123 Street
Client’s Front Yard Refresh
PROJECT PLANNING | MATERIALS SUMMARY | GARDEN DESIGN | RECOMMENDATIONS | RESOURCES
Your Project Page
QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT’S INCLUDED
WELCOME! Here’s what to expect of the planning process and how your Garden Plan works. Following your introductory meeting and initial payment, your project is now reserved in our schedule. Within a week of your initial meet, you are now receiving this direct link to your Project Page. This is where information will be made available throughout the evolution of the project and can be accessed easily in one place at any time for easy reference. You will find some initial information already uploaded, to be followed shortly with your design. We will let you know when to check your page for the design once we have uploaded it. Then we will schedule a chat by phone to walk through the page and the design together, and receive feedback. We will make the updates and check in again to make sure you have everything looking good. Then you will be ready to hand the design to your installation team. Easy.
Here are the basics of what you’ll find on this page (and more):
• OVERVIEW | PROJECT PLANNING This section in included to help give a sense of what’s involved from start to finish, how to plan in the correct sequence, and a basic understanding of what and who is typically involved for a project like this. You may also find suggestions for groundwork or prep to the yard that would be helpful to attend to or that would affect your plants or design before installation proper begins. We are helpfully equipping you with a basic run through that is just good to know, acknowledging that the direction and decisions are ultimately your choice.
• YOUR GARDEN PLAN = PLANT LIST + VISUAL DESIGN including a recommended plant list and a visual design for designated area/s. Your visual design will show the names of plants and where they go, referred to as the layout.
• RECOMMENDED PLANTS + MATERIALS This section is broken out in to two areas: Softscape (plants, soil, mulch, fertilizer, etc) and/or Hardscape (boulders, patio, walkway, wood, etc) materials that would be required or that would optionally fit the goals of the design and are offered for consideration. This is also where you will find specific details on any area of your yard in question, from fruit tree guilds to ‘what to do with’ a certain area, products to use, strategies, or anything helpful.
• ADDITIONAL PLANT RECOMMENDATIONS, should you wish to autonomously research and make adjustments or additions to the initial recommended plant list.
• RECOMMENDED GARDEN IRRIGATION We offer experienced quality recommendations to give a general sense of what might be needed or what would work best, but we are not a licensed irrigation technician so you will be required to give any recommendation to a licensed irrigation specialist or to your landscape installation team for actual review of viability and confirmation as we are not responsible for determining actual requirements or implementation; we leave it to them where it will be in good hands with their expertise.
• HELPFUL RESOURCES How-To videos, or video information / inspiration directly related to specific elements of your project, local plant and material vendors, trusted service suppliers, additional design references, and helpful references or exciting classes related to continuing garden learning and care.
• BEFORE + AFTER photo album. Pics of your current yard will be included, aka, the before. Once your project is installed, please send us some great pics (or invite us over to take a great pic) and we’ll upload it to showcase the beautiful transform
Project Planning
BENEFITS OF PLANNING: You can visually walk through each area spatially, understand the needs of the microclimate or how it will be best used, as well as understand the sequences of what needs to happen in a certain order. From there, you’ll be able to schedule or budget any phases to the project and have a birds eye view of start to finish. You can look to see (or ask) where there are any requirements or missing pieces, double check your preferences or weigh potential risk factors that could save you from a costly mistake or simply know how long it takes to implement something. For example, it’s just as essential to think about your plants first even before hardscaping has begun, because often one informs the other.
Once you are ready to take action, a project typically starts with grading the land, then hardscape is defined or installed, the soil is amended, irrigation is laid, and finally plants, planting soil, and mulch are introduced.
MANAGING ROLES (+ MAKING THINGS HAPPEN)
So who does what to make your garden come together?
PROJECT MANAGEMENT If you are making all the decisions and using various independent service specialists, then you are essentially playing this role. If you hire someone for this role, usually a General Contractor or a Project Manager will be assigned to act as the point person for everyone, essentially being the ‘glue’ that holds all the moving pieces of the project, budget goals, communications, and timeline together. If you work with a full service design and landscape company or partnership you will be assigned a project manager to be your point person.
TYPICAL INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS (SPECIALISTS) INVOLVED ON A PROJECT
INDEPENDENT LANDSCAPE INSTALLER Each landscape company is unique, based on the combined skills of its team. Many are excellent stoneworkers, and can do irrigation on the side, yet have rudimentary understanding of plants or plant care, even if they offer basic maintenance and clean up. You can ask them what they specialize in and what they would refer to someone else. In terms of project management, a landscape team (installation) usually has a crew manager, responsible for the team’s deliverables. This person may or may not also inadvertently be willing to play a portion of the project management role, depending on the situation. They may also subcontract a part of what’s needed, say plumbing or machine work. Any team’s capacity is usually within the limits of their expertise, meaning they can’t foresee, advise, or plan integrations beyond what they have a current working knowledge of. It’s best to get second opinions to be sure you have all the necessary information and can take the best approach. For an excellent and trustworthy hardscape installation team, we recommend working with A Good Earth Maintenance.
INDEPENDENT GARDEN SPECIALIST Since, for example, a landscape installation team may specialize in hardscaping, and may not include plant expertise, it is advantageous to invite an independent Garden Specialist to help address things like the right plant list for your microclimate, or to provide other helpful information about how various elements, including irrigation, may best work together to sustain your end goals. They can also highlight what maintenance might be required after the installation process is complete. Rebecca’s Gardens offers this expertise as part of your garden plan anyway so you save.
INDEPENDENT TREE SPECIALIST Trees are a world of their own and provide innumerable foundational benefits to the health and character of the land and everything on it. It is highly recommended to work with a tree specialist for specific issues, or maintaining their healthy throughout their life cycles and seasonal extremes.
INDEPENDENT IRRIGATION SPECIALIST Depending on the needs of your environment or the existing irrigation system, you can either rely on a landscape team’s ability to work with basic irrigation, or you may truly benefit from an irrigation specialist’s wisdom and experience to help you troubleshoot, recommend, or install the required system to sustain your planned environment. Plants form systems and it follows that the irrigation requirements will vary from trees to lawn to various garden plantings, to xeriscape. It’s helpful to have a specialist who can recommend what’s best for all needs, make it easy for you to manage, cost effective, and who can make plans that address future potential access too.
FULL SERVICE LANDSCAPE COMPANY WITH ALL ABOVE ROLES ON AN IN-HOUSE TEAM
AND THERE’S ALWAYS FULL SERVICE: If your project and budget would be best served by delegating these roles, then the most logical and more integrated option is to contract with a full-service landscape business. They can offer you a well-planned experience, starting with a project manager to be your point person and to interface with on all areas of your plan, schedule, budget, and design. They provide value through an integrated team of specialists that covers all the bases (hardscape, softscape, and irrigation) including helpful risk assessment, and a more seamless experience due to their in-house communication and timeline. With an initial investment up front, working with a full service team is designed to bring you the best experience and recommendations which translates to real savings throughout the project as well as in the long run. Rebecca’s Gardens offers a partnership with our industry leading building and landscape installation team, Outdoor Craftsmen. If this is the service you want, please join us for a seamless landscape design and installation experience! We welcome inquiries about our services for your budget and to get a sense of what’s possible. Ask us today.
Ok, now that you have an idea of the benefits and scope of planning — Let’s See Your Design!
Materials Summary
BALANCING HARDSCAPE + SOFTSCAPE
Helpful Definitions + Specific Recommendations
HARDSCAPE = THE GRADE OF THE LAND, STONE, + STRUCTURE — Hardscape refers to any hard foundational element that defines your landscape. The Landscaping company you contracted with, A Good Earth Maintenance, in Longmont CO, looks like they do excellent stonework and general handiwork with hard materials and structures. This typically also includes hard labor for installing or removing materials and very basic planting principles. A gestalt way to look at it is to say their specialty is in using materials that prep the grade (aka the level of the land) and create structures. You have an opportunity to get a good rate with your installers, and to receive a helping hand with other odds and ends like the north gate.
SOFTSCAPE = PLANTS, SOIL + MULCH — Softscape is defined as the living organic matter that makes up the landscape. It is another key element you’ll want a specialist’s hand with for planning your garden. Planning with plants will give you an understanding of how natural elements and systems work in unison to create a harmonious, beautiful, and thriving environment. Before you begin the hardscape work, we will first help you think through your goals, and what kinds of plant species or materials would be best for which areas. For example, there may be specific knowledge that could mitigate the risk of damage or loss to trees, plants, or soil health, say when prepping the grade or installing irrigation. There may be material choices or areas that are better suited for the plants you plan for your garden, or that can save on maintenance over time. There may even be a result you desire such as attracting pollinators, that requires knowledge of the microclimate to create a mini ecosystem that sustains itself, thus attracting pollinators as an integral part.
SOFTSCAPE
SOIL AMENDING
The health of your plants is first and foremost about the health of your soil.
After sod removal, and before adding groundcover, it is highly recommend to:
1) Aerate the existing soil (using footwear gear or holes punched by a rented aeration machine). If possible, do not till up the soil.
2) Add a layer of clay-busting amendment such as Soil Pep (available at McGuckins)
3) Add a layer of soft organic compost suitable for outdoor horticultural garden use (add a layer to the top of the exposed soil)
4) Optionally add 1/8th volcanic rock or perlite (to lighten soil structure and increase moisture retention)
5) Slow water. Let the amendments soak down with slow watering (to avoid fast runoff) before planting.
6) Now your groundcover is ready to be planted. By nurturing the soil before planting, you increase the success rate of your introduction, robustness, and longevity of your new plants, as well as contribute to a healthier ecosystem.
PLANTING
Here are our recommended planting soil blends, available at local suppliers such as McGuckins:
• The Bomb — Paonia Soil Co
• Sheep ‘n Peat — Earth Essentials
• Ocean Forest — Fox Farm
HARDY GROUND COVER AS LAWN ALTERNATIVES
Your recommended ground covers will be in your plant list below. Here is a more robust list of species-select ground covers to choose from that will work in your design. You can use this list if you are curious to try adding a variety or two.
Steppable Flowering Groundcovers 2-6” H
→ Mediterranean creeping thyme (Thymus longicaulis)
→ Elfin creeping thyme, multiple species and varieties of Thymus praecox and Thymus serpyllum
→ Wooly thyme (Thymus praecox subs. britannicus)
→ Veronica, creeping, aka speedwell (Veronica filiformis)
Delicate Flowering Groundcovers
1-5” H
→ Adjuga (6”) full to part shade
→ Alpine “Mock” Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
→ Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
→ Clover (Microclover, Red clover, Crimson clover, White Dutch clover) lifespan 3-5 yrs, requires reseeding
1-5” H cont…
→ English Daisies (Bellis perennis)
→ Lamium (4”) full to part shade
→ Plumbago (6-8”h) sun or shade
→ Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana)
→ Sedum, dragonsblood (Sedum Spurium)
→ Sweet Woodruff (6”h) full to part shade
Delicate Flowering Groundcovers
6-10” H
→ Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
→ Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)
→ Phlox, creeping (Phlox stolonifera)
→ Prairie Smoke (Geum Triflorum)
→ Rockcress (Arabis) *wide spread
→Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
→ Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
SOD REMOVAL
If the landscape company is planning to rent or use a sod-removal machine for turf removal, please refer to these guidelines: Landscaping Around Trees, offered by local tree expert, Fred Berkelhammer, owner of a local tree company, that highlights the risks to your Maple. Avoid using a Skid Steer for removal.
The key is to avoid scraping the tops off the tree roots, which will subject your tree to immune system challenges and potentially risk the health of the tree and/or be costly to you for caring for it.
Recommended: Use hand tools to gently remove sod within a 6 ft circle around the trunk and be extra careful if using a machine, for example, keep it at a minimum depth setting.
FLOWERS + SHRUBS
See your Recommended Plant List + Layout below to get an idea of the plant portion of your project estimate. Timing is flexible on when you introduce plants, whether now or later. When you give your desired Plant List to your landscaper, they can give you an updated estimate to consider when to include in your total project budget.
Thyme + Veronica
Clover
Creeping Jenny
viewable up on 4th + hawthorn
False Strawberry
MULCHES
SOIL PEP — We highly recommend Soil Pep as a top dressing to any horticultural garden in Colorado. This light flaky bark chip mulch can be used underneath heavier top mulches such as ‘gorilla hair’.
Soil Pep is both a mulch and a soil conditioner, meaning it has double value. As water softens, it breaks down and mixes into the existing soil, adding nutrients and helping to bust up existing clay pockets or hardened slightly compacted soil structure. It also is a nice visual top dressing to create an even feel. Keep in mind though, that it is so light weight that the wind will take it if not kept moist. Only for use in horticultural beds, not vegetable.
NATURAL WOOD BARK
GORILLA HAIR — Our most recommended type of mulch for the front range is called Gorilla Hair. The gorilla hair mulch allows water through to the roots of surrounding plants and flowers without letting it evaporate too quickly. It is useful in zones with fluctuating temperatures and seasonal extremes for it warms roots in winter and keeps the ground cooler in summer. Because the soil is kept from being exposed, it is assisted in maintaining a healthier structure and moisture level, supporting natural processes beneficial for healthy plant roots. Additionally, the fibers weave together forming a natural mat, preventing wind stripping, when used in sufficient quantity.
Recommended: Redwood gorilla hair mulch at least 3” deep for any designated garden areas. Volume will typically settle down with weather, snow, and water.
HARDSCAPE
DECORATIVE BOULDERS
Granite is our stone of choice because it matches your existing pieces. We recommend 1 or 2 additions of similar size to the stones in your front garden section— either medium or small. It may be worth going to see the new pieces you’ll pick out, for example, at Colorado Materials, which has a few diff versions of granite. When you're there, my recommendation is to aim for a medium to light grey with as much "interest" re: white streaks or shiny mica inclusions as possible. And stay away from the darker stones. You want to lighten up the property rather than be too heavy or dark. Just go for what you find is beautiful-- it's the fun part!
GARDEN EDGING
You have existing garden edging. That should be removed when you take up the lawn and spread the mulch across the area.
You do have an aesthetic choice to use Cobblestones in a portion of the yard, around the very outer edges. Garden Edging is a must when delineating different materials making the design appear fluid and clean.
NATURAL WEEDING OPTIONS
Click the links to read more or find out DIY tips
• Best Applications for Vinegar
BIKE AREA
NATURAL STONE
Our first stone of choice is anything natural and local. It can withstand the weather better and looks great. Here are natural stone choices avail at Colorado Materials, including slate and Autumn Mist (buff) flagstone that I mentioned. You may also like the colors of other natural stone choices. You can ask to view some when you're there choosing the granite boulders. The cost may range from similar to the concrete pavers to up to three times or more, depending on the stone and where it's sourced, etc.
CONCRETE PAVERS
Your alternative choice would be concrete pavers. These 2x2 ft square concrete walkway pavers might do the trick. For example, you could push two or three up against one another for a more rectangular look, or you could spread each square equidistant from one another for more of a patio look. Of note: Concrete at high altitudes is well known to crack more easily due to the extreme temp changes and snow-melts over time. That said, using small pavers may not be an issue.
GARDEN ROCK
While your yard is not currently designed with additional materials in mind, I want to present Cobble as a choice, should you decide it would look nice somwehre to break up the mulch. Cobble, a type of smoothed river rock, comes in a variety of sizes. The style I envision would work best for your garden design is sold locally by the title of “Grey Rose” in 8-12” or similar. The actual stone sizes in the mix vary from around 4”—15”, but the average stone size is “palm sized”. It has an overall even look, comprised of a range of medium to light tones. For accent areas, you may also consider Mexican River Stones, which are darker in color, smoothly rounded, and of roughly equal size, providing an even continuity and a subtle tone contrast for your garden area. The value is slightly higher than river cobble.
Recommended: Cobble 8-12” “Grey Rose” or similar for any designated rocked garden areas.
Vendor: Colorado Materials, Longmont
WEED BARRIER FABRIC
The use of weed barrier is a choice. It’s helpful to prevent weeding in smaller horticultural garden areas such as yours. Some gardeners don’t like to use it to save the health of the soil over time. However, you would then have a real weed problem in your mulch and groundcover. So, it's something we recommend.
If you do want to use weedmat, this (left) is what you're looking for, ideally, (not the grey stuff, which is a lighter weight and weeds can push through more easily).
Benefits of weed barrier: It does allow air, water, and nutrients to pass through, just not weeds. It's great for xeriscape, and under rocked areas. It is designed to last 5-10yrs, if not exposed to the elements. It is suitable for small areas like this.
Recommended: Black woven weed barrier fabric, heavy grade
Vendor: CPS (colorado pipe and supply) in either their Longmont or Boulder location
It's wholesale, but your landscaper will likely have an account there
Additional Recommended Products + Local Vendors
CLICK HERE to view our short list of recommended natural products and local vendors
for horticultural and vegetable gardens.
Irrigation
Do my xeric and low water plants need irrigation? Yes, all newly introduced plants need automated irrigation. To use water most efficiently, I highly recommend using a drip system for your front yard design.
When to install? Drip goes in before or at time of plantings. Each plant needs to receive a 1/4” tube with emitter directly to its roots. Situate the tubing above soil and easily accessible yet visually hidden just under mulch or rocked areas.
Basic System Requirements:
• Identify a free valve on your manifold + dedicate it as a drip zone
OR Transform your lawn irrigation zone into drip by capping the heads
• You can adjust the drip zone run time/days on the timer/clock
• You can also plan for (or adjust) water flow needs to specific plants using the drip emitters that will be set to drip at each plant root.
• Make sure the main drip line snakes through the entire yard (to the areas where plantings will be) and around the Maple tree (at the drip line).
• Installation of drip through mulch or rocked areas should visibly hide (not bury) the line just out of sight, and above the weight of excess material.
Recommended: Check with an irrigation specialist that knows plants and plant needs for the most efficient solutions. Your landscaper can always do the labor if you prefer. Best to know what’s ideal first and prevent losing plants or a costly future re-do.
Recommended Service Specialist
WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF LAWNS PLANTS AND TREES
Your Garden Design
FRONT YARD LAYOUT
BIKE / PATIO FEATURE
ROUGH MEASUREMENTS
Main Pad 8—10 ft L x 6 ft W | Steps to Pad 4—6 ft L x 2.5 ft W
ISLAND FLOWER GROUPINGS
Granite Boulder “island” with wildflowers
Decorative grass, Artemesia, and pollinator flowers
Your Customized Plant List
Number of plants are indicated. If plants come in a 4-6 pack, that is equal to 1 plant. Typical flower pot size is 1-2 gallon. Typical shrub pot size is 2-10 gal.
From the general plants recommended below, you can also choose to receive specific species names listed, as an add-on, for ease of procurement.
GARDEN AREA 5 | SW SIDEWALK CORNER + FRONT BERM
FULL SUN
FRONT WALK
1-2 English Lavender, purple (Lavandula angustifolia) (1’x1’)
2-3 Echinacea, dusky pink, white, or orange (Echinacea purpurea) (2x2’)
alternative: Allium (Allium sativum) (10x10”)
1/2 flat Sedum Mix — Dragons Blood (Schorbuser Blut), Blue Spruce (Reflexum), Angelina (Rupestre) (2-4”h)
1 flat Wooly Thyme, warm pinkish purple (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) (2-4”h)
1 flat Creeping Veronica, cool violet blue (Veronica filiformis) (2-4”h)
( Introduce additional ground covers as desired, such as:
propagating existing Mock Strawberry)
2 Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) (1x1’)
FRONT BERM
1 Tall Grass, Karl Forester (Calamagrostis × acutiflora) (3’h x 1.5’w)
1-2 flats Sedum Mix — Dragons Blood (Schorbuser Blut), Blue Spruce (Reflexum), Angelina (Rupestre) (2-4”h)
1-2 Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia epithymoides) and/or Rock Cress (Arabis) (1x1’)
1 flat Iceplant (Aizoaceae) hot pink or yellow (2-3”h)
1/2 flat Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) (6-8”h x 1’w)
alternative: Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
2 Echincaea, yellow (Echinacea purpurea), or Rudibeckia (2’x2’)
1 Valerian “Jupiter’s Beard” (Valeriana officinalis) (3x3’)
1 Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) (1x1’)
GARDEN AREA 6 | NW TELEPHONE POLE CORNER
1 Blue Spruce, ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ (Picea pungens) (20-25h x 10-15w est)
1 Viburnum, Mohawk (Viburnum × burkwoodii) (8-10’h x 6-8’w)
1 Smoke Bush, burgundy (Cotinus coggygria) (8x12’)
2 Tall Grasses, Karl Forester (Calamagrostis acutiflora) (3’h x 1.5’w)
1 Spirea, Dark Knight/Blue Mist (Caryopteris clandonensis) (3x3’)
1 Large Boulder, granite (2’h x 3’w)
1 Medium Boulder, granite (1-2’h x 2’w)
GARDEN AREA 7 | NE CORNER BY GATE
1 Serviceberry Tree (Amelanchier arborea) or Upright Ornamental Pear Tree (Pyrus calleryana)
(options to replace ash if ever needed for future consideration)
GARDEN AREA 8 | BIKE + PATIO FEATURE
1 flat Wooly Thyme, warm pinkish purple (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) (2-4”h)
1 flat Creeping Veronica, cool violet blue (Veronica filiformis) (2-4”h)
1 flat Mock Strawberry (Duchesnea indica) (2”h)
GARDEN AREA 1 | CENTER FRONT YARD GARDEN
FULL — PART SUN
ISLAND #1
1 Medium Boulder, granite (1-2’h x 2’w)
1 Prairie June Grass (Koeleria macrantha) (3x2’)
alternative: Korean Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea)
1 Artimesia (Artemisia absinthium) (2’h x 3’w)
1-3 Bee Balm “Purple Rooster” (Monarda Didyma) magenta/purple (3x2’)
ISLAND #2
1 Medium Boulder, granite (1-2’h x 2’w)
1-2 Penstemon, purple or red (Penstemon digitalis), (2’h x 1’w)
1-2 Flax, blue (Linum usitatissimum) (2x2’)
2-3 Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima) (1x1’)
OPTIONAL: FLOWERS INTERSPERSED IN YARD
1-5 Yarrow, white or Dusky Pink Medley (Achillea millefolium) (2x2’)
1-3 Cranesbill Geranium, violet (Geranium sanguineum) (1x2’)
1 New Mexico Agave (Agave parryi ssp. neomexicana) (2x2’)
GARDEN AREA 2 | FRONT FACE OF HOUSE
FULL SUN
1 Viburnum, Korean Spice (Viburnum carlesii) (8-10’h x 6-8’w)
1 Ninebark, autumn blaze (4-6’h x 3-5’w)
2 Spirea, magic carpet (3x3’)
2 Spirea, birchleaf (2x2’)
GARDEN AREA 3 | SE FRONT DOOR CORNER + FRONT WALK
FULL — PART SUN
1 Thornless Hawthorne tree “Toba”, pink (Crataegus x mordenensis) (12-15’h/w)
alternative “Snowbird” w/thorns (12-15’) or Crabapple “Red Jewel” (15x12’)
1 Spirea, Dark Knight/Blue Mist (Caryopteris clandonensis) (3x3’) to replace existing
1 Blue Star Juniper (Juniperus squamata) or Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo) (2x2’) evergreen
1-2 English Lavender, purple (Lavandula angustifolia) (1’x1’)
1 Medium Boulder, granite
2-3 Scabiosa, white or violet (Scabiosa caucasica) (8-12” x 2’)
1 Sweet Alyssum “Basket of Gold”, yellow (Lobularia maritima) (6-8”)
1/2 flat (or 3 indiv) Creeping Phlox, lavender or pink (Phlox stolonifer) (8”x 1-3’)
1/2 flat Mock Strawberry (Duchesnea indica) (2'‘x2’)
GARDEN AREA 4 | AROUND THE CANADA CHERRY TREE
NOTE >> Your existing choke cherry berries and seeds are highly toxic to dogs, though they make good jam or wine for humans.
FULL — PART SUN
1 flat or 6-8 Sweet Woodruff ground cover (Galium odoratum) (4-6”h x 2’w)
1 flat or 6-8 Plumbago ground cover (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) (6-8”h x 1’w)
1-3 ‘Blanket Flower’ (Gaillardia pulchella) (8-12”h x 8”w)
Our plants are selected with your microclimate in mind— including sun, soil, and water conditions, species variety, seasonal fruiting or bloom times, companion planting, nitrogen fixers, pollinator attractors, natural pest resistance, aesthetics and overall balance. With over a decade in the industry working on the front range in this high alpine zone, we believe these selections are well suited to bring your garden to life. Please note that once the plants are installed, they require appropriate maintenance and care to oversee their adaptation to the new environment. Though we may recommend a species, or best care tips, we simply cannot be responsible for the results. Talk with your landscape professional, ask a local garden center, and research on your own for further tips on keeping your plants healthy during all seasons. If you have any additional questions, just reach out. Remember, your enjoyment of and support for your garden builds a relational response from nature that can promote seasonal synergy and lasting results.
BE PET SAFE While we do our best to offer pet-safe species, we cannot guarantee all our suggestions when we are not directly overseeing plant species selection or installation nor responsible for future choices or use. For peace of mind, please always check listed plants against potential toxicity for pets, kids, and all humans. You can find any plant on the ASPCA “plant toxicity list” featured below, do a little research online, or ask your vet to make sure you feel safe using it in your garden. Thank You.
Plant Toxicity List for Pets: Plant List highlighting toxicity levels for Dogs
RABBIT OR DEER RESISTANT PLANT LIST For gardens that see a fair amount of rabbits or deer in the neighborhood, here are specific plants you may consider using in your design, either in addition to or in place of your plant list above. It should be noted that any animal will eat a plant if it’s hungry, so this list is simply less tasty.
Rabbit + Deer Resistant Plants: Plant List for creating a rabbit or a deer resistant garden.
ROUGH ESTIMATE FOR PLANT LIST
$1500 - $4500
Depending on the vendor, size, and quantity of plants you use, for this list you might be looking at a range under or around 5K. Rough cost may fall between $3500-$6500 including sourcing and delivery. (Vendor prices, plant size, and deals may vary, as well as contractor pricing. This opinion is given for informational purposes only, based on prior field experience, and is intended for rough comparison only, not as a measure of factual value, as each project is relative.)
STRATEGIES FOR GROWING YOUR GARDEN STEP BY STEP
Strategies for building your garden step by step may include propagating existing plants or ground covers, or purchasing one plant (as a starting point wherever more are recommended), and then adding more at the end of the season or next year.
Alternatively, you can build up stage by stage or season by season. Start with hardscape materials. Add the trees and large shrubs. Continue by adding the mulch and ground covers. Then add the garden plants.
WHAT’S IN A PRICE?
What goes into the cost? A lot of love and labor. If you purchase plants at a local garden center, the cost includes what they paid to the growers, distribution, their %, and your installer’s %. Most are aware that industry rates have slowly increased over the past few years, due to lifestyle upgrades in various channels, as well as other global social impacts.
ADDITIONAL ROCK GARDEN PLANTS FOR ADDING IN AS YOU GO
Achillea argentea
Androsace lanuginosa
Armeria maritima (thrift)
Kniphofia 'Dwarf Yellow'
Pulsatilla vulgaris x
Pulsatilla patens 'Eastern pasque flower'
Helianthemum 'Wisley Pink'
Helianthemum nummularium 'Single Yellow'
Rhodohypoxis milloides
Geranium renardii
Helianthemum 'Belgravia Rose'
Papaver species
Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Thymus 'Pink Chintz'
Iris Pacific Coast
Dianthus cruentus 'Blood Carnation'
Geranium x antipodeum 'Pink Spice'
Scutellaria indica japonica alba
Astrantia major var. Buckland
Azorella trifurcata
Scleranthus biflorus
Celisia pugioniformisPotentilla recta warrenii
ADDITIONAL DWARF EVERGREENS TO CONSIDER
CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE DETAILS ON THESE EVERGREENS
(Please check for actual mature height + zone 5 hardiness)
1. Blue Star Juniper * One of our faves *
2. Dwarf Alberta Spruce
3. Hinoki Cypress
4. Sky Pencil Holly
5. Oregon Grape Holly
6. Green Mountain Boxwood
7. Green Velvet Boxwood
8. Winter Gem Boxwood
9. Green Gem Boxwood
10. Gem Box Inkberry Holly
11. Sunshine Ligustrum
12. Japanese Aralia
13. Arp Rosemary
14. Japanese Skimmia
15. Dwarf Mugo Pine
16. Sea Green Juniper
17. Bird’s Nest Spruce
18. Blue Pacific Juniper
19. Grey Owl Juniper
20. Soft Caress Mahonia
21. Manhattan Euonymus
22. Eternal Fragrance Daphne
23. Little Gem Norway Spruce
24. August Beauty Gardenia
25. Emerald Gaiety Euonymus
26. Perfume Princess Daphne
Gem Box Holly
View Your Plants
YOU WILL FIND YOUR PLANTS PICTURED AMONG THESE HORTICULTURAL FAVORITES
Perennial Plant List
PREVIEW ONLINE + PDF DOWNLOAD
Native Plant List
PDF DOWNLOAD
Search for Additional Plants by specifics
KNOW HOW FOR YOUR GARDEN
CARE FOR YOUR THYME LAWN ALTERNATIVE
7 PRINCIPLES OF THE XERISCAPE SYSTEM
GROUND COVERS THAT PERFORM
LOW WATER FULL SUN PERENNIAL LIST
HOW TO DIVIDE + TAKE CUTTINGS FROM SEDUM
CANADIAN CHOKECHERRY BASIC INFO
Recommended Local Growers + Vendors
Thank you for your commitment to sourcing only organically grown plant species, soil, or other products, to stay consistent with the larger-picture holistic values of RG designs. The following non-comprehensive list of local growers and vendors is fairly safe in regard to being organic and non GMO but be sure to ask:
Recommended Service Specialists
Here are our trusted referrals for related services. Link from picture. Please call each directly to schedule as needed.
INSTALLATION + MAINTENANCE
TREE CARE
Continuing Care By Request
Targeted Online Gardening Classes — by Rebecca’s Gardens — join the fun! Follow a monthly email step-by-step approach to learning and practicing more DIY in your garden! You’ll try new things thanks to our bespoke class curriculum. You’ll have a month for each step, so you can work at your own pace. You’ll have access to your class schedule via your online portal (this page), plus a few live zoom calls, even your choice of an in-person final session where we garden together! The class is offered in two styles: (A) “garden bootcamp” (a more goal oriented and logical get-it-done approach), or (B) “garden retreat" (a more fluid relaxed meditative approach). Whichever you feel matches your own flow will be the way to go. Learn more and see you in the garden!
Plant Talk Colorado — We just want to give you a heads up on this amazing resource! How-To videos, and timely information on more than 600 horticultural topics. Sponsored by Colorado State University Extension, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Green Industries of Colorado.
Natural Home Garden Design + Planning Resources
Learn From Distinguished Garden Designers + Architects Who Champion A Naturalistic Approach
Link to each designer’s website (click the pictures) including abundant information, bios, talks, and available books or local bookseller
Mary Reynolds
THE GARDEN AWAKENING
Thomas Rainer
PLANTING IN A POST-WILD WORLD
Graham Laird Gardner
TINY + WILD
Your Photo Album
Before
After … TBD
We’re so excited for your gardening journey this season! May your plants and hearts grow in abundance, wisdom, and joy. May you learn from mistakes and celebrate your adventures. Life is a journey… who we become while achieving our goals is the real treasure. And of course, you know where to reach me if you have any ideas, questions, or inspiration we can help with along the way. Enjoy!
~ Rebecca & Team
