Broomfield’s Xeriscape Demonstration Garden

Good to the Last Drop

Be sure to visit Broomfield’s Xeriscape Demonstration Garden soon if you want to enjoy the fall foliage – the leaves are dropping fast!  If you’re wondering about the sculpture… Sky Totem by Warren Cullar was installed in 2009 as part of the Broomfield Art in Public Places program. See map below for directions.

Broomfield Demonstration Garden

Overview

Broomfield Master Gardeners designed and continue to maintain the Xeriscape demonstration garden located in the heart of Broomfield. It is within a short walk of the main City and County Building, the Broomfield Community Center, The Bay Aquatic Park, and the Broomfield Library.

The garden was designed to showcase the wide variety of beautiful and unique plants that thrive in our climate with only a limited amount of supplemental water.

The Broomfield Xeriscape Demonstration Garden is a collaboration between the City and County of Broomfield, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Colorado State University Extension in Broomfield. The garden is also a Plant Select® Demonstration Garden.

Need ideas for your backyard? Stop by this hidden gem throughout the seasons to see the continually changing landscape. The demo garden is updated each summer with brand new, tested varieties from Plant Select®.

Location

The Broomfield Xeriscape Demonstration Garden is located southeast of the George DiCiero City and County Building near the intersection of Descombes Drive and Spader Way. The exact GPS coordinates are 39.91948572592759, -105.06789305145377.

Xeriscape Garden Themes and Plants

The Broomfield Demonstration Garden consists of 11 smaller gardens. Find a plant list for each themed area:

• Animal Garden
• Border Garden
• Pollinator Garden
• Grandma’s Garden
• Ornamental Grass Garden
• Patriotic Garden
• Streetscape
• Whimsical Garden
• Rock Garden
• Prairie Garden
• Sensory Garden

Learn more about the specific plants found in the garden.

Xeriscaping 101

On average Broomfield and the surrounding area receives 15 inches of precipitation per year. Compared to other areas of the country that receive anywhere from 30 to 70 inches of natural precipitation yearly, we live in a semi-arid climate.

After a severe drought and watering restrictions in the early 1980s, a group of landscape architects, horticulturists, irrigation specialists and representatives from Colorado State University Extension, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Denver Water put their heads together to develop a way to have beautiful water-wise landscapes.

The result was xeriscaping, a style of landscaping that focuses on water conservation and the use of interesting plants that use water efficiently and can be tailored to complement any home design.  The term resulted from combining the word landscape and the Greek word xeros, meaning dry.

Seven Principles of Xeriscaping

1.  Plan and design

2.  Improve the soil

3.  Limit turf area or select turf alternatives

4.  Irrigate efficiently

5.  Select plants appropriate to the conditions and group plants with like needs together

6.  Mulch to reduce evaporation

7.  Provide regular maintenance

Plant Select®

Plant Select® is a program whose mission is to seek out and promote the best plants for gardens from the high plains to the intermountain region.  It is a cooperative program administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University Extension, together with landscape and nursery professionals throughout the region.  Plant Select® plants are found throughout this garden and are widely available in nurseries and garden centers.

Broomfield Master Gardeners are happy to discuss xeriscaping and answer gardening questions. Call 303-464-5554 or visit the office or one of the Master Gardener sponsored events.