Demo garden in Loveland packed with xeriscape ideas

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Good things often come in small packages, and the Jeff Peterson Xeriscape Garden in Loveland is one of them. The garden, this month's "Garden on the Go," honors the memory of a Loveland City Council member who died at age 25. It's located at the corner of First Street and Washington Avenue, just north of Foote Lagoon.

This small but enchanting garden was filled with thistles and other weeds just 15 years ago. Laurie D'Audney, who worked for the Loveland Water and Power Department at the time as a water conservation specialist, decided it would be a great location for a xeriscape demonstration garden.

The garden was designed by EDAW, a worldwide landscape design firm with an office in Fort Collins. About 200 volunteers planted the garden in 1995, and it was deemed complete in 1997.

The garden packs a lot of plants--and a lot of information--into a narrow space that's one block long. It includes more than 60 varieties of flowers, as well as ornamental grasses, groundcovers, shrubs and trees. Most plants are identified with signs, and a brochure with a complete listing of plants is available at the garden. In a strip between the sidewalk and the street, the city shows off different types of turf grasses--including smooth brome and tall fescue--that use much less water than Kentucky bluegrass.

Several brick half-walls serve as attractive backdrops for plants. Also --no surprise--two sculptures add that distinctive Loveland touch. In the gazebo, there's information about the seven xeriscape principles. The gazebo design includes hearts and water drops to represent Loveland's precious water resources.

Plaques stationed around the garden debunk common myths about xeriscape gardening. For instance, according to one of the signs, it's not true that the goal of xeriscape gardening is to get rid of all grass. The idea is "less lawn, not lawn-less."

Another myth is that creating and maintaining a xeriscape garden is expensive. On the contrary, good xeriscape design can preclude the need for expensive automatic irrigation systems, and many designs require little or no regular maintenance.

Even if a person isn't looking for information, the Jeff Peterson Xeriscape Garden is a restful, pretty place - a great spot to spend a lunch hour or a summer evening. There's a lot blooming there - from purple wine-cups to pineleaf penstemons to butterfly bushes. July is a great month to visit the garden.

A good source for more information about xeriscape gardening is "Xeriscape Colorado: The Complete Guide" by Connie L. Ellefson and David Winger. The book is available at both public libraries in Fort Collins and the Loveland Public Library.

For those who want to get the most value for their gasoline buck, it's always fun to visit the Benson Park Sculpture Garden while in Loveland. This garden is located on 29th Street, just east of Taft Avenue.