Happy Monday, GPODers!
Almost exactly two years ago, we were introduced to Patsy LaHue’s garden in Grand Junction, Colorado, (check out that post here: Late Summer in Patsy’s Garden). We learned how she and her husband have been tending their sloped landscape for decades, and completely transformed that space from a barren plot to a lively collection of plants that thrive despite their arid conditions. Today, she is finally back with an update that shows a garden as colorful as ever but also exquisitely evolved.
Our garden in photos: This is our late-summer garden in Grand Junction, Colorado—average rainfall, 7 inches. My husband and I started this garden about 30 years ago. It changes yearly. There are many perennials and four aspen trees. We supplement the color with annuals that we grow in our laundry room. The garden extends the whole length of the back of our house, and we spend most of our time on the patio. We have lots of company: many squirrels, 13 quail, raccoons, and occasionally deer. We live in a very arid area, close to the canyon lands on one side and the Rocky Mountains on the other. Our garden brings us lots of joy, an oasis in the middle of the desert.
Immediately, you get a sense of the diversity Patsy is able to pack into their garden. Some clear standouts in this area are the dusty pink bloom of ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’, Zones 3–9), pricklyburr’s (Datura inoxia, annual) bright white flowers, and tall spires of hollyhock (Alcea rosea, Zones 5–9) in the distance.
A couple of retaining walls make these tricky gardening conditions much more manageable, and the warm bricks used add even more color to the plantings.
It looks like a decent amount of larger plants were removed from the garden in the past couple of years and replaced with lower growers and other new additions. These smaller plants give Patsy more room for planting, allow for better view of the rocks that add desert-garden interest, and likely cuts back majorly on maintenance needs.
While it feels like every color under the sun is represented in Patsy’s garden, there is also a prominent pink-and-red color theme that keeps the landscape cohesive and creates wonderful little vignettes. A cluster of blanket flower (Gaillardia spp., Zones 4–10) is lovely under that equally vibrant rose.
Patsy also makes a point to inject some fun into the garden with this adorable fairy house tucked between plants. The mini birdhouses are a delightful touch.
A fantastic view from the bottom of these beds really showcases the diversity Patsy has planted.
Of course, some larger plants still have their space in the garden. This vignette: brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba, Zones 4–8) bursts out from between two pretty groups of garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 5–9).
Both flowers and foliage add bright color and textural interest to Patsy’s landscape. Some highlights here: ‘Helen von Stein’ lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantina ‘Helen von Stein’, Zones 4–8), red zinnias, and ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, Zones 5–9).
One last view from the top of the garden, again highlighting the amazing layering of plants. The space is relatively small, but still a treasure trove of color and texture.
Thank you so much for sharing your garden with us again, Patsy! There is so much to admire in your landscape, and it’s a real treat to see it evolve.
How has your garden changed in the last couple of years? Have you made major plant substitutions, completely reshaped your space, or just worked to maintain the dream outdoor space you’ve created? Let us know in the comments, or consider sharing your garden’s evolution with Garden Photo of the Day. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
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