Welcome to CO!

I came from coastal WA State about 12 years ago. I mourn the loamy soil and water I had back there. Oh, and my rhododendrons and azaleas---I've tried several times to find one that will survive here but you really have to get a sprinkler system in if you don't already have one- that has been my biggest barrier. Just installed sprinklers in my yard last fall.

Ammend the soil with any organics you can get your hands on. The soil here tends to be too alkaline and heavy in clay. Compost is like gold! I can't get enough of it. As I was putting my landscape together over the past 4 years I contacted a sheep ranch a few miles east of me and had them bring out 2 double dump truck loads of composted sheep manure to put 3-4 inches of organic ammendment onto my entire lot. It was $250 per load which is MUCH less expensive ($6/yard compared to $16-20/yard) than any of the landscape suppliers in our area.

Some really beautiful flowers that do well here with moderate care:
Daylilies
Iris
Peonies
Lilac
Chrysanthemums
Asiatic, Tiger, and Trumpet lilies
grape hyacinths
Oriental Poppies
Hardy geraniums
Dianthus
lamiums

If you like roses look for cold hardy varieties. A lot of the hybrid teas that I could grow in WA are not hardy here. I've ordered a bunch of old garden roses for next year. I've had couple old ramblers that I brought cuttings here from back home (my heirlooms from grandmother) and they have done well. There is an American Rose Society demonstration garden in Boulder called the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Rose Garden, and they list the varieties they grow on their webpage. Its a good place to find varieties that are proven to do well in this climate.

There are a lot of drought hardy plants some of which I've become familiar with since moving here:
Russian Sage
Rudbeckia
Blanket Flower
Echinacea
Yarrow
Artissima
Ornamental sages

Well, that's what comes to mind. There are many more that do well here. I made some "nursery experiment" beds to try things out for several years until I got familiar with the climate and plants that do well here.

Good luck!

Debra

Find our what your pH is first before you add wood ash. Many areas are high in alkali and wood ash makes it even worse.

I think Dillon might be up high enough that they have acidic granite soils - so I'd ask around for sure. Check out local, small nurseries for advice.

At that altitude, you're going to be pretty limited in what grows, but there are all kinds of creative micro climates (south side of the house), and beside fences and such. High altitude gardening is a whole other ball game than what many of us do at a few thousand feet lower. There are lots of neat things; rock gardens, alpine plants, lots of things to do.

Start lobbying for a sun room....

Hi Wahinegirl,

IÂve never tried it, but I somehow suspect that jelly beans arenÂt hardy around here! ;-)

For some helpful advice in spring you might want to take a drive out to Vail to visit the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. Anything that grows out there should work for you in Dillon. In the meantime, if you go to that link and click on the Alpine Rock Garden or the Mountain Perennial Garden below the map, you find names of a bunch of the things theyÂre growing out there, along with pictures of lots of them. Maybe thatÂll give you things to start dreaming about while youÂre snowbound for the rest of the winter.

Also, since youÂre so close, you may consider a drive to visit Jane Hendrix gardens in Breckenridge sometime this summer. And she has an even better collection of identified pictures, many with the altitude at which they were growing. IÂve never made it out there to see her gardens yet, but I hope to get there some day. Check out her guest book for comments from some of the people who have visited her.

As David mentioned, micro climates can be very important, so, even now in winter, be watching for which areas of your yard seem to be warmer than other places. You may be surprised at how many things youÂll be able to successfully grow out thereÂexcluding the jelly beans!

I definitely agree with the recommendation to add any and all organic matter you can get ahold ofÂespecially if you have clayÂwhich you may not have out thereÂor if the soil is very rocky or sandy. Either way the organic matter will help the soil hold moisture and nutrients, and make your gardening easier. If you do decide to have a soil test, I recommend you do it thru the CSU Extension Service. ItÂs one of the best ways to do it. And thereÂs also an Extension Service office near you in Frisco. Go to the link to their site for some good local information, and it will be a great place to contact for helpÂwhen we canÂt come up with a good answer for you!!!

Ok! ThatÂs the information for you! Now for some information for me! Are you HawaiianÂor a surferÂor both?

Oh, and when you have a chance, sign in on the WhoÂs Here in 2008 thread to be sure you get added to our list of RMG friends.

WeÂre glad youÂre here,
Skybird

Thanks everyone for the wonderful responses! Very informative and inspiring! Looking out the windows as of late, I dream of colors...any color other than white!!

Skybird, I am/was an east-coast surfer. Tried snowboarding last year for teh first time...IN NO WAY like surfing!! Harder falls, being strapped to your equipment, and C-O-L-D!!!

LOL, Wahine. Somebody did tell you, you need to wear more than a bikini for boarding, didn't they?

;-)
Skybird

Sky....

No WONDER I was so miserable!! LOL :)

:-)

Skybird

Welcome Wahinegirl :)

Gardening here is an adventure! The library gardening section was very helpful when I first moved here 2 1/2 years ago and also the people on this forum!

Bikini snowboarding... if you go snowboarding on a warm spring day, you will see your share of "skin" on the mountain. My son who was nine last year reported how he and his Dad saw a buck naked teenager cruising down the mountain and lots of girls in bikini tops snowboarding.

:)
Charlene