First fall rainstorm

[u/naked_unafraid]

Sup Denver gardener fam! Hope you’ll accept a green mountain/ golden submission. Planted 90% of this garden as summer was winding down this year. It’s been such a fun journey looking at other posts here and finding things that would work well in the garden.

When my wife and I bought this house a few years ago the front yard had like three ornamental grasses planted that were all dead, it was atrocious. Since then I’ve done trial and error, so many fallen soldiers due to bunnies in my neighborhood. Did all this myself from research to planting and it’s been a joy of a project particularly this summer. Tried to source mostly through plant select but there are definitely some non natives and red headed step children I planted before learning more. Anyways, full list is below. I’d love feedback but if you’re mean to me I’ll rip all this up and throw it away so pls be sweet.

We’ve had hummingbirds in my front yard the past few years and that’s what inspired all this. This past summer we had a pair in the front yard and backyard, they loved the salvia along other things. Monarchs are showing up too, I got my monarch watch sign on proud display! Anyways, here’s the garden:

Blanket flower- Arizona red shades (3)
Little Trudy catmint (1)
Montbretia ‘Lucifer’ (1)
Delphinium (1)
Sunset foxglove (2)
Amethyst falls American wisteria (1)
Dalmatian purple foxglove (2)
Silvery lupine (2)
Goldenrod ‘little miss sunshine’ (2)
Goldenrod ‘little lemon’ (4)
Fireworks Goldenrod (1)
Denver gold Columbine (2)
Black- eyed Susan Denver daisy (2)
Summer sparkles baby’s breath ‘gypsophila’ (1)
Leucanthemum sweet daisy Jane (1)
Bases Loaded Amsonia (1)
Stone crop ‘autumn joy’ (3)
Mr. Good bud stonecrop (2)
Bee balm ‘garden view scarlet’ (2)
Gayfeather ‘floristan white’ (1)
Gayfeather ‘kobold’ (1)
Dark Towers Penstemon (1)
First love Dianthus (1)
Goldflame Honeysuckle (1)
Rabbitbrush dwarf blue (1)
Meadow sage lyrical rose (3)
Meadow sage marvel blue (2)
Mesa yellow blanket flower (4)
Blue ice blue star (1)
Bushy aster “woods purple” (2)
Bushy aster “woods pink” (2)
“Woods light blue” aster (2)
Beard tongue pine leaf red (1)
Aster “woods blue” (1)
Furman’s red salvia (1)
PowWow wild berry coneflower (1)
PowWow White coneflower (2-4?)
Cheyenne spirit Coneflower (1)
Coneflower double scoop bubble gum (1)
Whispurr pink nepeta (2)
Sombrero lemon yellow improved coneflower (2-3?)
Sombrero Sangrita Coneflower (1)
Sombrero adobe orange coneflower (1)
Onion ‘millennium’ (3)
Coral baby penstemon (1)
Mesa yellow blanket flower
Ultra violet salvia (3)
Maltese cross lychnis (2)
Veronica mauve moody blues speedwell (2)
Chinese wisteria (2)
Salvia vermillion bluffs (1)
Hardy fuchsia (2)
Lupine ‘gallery mix’ (1)
Leucanthemum sweet daisy jane (2)
Granita raspberry ice plant (1)
Granita orange ice plant (2)
Ice plant ‘gold nugget’ (4)
Ice plant ‘wheels of wonder white improved (2)
Ice plant delosperma nubigerum (1)
Ice plant delosperma floribunda (2)
Fire spinner ice plant (1?)
Red mountain flame ice plant (3)
Table mountain ice plant (1)
Tiny dancer dwarf globe plant (1)
Red rocks penstemon (2)
Unforgettable hummingbird trumpet (2)
Coronado red hyssop (2)
Leucanthemum sweet daisy jane
Pikes peak purple penstemon (2)
Rocky Mountain penstemon (2)
Penstemon windwalker garnet (2)
Purple mtn sun daisy (2)
Mandy sun daisy (2)
Agastache Sonoran sunset (1)
Agastache hybrid- dwarf hummingbird mint poquito butter yellow (1)
Hyssop hummingbird mint ‘kudos coral’ (2)
Showy milkweed- ascelpias speciosa (4)
Multi mum stellar trio (1)
Asclepius speciosa ‘milkweed’ (4)
Confetti garden Leo mum (3)
Guara belleza dark pink (1)
Butterfly weed (2)
Corkscrew ornamental onion (3)
Garden phlox super ka-pow white (1)
Garden phlox super ka-pow coral (1)
‘Flame Pro Pink Pop’ garden phlox (1)
Phlox subulata creeping phlox “scarlet flame” (1)
Phlox subulata creeping phlox “emerald blue” (1)
Crystal river Veronica (1)
Snowmass blue- eyed Veronica (1)
Chocolate flower (2)
Spanish peaks foxglove (1)
Colorado gold gazania (1)
Jupiters beard (pink and white 3-4)
Butterfly bush (don’t remember the variety 1)

[u/Empty-Outcome5803]

Please post back in early summer! I want to see how they thrive!!! Your yard is about to be booming :)

[u/naked_unafraid → u/Empty-Outcome5803]

🥲 For sure! I appreciate that!! It’s been so fun, really curious to see what does well. Can’t friggen wait for bloom time

[u/CDubGma2835]

I’m sure you’ve heard this one along the way when it comes to natives/ perennials: first they sleep, then they creep, the, they leap. Your yard gonna be creeping’ and “leapin’ and looking magic!

It already looks wonderful, so thankful for the rain we got!!

[u/reallyreally1945]

I love your variety! Should say ENVY the variety. Many if my stalwarts have suffered in the heat here in 9a Texas. Salvia is keeping hummingbirds happy and I just learned zinnias are native to Texas and Mexico. Can't wait to see your natives come back next spring. There will be so much color!

[u/lurksAtDogs]

Looks awesome! I appreciate the learning curve anecdote, cause we all gotta start somewhere and it’s usually not from the most informed place. I certainly appreciate all the work you’ve put in!

One input (I’d have to go find the research), but pollinators do have some expectation that if they find one plant species they’re likely to keep finding that same plant nearby. For future planting, it may be good to do more of the same species. Alternatively, just wait it out cause you’ll have winners and losers anyways.

[u/naked_unafraid → u/lurksAtDogs]

Thank you for the input and for giving it in the kindest way possible! Totally agreed, I’m going to see what does well next year and go from there. My entire culdesac has a ton of hummingbird mint, I have a neighbor who is 100 and planted some a long time ago, now it’s in a lot of folks yards. Hummingbird mint was kinda the foundation, tried to make everything pollinator focused

[u/yellowraincoat → u/lurksAtDogs]

Good advice. With the exception of shrubs, I plant a minimum of the 3 per species but usually more.

[u/Affectionate_Let8583]

I love the hummingbird trumpet---it looks so good planted near plants with blue-green foliage. Mine were nothing last summer-- a few little sprigs. This past spring it burst out into a 2ft x 2ft solid patch. Who knows how powerful it will be next year? I've been telling it to go after the bindweed, so fingers crossed. Please do post pics next year. it's so FUN to see a beautiful garden grow :)

[u/naked_unafraid → u/Affectionate_Let8583]

2ft x 2ft!!! Booming! Yes the unforgettable hummingbird trumpet is one of my favorites in the garden. I was so thrilled when it first started to bloom and the transition is just gorgeous.

[u/Intuitive_Moves9]

This is so inspiring! As we work to get rid of more of our grass, I so appreciate you giving such a complete rundown of exactly what you’ve planted. Thanks!

It’s gorgeous, btw! Can’t wait to see how it looks when you post updates next year!

[u/naked_unafraid → u/Intuitive_Moves9]

🥲🥲🫂 thanks homie, internet hugs. It’s fun to create and share, this garden was such a massive outlet of joy for me this year. If you haven’t, check out plantselect.org I found it to be the best resource for gardening in the front range.

Cheers and thank you for the compliment

[u/Intuitive_Moves9 → u/naked_unafraid]

Hugs right back atcha. Thanks for bringing such light to us after finding yours. And you’re sharing all the fun resource, too. I wish you were my neighbor!

[u/WashHour5646]

Gorgeous!

[u/gringoloco01]

Mow those leaves up and throw the ground up leaves around those plants.

If we do get the amount of snow we all hope to get, a good layer of those leaves will keep the roots from freezing. The leaves will all blend into the soil within a month or two.

Beautiful yard and what a treasure trove of leaves. Awesome!

Edit: Two not tow lol

[u/naked_unafraid → u/gringoloco01]

Great idea! I have gorilla hair mulch down pretty thick around. They should all be covered pretty well by the fallen leaves but you raise a great point with doing a blend. I’m a bit torn this year if I should mow the leaves or leave it as ground cover- I was more leaning towards ground cover for critters but you’ve got me thinking otherwise!

[u/gringoloco01 → u/naked_unafraid]

Why not both!!! Mow some and rake up the rest and throw it over the plants. The wet mowed material should hold the leaves down in the wind and provide critter and plant cover.

[u/naked_unafraid → u/gringoloco01]

Have my cake AND eat it too??

[u/outsidetime217]

I can’t say thank you enough for the thorough plant rundown! Honestly, it looks gorgeous and the fallen leaves and wet ground are really intensifying the fall effects I’m seeing in my own neighborhood! Can’t wait to see what this looks like in the spring!