The extremes of Colorado’s climate necessitates resilient plantings that thrive in the intense heat, bitter cold and scant precipitation. With a commitment to plant driven design, we are constantly looking for new plants to use in our designs that will work in the appropriate microclimate. Every year we try to share some of our favorite plants in the hope that other plant enthusiasts may find inspiration to use these plants in their own designs.

Echinacea pallida ‘Hula Dancer’

By Michael Erickson

A favorite of plant superstar Piet Oudolf, the Hula Dancer cultivar is even paler than the straight species Pale Purple Coneflower. Delicate, drooping petals dangle below a porcupine center and dance in the wind. Some gardeners have raised qualms about the longevity of the genus’ lifecycle; if they are placed in the correct place and allowed to self-seed, E. pallida will have a lasting effect in the garden.

Echinocereus coccineus

By Michael Erickson

Did you know that Colorado is one of only a handful of states with an official state cactus? Echinocerus coccinea, also known as the Claret Cup Cactus or Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus is Colorado’s own as of 2014. Not only does this plant provide phenomenal texture but also provides a floriferous show of scarlet flowers in May. While its prickly nature makes it undesirable for areas where one could skewer themself, we used this on a green roof where it can be appreciated from a distance.

Echinocereus coccineus on a Boulder rooftop

Symphyotrichum ‘Lady in Black’

By Emily Maeda

What is there to say about a plant that delivers interest, texture, and form throughout the seasons? There’s nothing to say except it’s a great plant! Symphyotichum (the new genus name for asters) is an abundant and rich group of perennials. Lady in Black is a particular standout. Its red-hued leaves give it a spectacular multi-season presence, and its abundant flowers at the end of summer light up the fall garden. One of its best features is its form. It is upright and strong with horizontal branching at the top. Its appearance is striking in the midst of the flowy and irregular shaped plants of the west. It is classified as a medium water plant, but we have grown it in xeric conditions. All in all, Aster ‘Lady in Black’ is one of our favorite plants.

Symphyotrichum ‘Lady in Black’ in a Denver garden

Eurybia macrophylla

By Emily Maeda

Eurybia (or big-leaved aster) is a new plant for us. We trialed it the last few years and could not be happier with how it has grown. Dry shade is always a problem in Colorado. The list is small when it comes to plants that thrive. This one does and adds so much more than just its blooms. Its large leaves have great texture and form. It sets off all the other thin-leafed plants we have in great numbers. Then it blooms from July until frost. Amazing! And its best feature is its winter seedheads. They are beautiful and keep their shape through the winter. Try this plant! You won’t be disappointed.

Anaphalis margaritacea

By Emily Maeda

Any plant that has a form of ‘margarita’ in its name has to be a winner. Margarita is ‘pearl’ in latin and this plant looks exactly like its name - small little balls of white cover it from July to frost, another long-blooming and native perennial. Anaphalis margaritacea (Pearly Everlasting) is a tough and adaptable plant that is a major food source for a number of butterflies. You will love its bloom and the pollinators will love its food. Pair it with Asclepius for a riff on form (both have small balls as part of the flowering) and the pollinators will love you.

Artemisia frigida

By Michael Erickson

Those familiar with the genus Artemisia may wonder what yet another species has to offer. I myself wondered the same, but this delightful native plant’s texture, silver color and charming scale make it hard to dislike. Dynamic in a way that most sages lack, Artemisia frigida starts its season as a compact pseudo-groundcover but branches out to a wispy inflorescence similar to A. ludoviciana, but shorter and more well behaved. We have enjoyed using this species in our native shortgrass prairie seed mixes, breaking up the landscape with its gray foliage and compact form.

Liatris punctata

By Michael Erickson

Many plant enthusiasts will undoubtedly be familiar with the ubiquitous ‘Kobold’ cultivar of Liatris spicata that some think to be over-hybridized to appease the home-gardener rather than the meadow fanatic. Puncata is the best of both worlds; it is a Colorado native species, found in grasslands like the Pawnee Buttes, while still maintaining a long bloom time with a saturated purple-pink color. Unlike many others of the genus, L. punctata thrives in stressful conditions like our rocky Colorado soil and is a perfect plant for reclamation seeding or a xeriscape garden.

Liatris punctata (Dotted Blazing Star) in a seeded area in Longmont

Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’

By Michael Erickson

In contrast with Liatris punctata, Henry Eilers Rudbecia is the polar opposite in many ways, although it is no less a beautiful selection. While it is not a xeric plant, we recognize that “right plant, right place” means choosing plants for unique microclimates. Often, we find areas near sod or the bottom of a slope tend to retain more moisture than other areas in the garden, and plants that can tolerate more moisture and an important tool for any garden designer. This cultivar, named after recently deceased botanist Henry Eilers, features distinct rolled ray florets unlike any other Rudbeckias (Except ‘Little Henry’). While often difficult to source in Colorado, we hope to see more of this exceptional plant.

Dalea foliosa

By Michael Erickson

With a similar thimble-shaped inflorescens to its cousin Dalea purpurea, Dalea foliosa is a very striking member of the legume family. Its leafy texture is nearly identical to other fabiaceae members from Amorpha ‘Nana’ to sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica). With a slightly longer spike than D. purpurea or D. candida, D. foliosa’s bloom is often longer and more significant. We love this nitrogen fixing legume for its striking spikes and soft leafy foliage.