There are several demonstration gardens at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, Colorado. Come and explore! The gardens are accessible any time and surround the Natural Resources Building on the Southwest corner of the fairgrounds. To access the gardens, enter the fairgrounds off of Nelson Road in the entrance closest to Hover Road. Learn what plants thrive in our environment.

Deryn Davidson: Award for demonstration garden is a bright spot during tough times

By all accounts, these are trying times. So last week when the CSU Extension Boulder County Demonstration Garden received a Plant Select  Showcase Garden Award, it felt extra-sweet.

Plant Select Garden

The Plant Select® Garden is located on the south and west sides of the building. Spearheaded by the CSU Horticulture Department and the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Plant Select program trials plants that perform well in our region. As a result, these varieties are highly recommended for gardeners and landscapers in our climate. For more information on the Plant Select® program, visit the website: http://www.plantselect.org You will find a complete list of plants and locations of other Plant Select demonstration gardens around the state.

Rock & Hell Strip Gardens

The Rock and Hell Strip Demonstration Gardens were installed in 2017 around our parking lot. These types of areas are often neglected and unsightly due to difficult growing conditions. With a little extra preparation, these demo garden’s have become the staff’s favorite. The correct planting pallet can create valuable additions to any landscape. Delve into the options for difficult areas!

Native Plant Garden

There is an exciting trend happening in the world of horticulture. Professional landscape designers and architects are utilizing Colorado’s native plants’ strengths in large-scale settings and in private gardens. Using indigenous plants in everyday settings is becoming the norm.

Colorado native plants are suited to home gardens and commercial sites. They are adaptable to our local soils and climate, so they need fewer resources like water and fertilizer. As a result, they are typically more resilient than traditional landscape plants. To demonstrate the beauty of our state’s native plants, the Colorado Native Garden was installed in 2018. Check out the native plantings on the east side of the building. These plants thrive easily while encouraging native and non-native pollinator habitats.

Our Native Plant Master page has more info on natives in our area…

Grass, Crop & Pollinator Trial Garden

The trial garden was established to provide landowners with a visual idea of what native grasses, pollinator and cover crop mixes look like and how they can be utilized on small acreages. Trial plots are available for viewing 365 days/year.