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Petunias, marigolds, cosmos, bachelor buttons and zinnias typically create the backbone of my annual garden. They are reliable, hardy and bloom all summer. While I will not forsake these annuals in some areas, I am planting a new bed of native plants this year. Their qualities include requirements for less water and fertilizer and the added benefit of attracting a variety of birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects.
A Colorado native perennial is defined as a plant existing here prior to European settlement. Colorado has five "life zones" for plants as defined by elevation, so not every native is well suited for every part of Colorado. My Broomfield yard is in the Plains life zone, designated as an elevation of 3,500 to 5,500 feet, whereas the Foothills life zone occurs from 5,500 to 8,000 feet. To choose plants, I consulted the table of Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes on the Colorado State University Extension website.
Native plants should be purchased from a nursery or mail order. Never dig up wild plants. It can even be illegal. Plants in the wild are a necessary part of the biodiversity of their area. Animals, birds or insects may rely on that plant. Many native plants have 'look-alike' non-natives. Use the Latin name at the nursery or when ordering to get a true native species. For example, the Rocky Mountain penstemon is a robust grower in sun to part-shade, blooming blue to blue-purple, but there are many penstemons on the market and some are not native, so I am looking for penstemon strictus.
Native plants, unlike many garden specimens, can often be grown in, or even prefer, unamended soils. They do not require nutrient rich, high organic content soil and may become overgrown or short lived in such soil. Native plants do require well-drained soil, so heavy clay soil may need to be amended with 10 percent compost and 15 percent small aggregate (such as pea gravel) by volume to clay. A sandy soil should be amended with 3 percent compost by volume. Supplemental moisture may be necessary for a few months to several years after planting, but is then gradually reduced. Nursery grown transplants are best planted in spring or early fall.
Growing native perennials does not exclude using adapted non-native plants, but I am going to make an effort to seek out the natives. On my list are Bee balm, Colorado Columbine, Mexican hat prairie coneflower and many other colorful native plants.
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