The Gardens on Spring Creek

What's Blooming: Fall Colors in the Foothills Garden By Jessica Clarke, Horticulturist Colorado’s fall may not be as long-lived as those of the East Coast, but it is a spectacular sight to see. Walking through a golden aspen grove, listening to the crunch of leaves under your feet, and seeing the snow-crusted mountain tops, you truly get a sense that Mother Nature is putting on her crowning glory. The aspens and the mountaintops are not the only ones putting on a show; many other natives are decked out and showing off their grand colors before the long winter sleep. In the Foothills Garden at the Gardens on Spring Creek, you can learn what natives to look for this fall while you are out exploring nature’s goodies. Let’s begin with a showstopper that is prevalent throughout the state of Colorado: Quercus, known commonly as oaks. Quercus are an interesting group of plants in general. One could do a whole thesis on the subject. Their ability to naturally hybridize with one another pr