The media has inundated potential gardeners with drought, drought, and more drought, water-wise gardening, drought-resistant landscapes, water restrictions and the list continues.  Drought is normal. The commentary is researched, wise, resourceful, and accurate. Those who wish to garden may be confused as to whether they should even try.  Rarely do people remark on the spiritual aspects of gardening.

Ask a gardener what he or she loves about gardening and how gardening became their obsession and they will say, "It's how it makes me feel."  If pressed further, the gardener may admit to forgetting cares and worries, the mind stops racing and getting lost in the process.  Gardening becomes a refreshing way to enhance sensitivity to life and awareness that takes place between nature and humans.

In conversations with gardeners, trees take on a unique personality, flowers have their own essence, bugs and birds each have their own private lives.  Many gardeners have moving experiences with trees and flowers while they work in their gardens, but they don't discuss them with friends or neighbors for fear of sounding absurd.

Not everyone has space for an outdoor garden, but the connection can be made anywhere, even on the smallest scale of a single plant.  Plants allow us to slow down, be alone with ourselves, be still, and quiet, alone in our observations, concentration and aesthetic sense.   Plants may be a source of refuge and protection, where we can restore our emotional and spiritual balance, nourish our senses and souls.  We nourish, tend and watch grow our physical resources, just as we do our inner life.

On a material and physical level, gardening means experimenting with colors, shapes and textures, and plants with similar growth characteristics in the landscape.  We search for just the right plant to accent the living room or research new methods of hybridization and propagation.  We become committed to planning the design and physical maintenance of the garden.  Preparing the soil, seeding, watering, fertilizing, weeding, pruning, and harvesting connect the gardener with plants.

Gardening requires repetitive tasks such as pinching back, deadheading, raking, removing garden debris, and watering.  We add fixtures of "yard art", stone, raised beds, arbors, and fences, which feature the surrounding plants. Gardeners are always experimenting with organic methods, eradicating pest populations, dividing plants, mulching.  We express concern for the environment by composting, recycling and other responsible citizenship activities, such as, community gardening.

A beautiful garden adds significantly to property values.  Low-water conditions challenge gardeners to protect their property investments by creating long-term changes that make the garden less dependent on water.

Gardening enhances our inner spirit, physical well being, and gives us a material sense of ownership. Although our water provider challenges us with what days to water, how much water to use and the best methods of watering, gardening provides us with the opportunity to dwell with the beauty of our surroundings, even in the dry, brown and scorched years. "To plant a garden is to plant happiness." Chinese Proverb

Q.  What is a cactus?

A.  The cacti are a group of plants (the Cactus Family) identified by their distinctive flowers.  These have many petals, which gradually merge with the sepals, many stamens, and a single style with several stigmas.  The ovary (which becomes the fruit) is beneath the flower.  If a flower lacks these features, it is not a cacti.  When not in flower, it is not always possible to distinguish cacti from other succulents.  All cacti are succulents, and are native only to the New World, from Canada to Argentina.  About 250 of the 3000 species occur in North America.

Q.  Is cacti winter hardy and adaptable to the altitude along the Front Range?

A.  Yes, cacti will survive our climate, altitude and soil.  Cactus should be planted in April, May or June in order for a root system to develop before winter.  A southern, full sun exposure against a stonewall, in a rock garden, on sandy slopes, dry prairie area or used as a small area ground cover with good drainage is essential for cacti.  The heat collected in these areas raise the soil temperature and stimulate flowering.  A normal amount of rainfall should be enough for most winter-hardy cactus.  A few of the most popular cacti grown successfully at our altitude and climate are Escobar lei (Lee's Dwarf Snowball) for zone 4-9, salmon pink flowers, Echinocereus triglochidiatus (Claret cup) comes in 8 varieties, red or pink flowers, Opuntia clavata (Prickly Pear), several varieties, zones 3-10, purple or yellow flowers.

Q.  I'm ready to start planting.   Do I have to "harden off" the transplants?

A.  The outdoor environment can be very harsh for a transplant.  Hardening the transplant increases its chance for success.  Place them outside where they will receive sun and wind for a few hours each day.  Gradually lengthen the time they are outside each day.  Bring them inside if there is a chance for frost or low temperatures.  They need to be watered and planted as soon as the hardening process is completed.

Q.  Thyme is my favorite culinary and ornamental herb.  Which thyme is best for drought?

A.  Once established, thyme is drought tolerant.  Woolly and creeping thymes are great ground covers and emit an earthy aroma with every step.  Thyme may be grown as small bushy shrubs to carpet perennial gardens or as a colorful ground cover between stepping-stones.  Thyme needs at least a half-day of full sun and a well-drained soil, but will adapt to different growing conditions.

To figure the square footage of an area to be covered by a 3-inch layer of mulch, multiply the square footage of the area by .25.  This will give you the number of cubic feet of material to purchase.  If you are buying in bulk it will be sold by the cubic yard. Twenty-seven (27) cubic feet = 1 cubic yard.

It doesn't appear that we will have a total ban on landscape watering this year but to be conservative buy smaller sized trees and shrubs.  They will require less water to become established.

There are a couple of methods for killing grass if you are ready to get rid of some of your turf areas.  You can spray the area with glyphosate (Round-up) or cover the area with a layer a newspaper just a few sheets thick. Cover the newspaper with dirt or wood/bark mulch to keep the newspapers from blowing away. If using chemicals, be sure to read and follow all label directions.

"Grey water" is the wastewater from sinks, bathing and washing machines.  The use of gray water is regulated by the State of Colorado and Larimer County under sewage disposal systems regulations and "water rights" laws.  To legally use grey water in Larimer County you would have to install a system similar to a septic system.  It's probably a better option to capture the water that is wasted while waiting for shower water to heat up.  Use it to water house plants or container plants outside.

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

Gardening and Insect Fact Sheets are available on-line by clicking HERE.

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This page updated:  May 27, 2003