Boulder Yard Transformed Into A Habitat Hero Wildscape

The front and back yards of this Boulder, CO home were transformed from lifeless, flat, brown spaces into lush, colorful flowering gardens using native perennials and drought resistant plants. The result is a sanctuary for wildlife and humans alike!

This customer story is shared with High Country Gardens courtesy of Audubon Rockies.

A graphic designer with a degree in zoology and botany, our customer Linda B. of Boulder, Colorado is a Habitat Hero. She purchased the tract home some 30 years ago, with the goal of turning the existing flat, brown yard into a flowering rock garden. 

“I have a real love for all things wild, an interest in low-water usage, and a passion for numerous fun plants. I garden because I enjoy good physical exercise and have the enthusiasm to learn.”

In order to make sure that she was making the most of her yard, Linda looked to the Habitat Hero program of Audubon Rockies. Her Habitat Hero-Certified garden is one that creates habitat for birds and other wildlife by planting gardens with native plants.

Habitat Hero is a project of Audubon Rockies, created to provides people, businesses, and cities with the resources to create bird habitat in their own communities. Supporting wildlife and conserving water, these wildscapes include residential and community gardens, schoolyards, city open spaces, and public demonstration gardens. 

High Country Gardens is a proud sponsor of the Habitat Hero program.

Over the years, Linda has hauled tons of rock, amended the soil, and experimented with plant materials and design.

In her front yard, layers of stones and waterwise plants come together in a lush xeriscape. The garden offers year round interest and major curb appeal.

In the back yard, even more interesting garden styles and plant groupings are on display, with many thoughtful design details by Linda. Some mowed lawn is intact around the garden beds in the back yard, offering contrast to the gardens and creating soft, inviting walkways. Linda had planted cottage-style garden borders in soft purple and pink hues. Patches of annual wildflowers incluing zinnias attract pollinators and add bright pops of color to sunny areas in the yard. Layers of flowering groundcovers add texture and color to complement taller perennials in shade gardens and rock gardens.

Plus, benches, birdhouses, containers, and stone borders are just a few of the landscape details that add structure, year-round interest, and personal touches to the yard. 

Linda explained, “It is a rewarding feeling to enjoy the result and know I physically did it all myself. I think of my yard as a botanical zoo. I love the fact that the neighbors, the birds, the insects, and even some four-legged wildlife all enjoy it too. I’m a creative gardening addict and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

• Delosperma cooperi,
• Dwarf Bristlecone Pine - Pinus aristata,
• Agastache Coronado,
• Asclepius tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)
• Sempervivums (Hen and Chicks),
• Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' (Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass),
• Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb',
• Amorpha nana (Leadplant),
• Iris missouriensis,
• Heterotheca jonesii (Creeping Goldenaster),
• Dwarf yellow Iris,
• Oenothera fremontii (Evening Primrose),
• Shasta Daisy,
• Iris pallida Variegata (variegated Iris),
• Eremurus (Foxtail Lily),
• Amelanchier Serviceberry 'Autumn Brillance',
• Yucca baccata, 
• Yucca compactum
• Yucca filamentosa,
• Englemannia peristenia (Engleman Daisy),

• Dwarf Red barberry (shrub; Berberis fendleri is a good native choice),
• Amzonia jonesii,
• Oreogunum 'Kents Beauty',
• Zauschneria arizonica,
• Sedum spectabulum,
• Lavandula 'Hidcote',
• Tanacetum densum amani (Partridge Feather),
• Penstemon pinifolius,
• Salvia pachyphylla,
• Liatris punctata,
• Eriogunum umbellatum 'Kannah Creek' (Buckwheat),
• Hesperaloe parviflora (Texas Yucca),
• Sedum middendorfianum,
• Penstemon strictus,
• Penstemon mexicali,
• Muhlenbergia reverchonii,
• Helianthus,
• Festuca glauca 'Elija',
• Zinnia