Snow in Kansas

Yes that's Right! Snow as in Snowbank. 

Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank'

Isn't that a great combination. Boltonia asteroides 'snowbank', Miscanthus sinensis 'variegatus', Salvia guaranitica 'black and blue', and Rosa 'flower carpet red'.

This combination should really pop when the foreground asters begin to bloom. The hollyhocks on the left finally succumbed to the dreaded rust miester curse.

When I first read a description of snowbank, about their daisy flowers and late summer blooming period it peaked my interest. I was in the process of designing a new perennial bed. Snowbank's size and growing conditions met the requirements needed. So I ordered a kit garden from a mail order nursery as this was a way to add quantity and save money. And so the story begins.

Before: January 2010 New Perennial Bed - Mostly vinca minor and volunteer seedlings and of course loaded with nutgrass, the bad carex.

March 2010: Defining the Bed outline. Removing sod and moving it to raise grade in front of bed.(bottom of photo)

April 2010: Adding Flower Carpet Rose, underground drainage pipe with catch basin (below), and field stone border.

April 22 2010: Plants arrive one week after normal last frost. That's Boltonia bottom right.

May 2010: Perennials Planted, more field stone edging added and stone drainage feature added over drain grate.

June 2010: Good growth and removal of nutgrass.

July 2010: Our 1st year in our cottage anniversary. Perennials begin to push. Removal of nutgrass, arghhh.

Boltonia behind, near the house and behind the rose.

April 2011: a new spring. Boltonia is sleeping. No nutgrass yet.

May 2011: Additions to Perennial Bed, an Alaskan of all things. Why not?

This post is about snow.

Late May 2011: Roses are in their glory. Boltonia peeking from the top.

Late May 2011: Son of a Biscuit! What's that yellow grass appearing?

June 1 2011: taking shape. Notice the nice temporary perennial rye grass?

Middle June 2011: Above and Below

July 2011: Above and Below. Boltonia foliage to right.

July 2011

August 2011

Late August 2010: Snowbank in its' starring role as a backup or I should say backdrop.

No need to get the snow shovel out. Even though it's 63 this morning after 50 days of 100. Awesome!

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