It was Friday afternoon before we visited the first private garden as part of the 2019 Garden Bloggers Fling. By then I was getting a little twitchy. I hadn't been in my garden for over 48 hours. I was in serious need of a little garden time...thankfully I got it.
![]()
Janice and Robert moved into their Ft. Collins, CO, home, and garden, in 1986. From our Fling brochure: "the back yard was a gigantic 3/4-acre wasteland of dead grass and an Aspen tree. Richard decided it was too much of a challenge for me and fenced off a smallish portion nearest the house to garden. We had the rest of the yard designated a Wild Life Refuge. After one season of this I (Jan) bought a smallish, flat, stainless-steel shovel and started digging up sod on the other side of the fence. Basically, my garden evolved, year after year, foot by foot, by how much sod I took out and made berms with, until, VOILA! Except for the rock work, I created the whole thing myself."
![]()
This private little patio was just off the side of the house, in the front garden. I'm not sure we were actually supposed to tuck into this part of the garden, but you know me. I've got to explore.
![]()
After working your way along the side of the house you enter the back garden and this shade-house is one of the first things you see.
![]()
Along with plenty of interestingly shaped hypertufa (or something similar) containers.
![]()
I swear we saw blooming Echinocereus triglochidiatus in every garden we visited. I almost stopped gasping at the sight of them, almost.
![]()
Looking backwards at the gate through which we entered the back garden. Oh, and more pots...
![]()
More pots...
![]()
![]()
The shade-house was almost empty save for a few containers and these interesting hanging pots.
![]()
There's some inspiration to be had here.
![]()
Moving on...
![]()
![]()
There's the shade-house again, and look! A balcony from which to view the garden...
![]()
Making our way to the balcony now. There were so many peonies in the Colorado gardens and this one was no exception. This one photo representis at least seven or so other plants in the garden.
![]()
There were a few potted plants near the base of the stairs to the balcony, this striped cactus was particularly handsome.
![]()
More potted treasures along the lattice house wall.
![]()
There were several bonsai-esque skeletons in the garden.
![]()
The view from above...
![]()
![]()
![]()
And now we're back down on the ground, admiring a few of the many sempervivum in the garden.
![]()
![]()
Initially my eyes were focused on the containers, but then I spotted that powder-blue, dreamy, conifer.
![]()
I'm rather conifer ignorant, but I think this may be an Abies concolor?
![]()
It was glowing, lit from within...
![]()
Look at that cute little pot full of semperivivum, and of course the big verbascum (I think that's what it is?).
![]()
Another verbascum and that dark euphorbia I lust after but never find in a nursery.
![]()
Another pot of sempervivum! Do you see why I said they were the "it" plant of this Fling? The pots are also really growing on me. I have no desire to tackle the art of hypertufa, but I'm really warming to the look.
![]()
More pots of similar style...
![]()
![]()
And a rock garden...
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Or should that be a crevice garden? I'm not sure.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
This garden was an interesting mix. The pines towering above, along with the needles and cones on the ground below, had me mentally back in Spokane, Washington, where I grew up. The places we visited in Colorado definitely had an Eastern Washington feel to them, many of the plants would be perfectly happy there as well. Both Denver and Spokane are USDA Zone 5, with a few parts squeaking in at 6. Interestingly the average annual rainfall in both places is similar too, Denver 15.5" and Spokane 16.5", of course most of Spokane's precipitation falls in the winter months and summer is very dry, the opposite of Denver. This photo could have been taken in either place.
![]()
Okay, that's it for this garden...
Weather Diary, June 24: Hi 72, Low 51/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Janice and Robert moved into their Ft. Collins, CO, home, and garden, in 1986. From our Fling brochure: "the back yard was a gigantic 3/4-acre wasteland of dead grass and an Aspen tree. Richard decided it was too much of a challenge for me and fenced off a smallish portion nearest the house to garden. We had the rest of the yard designated a Wild Life Refuge. After one season of this I (Jan) bought a smallish, flat, stainless-steel shovel and started digging up sod on the other side of the fence. Basically, my garden evolved, year after year, foot by foot, by how much sod I took out and made berms with, until, VOILA! Except for the rock work, I created the whole thing myself."
This private little patio was just off the side of the house, in the front garden. I'm not sure we were actually supposed to tuck into this part of the garden, but you know me. I've got to explore.
After working your way along the side of the house you enter the back garden and this shade-house is one of the first things you see.
Along with plenty of interestingly shaped hypertufa (or something similar) containers.
I swear we saw blooming Echinocereus triglochidiatus in every garden we visited. I almost stopped gasping at the sight of them, almost.
Looking backwards at the gate through which we entered the back garden. Oh, and more pots...
More pots...
The shade-house was almost empty save for a few containers and these interesting hanging pots.
There's some inspiration to be had here.
Moving on...
There's the shade-house again, and look! A balcony from which to view the garden...
Making our way to the balcony now. There were so many peonies in the Colorado gardens and this one was no exception. This one photo representis at least seven or so other plants in the garden.
There were a few potted plants near the base of the stairs to the balcony, this striped cactus was particularly handsome.
More potted treasures along the lattice house wall.
There were several bonsai-esque skeletons in the garden.
The view from above...
And now we're back down on the ground, admiring a few of the many sempervivum in the garden.
Initially my eyes were focused on the containers, but then I spotted that powder-blue, dreamy, conifer.
I'm rather conifer ignorant, but I think this may be an Abies concolor?
It was glowing, lit from within...
Look at that cute little pot full of semperivivum, and of course the big verbascum (I think that's what it is?).
Another verbascum and that dark euphorbia I lust after but never find in a nursery.
Another pot of sempervivum! Do you see why I said they were the "it" plant of this Fling? The pots are also really growing on me. I have no desire to tackle the art of hypertufa, but I'm really warming to the look.
More pots of similar style...
And a rock garden...
Or should that be a crevice garden? I'm not sure.
This garden was an interesting mix. The pines towering above, along with the needles and cones on the ground below, had me mentally back in Spokane, Washington, where I grew up. The places we visited in Colorado definitely had an Eastern Washington feel to them, many of the plants would be perfectly happy there as well. Both Denver and Spokane are USDA Zone 5, with a few parts squeaking in at 6. Interestingly the average annual rainfall in both places is similar too, Denver 15.5" and Spokane 16.5", of course most of Spokane's precipitation falls in the winter months and summer is very dry, the opposite of Denver. This photo could have been taken in either place.
Okay, that's it for this garden...
Weather Diary, June 24: Hi 72, Low 51/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.