Dear Gardening Friends: Thank you to those of you who were able to visit us at our greenhouse near Lyons in May and June. Many more thanks to those of you who recommended us to your friends/neighbors. We appreciate the kind words. I know it is not the most convenient location for many of you, but we try our best to make it a worthwhile and relaxing destination. We are already beginning our search for next years plants to grow for you. If there is something you are looking for and haven’t been able to find, give me a call at 303-579-1328, e-mail me at utetrail@colbi.net, or leave a message at 303-776-1582 so that I can add it to my search list. As many of you know, we grow most of our plants here in Lyons rather than having fully grown plants shipped in sell as do many plant sellers. We feel this gives our plants a head start in the Colorado climate and altitude plus gives us the personal involvement in what we sell. This involvement is very important to us. So far this year, the rains and snows have come at appropriate times and many communities and districts have relaxed their stand on the mandatory water restrictions. This does not mean that we should return to our previous bad habit of over- watering our lawns and gardens. Colorado is, was and always be a semi-arid state and we should keep this in mind. We hope to see you soon, Mary and John

ROOTS 

The word roots has many meanings and connotations in the dictionary. As a gardener, we think of roots as that part of the plant growing below the surface of the soil. Roots are required to anchor the plant in place and as they row, provide a strong support system for the plant. As a genealogist, we think of roots as our ties to the past and our ancestors. In my lifetime, I have been both a gardener and a genealogist. Roots are and always will be a special interest of mine. My family roots are in Kentucky where I lived before moving to Colorado and they extend back to the 1700’s. My current interest is growing plants and studying ways to make sure they root and thrive in the Colorado soil. However, this year I am viewing roots in an entirely different manner, combining my two personal definitions into one unified meaning. This has come about through the conversations we have had when you visited the greenhouse. Several of you were looking for plants that you remembered from your childhood. You shared your memories of your mother tending her roses, or of a particular flower in your yard, a particular scent that recalled earlier times, or a color you remembered and much more. These conversations brought to mind my father who died over a year ago at the age of 97. He was the gardener in the family, whether through love or necessity I do not know. His vegetable garden was as large or larger than my current yard. He would come home from work and change in to the most disreputable clothes and shoes imaginable. As his baby girl, who followed him everywhere, it was my privilege to add the quarter cup of granulated fertilizer into the hole he made for his plants or drop the seeds carefully into the straight furrows he drew in the soil. Night after night, he would come home and work in the garden, watering by hand, hoeing out the weeds, pushing the hand plow between the rows, his pesky little girl following him every step of the way. He tended his garden the way he tended his life and his family, with care, time and patience. I can close my eyes and still see us together in my mind’s eye. I can visualize every plant in the yard to this day, a row of irises across the front; the maple trees that I would climb; the spring flowers of forsythia, lilacs and dogwood; the raspberries in back in a row with spiderwort, fountain grass with daffodils and narcissus naturalizing everywhere. There was a huge mound of honeysuckle where I would pick off the blooms to sip the nectar. There was even a grape arbor in later years (really my old rusted swing set). The house is still there, now occupied by his granddaughter. She continues to garden and shares our love of flowers. Sometimes when I plant a tomato or a familiar flower, my mind drifts back to my roots, the sharing of the gardening experience, the love of my father; the roots that tie me to the soil I work and the family I inherited, back through the generations of family members who made their living from the land. My father is gone now, as are my ancestors, but the passion to garden and enjoy the fruits of my labor remains alive. This is my heritage, my roots so to speak. It is not founded in years of study at a school of agriculture or garden design. It is the simple act of digging in the soil; of sharing the passion for a particular flower with a gardening friend. Have you taken the time lately to reflect on your roots, both your family and your soil? I think there must be a large number of us who can visualize our childhood love of the outdoors and the plants we loved and the family member with whom we shared that experience. As we tend today's garden, we need to remember to create more space for roots in both the soil and in the memories of our children, grandchildren and friends.

SHRUBS

We have added to the number of shrubs we are offering this year. Many of them are native and/or suitable for high altitude. They include (by common name):

AMERICAN CRANBERRY

APACHE PLUME

BAYBERRY

BEAUTYBERRY

BLANCA NANKING CHERRY

BLUE MIST SPIREA DARK KNIGHT

BLUE MIST SPIREA FIRST CHOICE

BURNING BUSH

BUTTERFLY BUSH BLACK KNIGHT

BUTTERFLY BUSH GUINEVERE

BUTTERFLY BUSH HARLEQUIN

BUTTERFLY BUSH HONEYCOMB

BUTTERFLY BUSH ORCHID BEAUTY BUTTERFLY BUSH POTTERS PURPLE

BUTTERFLY BUSH ROYAL RED

BUTTERFLY BUSH SILVER FROST

BUTTERFLY BUSH-PLANT SELECT

CHEYENNE MOCKORANGE

CHEYENNE SNOWMOUND SPIREA

COLORADO MANZANITA

COMANCHE GOOSEBERRY

COTTONEASTER

CREEPING GRAPE HOLLY

CURL LEAF MT MOHOGANY

DEUTZIA

FERNBUSH

FOUR WING SALTBUSH

FREMONT'S DESERT HOLLY

HAIRY MT MOHOGANY

HANCOCK CORALBERRY

HEDGE COTONEASTER

HIBISCUS BLUE RIVER II

HIBISCUS KOPPER KING

HIBISCUS LORD BALTIMORE

HIBISCUS OLD YELLA

KERRIA

KINNINNICK

LEADWORT

LILAC ISABELLA

LILAC MONGE

LILAC POCOHANTUS

LILAC SENSATION

LITTLELEAF MOCK ORANGE

MORMON TEA

MOUNTAIN LOVER

MOUNTAIN NINEBARK

NEW JERSEY TEA

NEW MEXICAN PRIVET

OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA

POTENTILLA GOLDFINGER

PRAIRIE SNOW POTENTILLA

RABBIT BRUSH,CHAMESIA

ROSE OF SHARON BLUE SATIN

RUSSIAN SAGE

SAND CHERRY PAWNEE BUTTES

SASKATOON SERVICEBERRY

SEZCHUAN FIRE COTONEASTER

Shrubs cont.

SIBERIAN SPIREA

SMITH'S BUCKHORN

SOUTHERNWOOD

SPANISH BROOM

SPIREA GOLDEN ELF

SPIREA MAGIC CARPET

SPIREA NEON FLASH

SUMMERSWEET- HUMMINGBIRD

SUMMERSWEET ROSEA

TALL BLUE RABBITBRUSH,CHAMISIA

TALL WESTERN SAGE

WAXFLOWER

WEIGELA FRENCH LACE

WEIGELA MIDNIGHT WINE

WEIGELA WINE AND ROSES

WILLOW WEEPING SALLY

WINTER CREEPER EMERALD GAIETY

WINTER CREEPER HARLEQUIN

If you are not killing plants. you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener. - J. C. Raulston

GRASSES

We have the following grasses (listed by Common Name):

BLACK MONDO GRASS

BLUE LYME GRASS

BLUE OAT GRASS

BUFFALO GRASS LEGACY

CORKSCREW RUSH

FESCUE BOULDER BLUE

FESCUE ELIJAH BLUE

FESCUE GOLDEN TOUPEE

FLAME GRASS

HAIR GRASS

NORTHERN LIGHTS

HARDY PAMPUS GRASS

KOREAN REED GRASS

LITTLE BLUE STEM

LITTLE BLUE STEM BLAZE

LITTLE BUNNY GRASS

MAIDEN GRASS AUTUMN LIGHT

MAIDEN GRASS MORNING LIGHT

MOUDRY FOUNTAIN GRASS

NEEDLE GRASS

PORCUPINE GRASS

PURPLE MUHLY GRASS

REED GRASS KARL FOERSTER

SWITCH GRASS

SWITCH GRASS PRAIRIE SKY

SWITCH GRASS SHENANDOAH

WOOD RUSH GRASS

ZEBRA GRASS

I consider every plant hardy uuntil I have killed it myself. - Sir Peter Smithers

GRAPES

Our grapes in #1 containers are looking wonderful. We have Swenson Red and Valiant, both recommended for Colorado.

Even though the rains are coming & the summer begins to look promising for our gardens, we need to remind ourselves of the 7 Basic Principles of Xeriscape (NOT ZEROSCAPE) as outlined by Xeriscape Colorado Org.

1. Plan and Design Before lifting a shovel or buying a plant, draw a simple design of the area you are planting. Note the water source, sun/shade elements, and determine the look you are trying to achieve.

2. Improve the soil We need to add organic amendments to our soil, either compost or aged manure. This creates more space for better root development as well as increases the water holding capacity.

3. Create functional turf areas or use alternatives to turf The use of bluegrass should be minimized. Add more walk- ways, deck or patios. Use ground covers in areas where grass is difficult to maintain (shade, slopes, narrow strips, etc.) Consider buffalo grass which is 60-80 percent more water efficient.

4. Water efficiently Zone turf areas separately from other plantings and use low pressure, low angle sprinklers. Use drip, micro spray or bubbler emitters for trees, shrubs, flowers and ground covers. If watering by hose, avoid oscillating sprinklers, sprinklers that throw water high in the air, and those that produce a fine mist. Water deeply and infrequently. Water between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. to reduce evaporation loss.

5. Select plants appropriate to the climate/Group plants together according to similar water needs Place high water use plants near down spouts, in low lying drainage areas or in the shade of other plants or at the least, close to the watering source. Low water plants are for the hot, dry sunny areas or areas far from the watering source.

6. Mulch Mulching minimizes evaporation, reduces weed growth, cools the roots, & slows erosion. The best mulches are organic, such as bark chips, pole peelings, or wood shavings. They should be applied 3-4 inches deep.

7. Maintain No garden is maintenance free. Perform regular, seasonal maintenance.

If I had wanted an easy care garden, I would have planted weeds. - Michael Garofalo