|
Written by Colorado Green NOW
|
|
Wednesday, November 09, 2022 03:00 AM |
|
Red Birds in a Tree - a native 'must-have'
Red Birds in a Tree (Scrophularia macrantha) is one of the most beloved North American native plants by gardeners across the nation. How do we know? Just google “Red Birds in” and you will see how many nurseries sell this plant, which is actually very rare in nature. Plant Select and High Country Gardens brought this plant into cultivation in the early 2000s, which may have saved it from becoming listed as endangered due to climate change and mining. Prominent plantsman David Salman, appropriately named this figwort Red Birds in a Tree. One look at the flowers, and you’ll see the joyfully singing red birds and you’ll never forget its descriptive common name.
Red Birds in a Tree is native to the Sky Islands – mountains surrounded by deserts – of New Mexico in only three counties, more specifically in the mountains of the Mimbres Mountains, Kneeling Nun and Cook's Peak. It grows on steep, rocky, usually north-facing igneous cliffs and talus slopes, and in montane coniferous forests. Early botanists called this plant Mimbres figwort because of its location. Red Birds in a Tree is one of the few species of Scrophularia with red flowers. Most “scrophs” have terminal clusters of small greenish brown to purplish-brown flowers that wouldn’t stand out in a garden setting. And here’s some trivia. The genus name Scrophularia comes from scrofula, a form of tuberculosis. In the past, several species of figworts were used in herbal medicine to treat this disease.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Colorado Green NOW
|
|
Wednesday, November 09, 2022 02:00 AM |
|
Trust and honesty help retain employees
Companies share benefits and challenges
When Dan Grange, ALCC 2022 board president and hiring manager at BrightView Landscape Development, concluded in his July letter to members that “the cost of low trust is poor employee retention,” Colorado Green magazine wanted to explore this more deeply. ALCC sent a survey to all members with several questions to prompt their input on key issues affecting employee retention.
Responses are anonymous and mostly verbatim, and key findings are summarized here. ALCC received detailed responses from three companies that have been in business for a varying number of years. Each offers a broad suite of services including design, landscape construction, landscape installation and irrigation. Some offer additional services. Companies are referred to as follows:
-
Company B: 21 years
-
Company c: 39 years
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Colorado Green NOW
|
|
Wednesday, November 09, 2022 01:00 AM |
|
Colorado law requires landscape professionals to have a valid nursery license
It is that time of year again for landscape professionals to submit the renewal for their Nursery license. All nursery licenses expire December 31st. There are some changes to be aware of before submitting your Nursery application for 2023 -- in particular that paper applications will no longer be accepted. Registering online will be the only way to renew for the 2023 registration year.
To regulate plant quality, those that sell or distribute nursery stock for commercial purposes must register as a “Nursery” with the CDA. All growing nurseries (includes sod farms), retailers that sell nursery stock, landscape contractors, brokers, and collectors must register if selling or distributing nursery stock for commercial purposes.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Written by Colorado Green NOW
|
|
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 04:00 AM |
|
Denver’s St. Charles Park gets revamped
In business 39 years, Western States Reclamation, Inc., (WSR), Frederick, has continued to grow and diversify. “To this day, we are a family- and employee-owned company staying true to our values of always delivering what was promised to our customers and building incredible natural environments,” says Adam Bappe, business development and project manager.
“WSR got to be a part of a unique project that benefited a great neighborhood,” states project manager, Joe Schneider. And the company received the 2021 Gold ELITE Award for Commercial Landscape Construction.
Reimagining a north Denver neighborhood park
In a north Denver neighborhood, St. Charles Recreation Center serves as a refuge for neighborhood youth. With new development coming, in 2017 a partnership was created with community members to reimagine the park and make it a shared space for all members of the community. Valerian Landscape Architecture helped bring the vision together with a youth group that formed—St. Charles Ambassadors —to ensure direct community representation through the design process.
This third phase, culminating in 2021, of a multi-year project, constructed by Western States Reclamation, includes three nature playgrounds, swings, climbers, log borders and boulder walls, decorative gateways with lighting, new plantings, trails, a new recreation center entrance and more.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
