Habitat Gardening With A Pond In Colorado
A Q & A With Larry G. about his wildscape in Fort Collins, CO
By Wendy Hatoum, staff writer for High Country Gardens
Q: What makes your wildscape special?
The pond and rock work were present when we purchased the property in 1998 from the original owner and builder, but he had no flower beds or water plants. Developing the gardens and pond has been deeply satisfying and, as with most gardens, is a continual work in progress.
I’m a birdwatcher, and you need to provide them food, water, and protection. We do have a birdbath. I don’t feed the birds in the summer, but I do in the winter. Our pond attracts ducks, herons, and kingfishers, because they like the fish. We have flathead minnows in our pond and they’re great for mosquito control.
We like to keep a diary of our visitors. From inside the sunroom one day this past winter I photographed a Northern Goshawk feeding on a rabbit, 50 feet from the house.
We leave seed heads of Echinacea and Rudbeckia over the winter, which goldfinches, siskins, and other seed-eaters enjoy.
Q: Describe your garden - what are your favorite plants?
It’s not highly organized as gardens go. We find a plant we like and pop it in without much thought to plants around it. As we go, we improve it. We have over 200 perennials, which I keep on a database.
We have many plants which attract hummingbirds and butterflies such as Agastache, Scarlet Gilia, Monarda, Zauschneria, and Penstemon. There is nearly always some wildlife present out there to enjoy from our sunroom (“observation room”) overlooking the backyard.
We have quite a few favorites. Salvia Caradonna has dark purple stems and purple flowers. It’s a very handsome plant. We also have a variegated false sunflower, a Loraine Sunshine Heliopsis. It likes a little more water than xeric. One favorite plant is a Penstemon from High Country Gardens, Penstemon barbatus, a red one that reseeds itself. It gets leggy occasionally, but it’s trouble-free and a real pleasure.
Q: What motivated you to create a wildscape garden?
The motivation comes from our lifelong love of gardening and wildlife, especially for birds, which I share with Janie, my wife. We have had National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat Certification since 2005, and we were on a Fort Collins Audubon Society Wildlife Garden Tour in 2007. We’ve seen 166 species of birds on or from our 2 ½ acre property over 18 years here.
Q: Are there any special challenges gardening in your area?
We’re in zone 5/5b, so every year we lose some plants and try a few new ones. We have a Hosta bed with a dozen varieties. The deer love those. Deer favorites also include Scabiosa, Columbines, Roses, Hostas.
We have 10-11 acres that are completely wild and wooded, where the deer congregate. I cover the Hostas with bird netting or use Liquid Fence spray to keep them away.
Q: If someone wanted to create a habitat garden, what advice would you give them?
Don’t try to overdo it. Take it at your own pace. I would encourage someone not to take on more than they can handle. Plan for the future and take it year by year, rather than try to do it all at once.