What is blooming now until first frost in western Colorado?

Having grown up in Southern California, most anything was possible.

I am now finally working seriously on my garden here in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, (Hardiness Zone 4-6 & Sunset Zone 2A). The tullips & daffodills are long gone and the asiatic border lillies are fading. The agastaches at the back of the bed are just swinging into flower and the reblooming daylillies on the outskirts of this garden have just been planted.

What lower growing perrenials, (

Well, Nevada's pretty similar in climate, less rain but lots of wind. My sedums and pink iceplants are in full bloom right now (really low perennials) as are gaillardia, coreopsis, rudbeckia, gaura, and lavender (medium height). Blue flax is on it's second set of flowers after being trimmed back a few weeks ago. Sunflowers and morning glories are just starting to hit their peak.

Oooh, glad I checked this thread, Katlian. Never had blue flax before and did not know it could second bloom if cut back, so I will try that!

I'm also happy with how the heleanthemums I put in are taking to conditions...... Rock rose? Heli...? not sure spelled correctly.

Pewjumper, I learned to garden mostly in Climate Heaven, Santa Cruz CA..... so gardening here at around 3500 feet in dry country is a big change! tho we have had a nice lush long spring, it is unusual I know...... anyway, my sympathies with that learning curve! ;-)

in my hot, dry unwatered front yard:
blue flax, coreopsis, dianthus, ornamental sage - just cut back and will rebloom until frost
agastache - Golden Jubilee is beautiful at the moment, my others will bloom in a couple of weeks
scrophularia Red Birds in a Tree is still going nuts - loves the hot, dry poor soil
ornamental oregano is going strong
russian sage is just getting going
blue mist spirea is also just beginning to bud
gladiolas are just starting to bloom - these won't last until frost though

I think I have more mid to late summer blooming plants than spring blooming ones.

I think it is hotter and drier here but many of the same plants. Currently blooming? Not much. Some roses, sunflowers, daylilies, morning glories, yarrow, achillea, chocolate flowers. Around town I see Russian sage, datura, trumpet vines. Agastache is starting to bloom, too. Oh, and my lavender is still blooming but getting cut back now.

Hmmm...I don't know what happened to the rest of my message, but it is good to know I am on the right track in order to fill in all those summer bare spaces! Thanks to all for the great suggestions. I am using rocks to simulate plant placement out in the garden. I have LOTS of rocks around the house! LOL

I am looking at;
Gaillardia Grandiflora, "Arizona Sun"
Coreopsis Lanceolata, "Sterntaler"
Salvia Nemorosa, "Sensation Rose", "May Night" & "Marcus"

Drapping over the big planters;
Callirhoe Involucrata

Rocks are good! I feel one can never have too many rocks, just sometimes they are in the wrong places. ;-)

You said you wanted low growing plants, but what about Erysimum? I have an apricot flowering one that is covered in blooms right now....... It is only about a foot tall except some of the flower spikes reach higher than that.....

Kylaluaz,

That does sound good, Erysimum X allionii: Siberian Wallflower. It could take up the slack between spring and summer up here.

Do you ever listen to the Garden Party on KERN radio?

Pewjumper

ornamental oregano is a nice, very attractive low growing drapey plant that's easy to grow, likes the lean soil and can take the lack of water (I've also been able to divide and transplant it easily).

Pewjumper, no, haven't known of that broadcast...... can I get it online?

Kylaluz,

Garden Party radio is on live from 8-10 AM on Saturday. If you go to "KERN AM Radio" on your search engine you should be able to listen to it. It is a "fun" gardening show with very knowledgeable hosts.

Thank you! I will check that out . ;-)

Here is a picture of my one erysimum that is doing so well. The other, Bowles mauve, is limping along, flower wise, but this one is a treat. I seem not to have saved the tag with the name of the variety, though, probably apricot something or other. Not sure it shows up best next to Blackeyed Susans, but oh well. ;-)

Thanks for the picture Kylaluaz.

You may have a different variety, as there is a whole list of erysimum that grow in Weed, CA but not in Glenwood Springs, CO.

Denver Jude,

Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately I am one of those nuts that goes two feet down in the soil, strains all the rocks on my two stage contraption and then starts building soil out of dirt. I have seen several plants at High Country Gardens, but alas they need lean soil. The soil in the garden is not lean, and with some plants it just wont work. All growth and no blooms :(. But there are other areas around the house to work on and I can adjust accordingly. Hmmm...like the drainge retention pond!

Thanks again for the suggestions.