The Gardens on Spring Creek

Blooming Blurbs: Silly Lilies By Finn Beckman If I ask you to think of a lily , w hat do you think of? Maybe daylilies and their short- lived but vibrant flowers, or maybe your mind wanders into the water to think of water lilies and frogs hopping from pad to pad. There are many plants that use the name lily but taxonomically speaking , t he lily family is smaller than you might assume. In fact, it doesn't even include the two plants mentioned above. But do not fret! In this week’s blooming blurb, we are going to take a trip around The Gardens to clarify what is and what isn’t truly a lily.  Our first stop is the Daylily Garden,  located on the west side of the visitor center building on our grounds .  Hemerocallis cvs . , or daylilies , are native to China and Japan . Growing up to 2.5'  tall and across , most prefer full sun to part shade. Although they may resemble true lilies , Hemerocallis have several differences that set them in the Asph...

  by Ben Stickland This week, we are exploring The Gardens and looking at plants with funky and unique flowers! Different shapes, textures and colors are a great way to add interest and drama to a garden, and we will be highlighting how these cool plants can do just that. Round-headed Garlic ( Allium   sphaerocephalon) Round-headed garlic, sometimes called drumstick allium, is a perennial flowering bulb in the Amaryllidaceae (onion/amaryllis family). It is native to Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa, and is well-adapted to the high and dry conditions of the Colorado garden. Drumstick allium sports slender gray-green leaves and will send out a 2-3 foot flower stalk in early summer. It is notable for being one of the last Allium species in the garden to bloom, reaching it’s peak in early July in Fort Collins. Unlike other Alliums , the flower is egg shaped and has a unique bicolor effect as the flowers change from light green to a deep magenta. Drumstick alliums prefe...