GBBD/Foliage Followup March 2012

 Iberis

It's been in the 80's (20 degrees above normal) for about 5 days now and spring is rapidly becoming a reality. Anxiety seems to be a catchword these days. Winter foliage needs cutback, leaves removed to compost pile, division of perennials, transplanting, seeding, and of course numerous other tasks all at once! But lets not forget our blogging. It's garden blogger bloom day/foilage followup already, and I'm already a day late. Oh, well. Deal with it, right? Join Carol at May Dreams Garden for bloom day from around the globe and Pam @ Digging the 16th has foliage followup. Enjoy a few minutes, then get back to work knuckleheads!

Viola

Volunteer Native Mullien with Sedum 'Dragon's Blood'

Gotta love this combo. At least at this stage of growth.

Stachys byzantina-Lamb's Ear

Variegated flag. Iris peeking through. Gotta get to work!

Succulent collection, first day out of the house.

Created this image with Picasas new graphics tool. Echinacea spent bloom. Looks pretty cool. Happy Bloom day.

In Conclusion: Xeriscape Demo Garden Part Three

 This is the third and final part of our visit to the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden in Colorado Springs. In review and to keep things short this post will be primarily photos. 
The Seven Principles of Xeriscape : 1. Plan and Design  2. Soil Amendment  3. Efficient Irrigation 4. Appropriate plant and zone selection 5. Mulch  6. Alternative turf  7. Maintenance.

In Greek Xeri means dry or dry enviroment; Xeric means relating or adapted to an extremely dry habitat. Succulents such as cacti, aloes, and agaves are xeric plants.

Reviewing the many comments I've received there seems to be a little confusion on what xeriscape means to each reader. I believe we all use many of the same principles in our "non" xeriscape gardens. So I am going out on a limb and choose principle #4 : appropriate plant and zone selection as being the best definition of Xeriscape. By planting plants with the same light/irrigation zone needs, we create an area that is more efficient in water use. For example, if we plant a high water use plant like the Ajuga with a low water use plant like Yucca in the same bed we have to irrigate the bed heavily to keep the ajuga alive and thus over watering the yucca excessively. Thus using more water than necessary. I hope this explains the principle better.

Xeriscape Rock Garden

Solar Powered Water Garden

Sorry the focus is off.

No to Low Water Zone/Full Sun

No/Low Water Zone/Full Sun-Alternative Lawn Zone-Buffalo/Blue Grama Grass

Yucca and Penstemon

Low Water Zone

Had to add a photo of a project I completed when I lived in the Springs in 2002. Xeriscape principles were used and many existing plants were left such as Pinyon Pine and Juniper. Initially there were only rotted railroad ties and noxious weeds and no rock. Needless to say we moved a few tons of boulders.

My son and I say adios.

Xeriscape Demonstration Garden - Part 1

Fallugia paradoxa-Apache Plume

Apache plume shows her positive side, her white blooms and silky swanky seed heads. What more could you want, maybe a little more decorative foliage? Donna from GTGW made a nice post this week on context. It's true the above photo is primarily focused on the blooms and seed-heads. However the photo really doesn't show the plant in it's full form. But, man!!!! Is that gorgeous or what?

This post is primarily focused on my trip to the Colorado Springs utilities demonstration garden near Garden of the Gods. I got this editorial off the gardenvisit web site:

The Colorado Springs Utilities Xeriscape Garden is designed to demonstrate the seven principles of Xeriscape in a wide variety of designs. The garden incorporates many different gardens styles that are arranged by water requirement so visitors can get a good idea of what styles can be achieved and what plants will thrive with different amounts of water. The garden displays more than 500 varieties of trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials, biennials and annuals that grow well in the Colorado Springs area. 

Throughout the garden there are several stations explaining the seven principles of xeriscape. 

1. Plan and Design  2. Soil Amendment  3. Efficient Irrigation 4. Appropriate plant and zone selection 5. Mulch  6. Alternative turf  7. Maintenance.  Xeriscape programs were initiated to save water in areas that are beginning to run out of water resources and need to conserve.

I really don't want to turn this into an encyclopedia post so I will leave a link for more info if you want to be more informed. Personally the main xeriscape principle for me is proper plant and water/light zone selection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping

These three photos were taken 'outside' the main garden, by the parking lot and water utilities office.

The garden is broken into light/water zones and labeled as such. These plants are in the Moderate Water Zone. Most everything is labeled well and explanatory

The garden is located just above the Garden of the Gods park, what a background for a garden!

 Does that wet you appetite? More on Part II