This one-day workshop for homeowners and professionals is designed to promote high-quality, sustainable landscapes that reflect a sense of place in Colorado's northern Front Range.

Featured Presentations by Mary Ann Newcomer:

Mary Ann Newcomer is a horticulturalist, garden designer, speaker and writer in Boise, Idaho. Her articles have been published in Mary Jane's Farm, Fine Gardening and The American Gardener. Her first book, The Rocky Mountain Gardener's Guide, will be published in early 2012.

Pioneer Plants for the 21st Century Garden
"Scentimental," enduring, beautiful, rugged, historical and drought tolerant - these all describe heirloom perennials and annuals. Glorious antique varieties of peonies, iris, roses, narcissus, daylilies, hollyhocks and others will be taking center stage. Learn about these stalwart beauties in contemporary settings.

Creating Beautiful Garden Tapestries
Many of us struggle to find pleasing, colorful perennial partners for our beds and borders. Learn how to look for the common color characteristics, or color "echoes," and tie them together from one plant to the next for a harmonious composition.

Other Programs:

What's Growing On: Vines for Colorado Gardens
Curtis Utley, CSU Extension.
Learn about selection, culture and utilization of vines for Colorado landscapes.

Water Smart Rock Gardening
Kirk Fieseler, Laporte Avenue Nursery.
Learn how to build and plant a rock garden with water conservation in mind.

Download the brochure for complete details and a registration form or call 970-416-2486 to register.

The High Plains Landscape Workshop is a fundraiser for the Gardens on Spring Creek.

Adult Education Classes: March, 2012

Call us at 970-416-2486 to register for adult education classes.

It's a Bird...It's a Bee...It's Bio-Diversity: Welcoming Wildlife to Your Garden
Saturday, March 3, 10 a.m. - noon
$15 members / $18 non-members
Learn how native plants and sustainable gardening practices play a unique role in providing food, nectar and habitat for wildlife. Participants will come away with design ideas and a list of plants to start creating bio-diversity in their own gardens.
Instructor: Anne Clark, Anne Clark Design, and Sally Guthart, Earthborn Landscape

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop
Saturday, March 3, 1 p.m.–3 p.m.
$15 members / $18 non-members
In this workshop, you’ll learn proper pruning techniques to promote overall tree health and to encourage good fruit yields. A portion of this class will be held outdoors so please dress for the weather.
Instructor: Tom Throgmorton, Throgmorton Plant Management

Vegetable Garden Planning Clinics: Maximize Your Garden’s Bounty
Saturday, March 10, hourly appointments: 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m.
$35 members / $40 non-members
Meet one-on-one with a vegetable garden expert and get advice on issues such as spacing, recommended varieties, and succession planting specifically for your site. Bring site dimensions, information on orientation, a list of priority crops, and number and size of containers if applicable.

Landscape Design for Colorado Gardens
Saturday, March 17, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
$45 members / $50 non-members
Learn about plants that thrive in Colorado and how to use them creatively in the landscape, discover plants for trouble spots and options for edging, hardscaping and mulching. The morning session will cover design essentials and in the afternoon students will create their own design. Please bring pictures, measurements, sun exposure/aspect and information on irrigation. Bring a lunch!
Instructor: Joanie Schneider, Sustainescapes Landscaping

Ornamental and Shade Tree Pruning Workshop
Saturday, March 31, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
$15 members / $18 non-members
Watch Fort Collins City Forester, Tim Buchanan, in action as he demonstrates proper pruning techniques for ornamental and shade trees. You’ll also learn how pruning affects the health and growth of your trees. Class will be held entirely outside so please dress for the weather.
Instructor: Tim Buchanan, City of Fort Collins Forester

Register for School Break Camps in person or by phone: 416-2486. Pre-registration required.

Spring Break Camp
6 - 11 year olds
March 12th - 16th, 9 a.m. - noon
$110 with a family membership / $125 for non-members
Opportunities for exploration and investigation of gardening and the natural world.

Fairy Garden Camp
6 - 11 year olds
March 13th - 15th, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
$60 with a family membership / $70 for non-members
A 3-day mini-camp for youth interested in the creative process of designing, planting, and caring for a miniature garden. Campers will create a garden to take home and help plan The Gardens' Fairy Garden.

Summer Camp
6 - 11 year olds
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon
$110 per week with a family membership / $125 for non-members

• Art in the Garden I: June 4 – 8
• All About Bees: June 11 – 15
• Nature Detectives: June 18 – 22
• Gardeners and Chefs I: June 25 – 29
• Art in the Garden II: July 9 – 13
• Winged Wonders: July 16 – 20
• Insect Investigations: July 23 – 27
• Backyard Adventures: July 30 – August 3
• "Dirt" Camp: August 6 – 10
• Gardeners and Chefs II: August 13 – 17

This program will help your child develop school readiness skills such as early language, comprehension, and fine motor skills while encouraging creativity, curiosity, and exploration of the natural world. This is a parent participation class.

• Monday: 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. and 11:00 to 11:45 a.m.
• Tuesday: 10:00 to 10:45 a.m and 11:00 to 11:45 a.m.
• $3 per child
• Drop-in (registration not required).
• Each class limited to 20 students.

February:

• Week of 2/6: Little White Duck
• Week of 2/13: Valentine Cards
• Week of 2/20: Honey Butter (Tuesday only. The Gardens is closed on Monday, 2/20 for President's Day.)
• Week of 2/27: Flowering Shrubs