A little understanding of our weather conditions and working in our dry, limiting soil properties will help you improve your garden soil and make smart plant choices this gardening season. Soil is a fascinating mixture of microscopic to larger forms of life (earthworms are good), plus varying amounts of air, water, decomposing living matter, aka organic matter, and different-sized soil texture particles or pores (there... Read More
These are some favorite tea herbs that are easily grown in the home garden and the reasons why to consider growing them. When planning what you will grow this year, why not include some herbal tea? Bee Balm (Monarda) Brew the leaves into an aromatic, medicinal tea that tastes like mint but milder. It is purported to combat colds and flu, and the tea is... Read More
Gardening in Colorado can be challenging. Hot and Dry Due to the high elevation, sunlight is frequently of high intensity and the humidity generally is low. This will require more frequent water applications to your lawn, landscape and flower pots. Poor Soils Most population centers are on heavy clay soil. These soils have poor aeration that limits root growth. The best solution is to improve... Read More
Are you interested in growing your own produce but don’t know where to begin? Some fruits and vegetables are easier to grow than others so are perfect for those just starting out. Avoid getting overwhelmed by keeping it simple and sticking to tasty varieties that give a lot for the least amount of effort. Many of them are perennial, which mean that they come back... Read More
It certainly has been a long-lost Rocky Mountain winter. When is the last time you remember receiving as much snow as we have this year? Exactly one year ago we were discussing how unusually warm it was and wondering if winter was over? What does that mean? Well, for all of you have lived in this area for some time, you know what that means. ... Read More
Consider planting any of the following list of plants to supply Bumblebees with nectar throughout the year. From early in the spring through the summer and late into the fall season, Bumblebees are searching for flowers to visit. By planning a succession of blooming plants throughout the year in your garden, Bumblebees will be happy frequent visitors. Scabiosa – there are lots of different varieties... Read More
What the Best Houseplants for Apartments have in Common Apartment plants are relatively low-maintenance, meaning they don’t require much care beyond watering and fertilizer. Houseplants for apartments are very forgiving and bounce back quickly if you forget to water them. Indoor plants for small apartments don’t drop leaves everywhere and make a mess. Apartment plants are hardy and long-lived. Houseplants for small spaces are fairly... Read More
Winter doesn’t necessarily seem like the best time to be starting seeds outdoors in most of North America, but for one very valuable group of plants – the milkweeds – winter is the perfect time to get planting. In case you aren’t familiar with this particular group of plants, milkweeds are in the genus Asclepias, and they are the sole monarch butterfly host plant. Monarch... Read More
One of the unique aspects of Creek Side Gardens is our Indoor Living Gift and Décor Boutique. Often when we ask our guests if they are ready to check out, they ask us where our great selection of gifts and décor comes from? Way back in September and October of last year, spring was already in full swing at Creek Side. At least on paper. ... Read More
There are many benefits to growing herbs in containers. Having access to fresh herbs near the kitchen is the obvious benefit. In addition, different herbs have different moisture needs and growing them in pots is an easy way to control soil moisture. Successful herb growing in containers is easiest outdoors, but can be successful indoors with bright light conditions as well. Basil Basil is the go-to herb in... Read More
