FOUR SEASONS OF GARDEN ENJOYMENT by Sharon Faircloth

Growing in high altitude certainly has its challenges and everyone who has made an effort to enhance the beauty of their property has experienced them!   Some years I’ve been so thankful anything grew that I didn’t really envision a comprehensive plan.   If it grew, yahoo and if no critters ate it, woohooo and if it came up the next year, OMG! As a reminder, or for new residents, there are some great resources for help in picking plants more suitable for our environment.   Your best resource website is www.ext.colostate.edu .   Colorado Mountain Gardening Basics can be found within Fact Sheet 7.244 .       For perennial flower choices, see Fact Sheet 7.406 called Flowers for Mountain Communities .   These will give you the basics on selecting the right plant for the right spot, taking into consideration sunlight, microclimates, year round moisture, soil quality and amendments. Once you determine plants that work in your environment, make notes.   Keep track of what worked and what di