plants you choose. However, the long-term savings on your water bill and the reduced need for fertilizers, pesticides, and maintenance often make it a very cost-effective investment over time.
Your Beautiful, Water-Wise Garden Awaits
Creating a garden that thrives in our challenging climate isn’t just possible; it’s an incredibly rewarding journey. By embracing the principles of xeriscaping and choosing the right plants, you can design a landscape that is resilient, full of life, and uniquely beautiful.
You don’t have to tackle your whole yard at once. Start small. Pick a sunny strip along your driveway or a corner of your backyard. Prepare the soil, choose just a few perennials and a grass from this list, and see how they do.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly these tough, beautiful plants make themselves at home. You’ll save water, attract pollinators, and create a personal oasis that truly reflects the spirit of Colorado. Go forth and grow!
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