About half of your household water is used to grow and properly maintain bluegrass lawns that are not sustainable in the Colorado landscapes. The city offers the Landscape Lecture Series to the Greeley community to educate residents about water conservation.
- Create natural habitats
- Use native plants that are naturally drought-resilient
- Use less pesticides
All in-person classes will be held online on Zoom.
March 27 at 6:30 p.m. Life After Lawn - Landscape Transformation
Description
Are you wanting to upgrade your landscape and save some water too? This class is for both the homeowner and for larger property projects. We will walk you through what you will need to do to apply for Greeley's Life After Lawn rebate. Topics covered: Ways to remove the grass, basic design tips, what can be included in your design and ways to be budget friendly.
This class will be held in English and Spanish
April 17 at 6:30 p.m. Sustainable Landscape Design and Plant Choices
Description:
Deryn Davidson, CSU Extension Sustainable Landscapes Specialist, will help you with your design to keep sustainable practices in mind. This will aid in the knowledge and care of your landscape. Finally, Deryn will give you some plant choices to consider when planning your garden.
May 8 at 6:30 p.m. Setting Up a Drip System
This class will provide you with the knowledge and confidence to set up your drip system if you don't have an irrigation system and want to run it off your outdoor water spigot. Rita Jokerst, Water Conservation Specialist for the City of Greeley, will cover all the components needed, options for layout, installation instructions, and maintenance requirements.
This class will be held in English and Spanish
June 19 at 6:00 p.m. Crevice Gardening and How to Create One
What is a crevice garden you ask? It is similar to the rock gardens of yesterday, but with a unique twist of orienting the rocks vertically or at an angle and then planting into the crevices between the rocks. This is method that could be a way to tame a slope or show off your native, and climate adapted plants. This class will teach you what you need to know about crevice gardening, what it is, how to install one in your garden and what plants to select. This trending technique you may have seen at Greeley city hall or at the Denver Botanic Gardens. This virtual class will be led by Amy Lentz, CSU Instructor in the Horticulture Department.
Register in Advance: Crevice Gardening
Previous classes from 2023
Basic Design Principles –by Lauren Wilson, local landscape designer
This class walks you through the design principles for a water-saving landscape that is open and inviting. Take advantage of areas receiving full exposure to the sun or learn how to use hydrozones which means positioning plants with similar water, soil, and sun needs together.
March 8, 2023, 6 p.m. (In-person class)
Western Best Practices: “Right Plant, Right Place, Right Practice” –Annie Barrow, Denver Botanic Gardens
Do you want to learn how to create a landscape that will survive on natural precipitation or a minimal amount of supplemental water? Annie’s innovative approach will help your plants thrive in a hot, arid climate like the Front Range.
March 22, 2023, 6 p.m. (In-person class)
Convert Your Irrigation System to Drip—Rita Jokerst, city of Greeley
Drip irrigation provides water to plants where they need it most -- at the roots. It can also help establish your new water-thrifty planting beds. Converting your irrigation system to drip may seem intimidating, but Rita guides you through the process of retrofitting an existing overhead sprinkler zone to a drip zone.
April 19, 2023, 6 p.m. (In-person class)
How To Seed Your Native Lawn—Don Hijar, Pawnee Buttes Seed Company
Do you want a native lawn, but find the process a little daunting? Seeding a native lawn is different than rolling out bluegrass sod. Don will share his knowledge about when to plant and how to maintain the yard while during the establishment period.
May 3, 2023, 6 p.m. (In-person class)
Cold Hardy Cacti and Succulents—Tony Koski, CSU Extension Turf Grass Specialist
Succulents and cacti have grown in popularity with gardeners who want a hardy, low-water plant. Some succulents are more suited to being grown indoors as a houseplant and others are perfect for your outdoor garden. Tony will help you decide which one is right for you.
May 31, 6:00 p.m.
How to Build a Rain Garden- Riley Lynch, Colorado Stormwater Center
Rain gardens are beautiful gardens, full of native plants, that are watered only with the rain. During this workshop with the leaders, we'll cover design, sizing, and plant choice to conserve water and save money on your water bill!