Gardening & Landscaping at High Altitude 
An Approach to Sustainable Landscaping in the Telluride Region

by Elisabeth Gick

Telluride, Colorado, USA

Sustainable landscapes are those which contribute to human well-being and at the same time are in harmony with the natural environment. They do not deplete or damage other eco-systems. While human activity will have altered native patterns, a sustainable landscape will work with native conditions in its structure and function. Valuable resources—water, nutrients, soil etc.—and energy will be conserved; diversity of species will be maintained or increased. 

-- Robert L. Thayer, Jr.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TELLURIDE ECOLOGY

• Life zones
• Ecosystems in Telluride Region
• Climate
• Soil

DESIGNING A SUSTAINABLE HOME LANDSCAPE

• Goals and definitions
• Ways to accomplish these goals
• Native, exotic and invasive plants
• Xeriscaping

MAINTAINING IT

• Watering
• Mulches and Fertilizers
• Mowing, pruning, cutting < NO TEXT ON THIS>
• Winterizing < NO TEXT ON THIS>

CONCLUSION <NEED MORE HERE>

MAP TO SUSTAINABLE GARDENS IN TELLURIDE AREA <for "green flag" project?>

LISTS

• Plant lists <break down index here by types of plants?>
• Suppliers <break down by area and kind?>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TELLURIDE ECOLOGY
The beauty and variety of the natural landscape in the Telluride Region of Southwestern Colorado were certainly important incentives for each one of us to move here. When creating our home landscapes and gardens we should take clues from this gorgeous native landscape. Not only will our plants do better, we'll actually have the opportunity to help the surrounding ecosystem rather than interrupting and endangering it. We will also help preserve the local identity. Too often home landscapes take on the same uniform look in Connecticut, Louisiana, or at the high elevations of Colorado. As newcomers to this area we bring with us a familiar image of what a garden should look like--eventhough we now live in a challenging climate, at high elevation, surrounded by exquisite, though unfamiliar vegetation.

The better we understand the elements and functions of the natural landscape, the more we will appreciate its fragility and unique beauty.

Life Zones
These guidelines are intended for people who live within the watershed of the upper San Miguel River, from the Bridal Veil Power Plant down to Placerville and from Trout Lake to Grey Head. Within these boundaries the land drops from over 13,000 feet at the east end to about 7,000 feet in Placerville.

Whereas Placerville still belongs to the "foothills zone," which reaches from about 6000 feet to 8000 feet, the Town of Telluride and the majority of the development land in the region occupy the "montane zone" from about 8,000 to 10,000 feet, bordering the "subalpine zone," which reaches up to tree line where the "alpine zone" or tundra takes over. Going up 1,000 feet is like going north 600 miles. Walking from Placerville to Tomboy takes you through the same life zones as traveling to the Alaskan Arctic. As you move up, or north, the amount of rainfall increases and the temperature drops, making the growing season shorter and shorter. Sun and wind, however, become more intense as you climb higher. With the climate, the vegetation changes. Pinon pine gives way to Ponderosa pine, to Douglas fir, to Engelmann spruce, until finally we come upon conditions that are too harsh for any tree to survive: the Alpine tundra. Placerville’s climate is warmer, drier, and less extreme than Telluride’s. Telluride’ is warmer, drier, and less extreme than that of the (ghost) town of Tomboy. Told differently, the first crocus bloom in Placerville when it’s still slush season in Telluride and solid winter in Tomboy.

(These “life zones” are different from the “growing zones” established by the USDA; more on that on the next page.)

Ecosystems in the Telluride Region
Within these zones we can distinguish a variety of ecosystems: There are the open, fairly dry Ponderosa pine forests on the west facing slopes of Wilson Mesa; dark, moist, cool spruce/fir forests on the north facing slope above town, throughout the Ski Ranches, and all around and above Mountain Village; their ecological role is to store winter moisture into the hot summer months. Sunny aspen groves with their splendid understory of wildflowers and grasses occur at all elevations, sometimes as pure stands, sometimes mixed with conifers. And then there are wetlands, along the streams, at the banks of ponds and lakes, in major drainages and in basins, cirques and valley bottoms; they are highly productive ecosystems, second only to rainforests. On mesa tops and on some of the gentler slopes we find grasslands and meadows, often called “parks” in Colorado.

Although the dominant tree species often gives the ecosystem its name, shrubs, herbs, and various groundcovers are much more numerous and diverse in our mountain environment.

Native ecosystems are fairly stable plant and animal communities thriving in a certain area determined by climate, topography, and soil. The edges are not precisely defined, so that there is some overlap between systems, offering an even greater diversity of plant and animal species. Although stable and self-sustaining, these systems are not static: Increase in the population of one or the other species will change the conditions for all others, thereby gradually changing the whole system. We can witness such a succession in the mixed aspen/conifer forests where over the years the conifers out-shade the aspens.

More abrupt changes are caused by fire, drought, flood, avalanches, blites, and beetle kill. Yet another type of change is brought about by the beaver, or by humans.

Climate 
The montane zone, at 8,000 – 10,000 feet, receives 20 to 24 inches of precipitation annually. By comparison, less than 14 inches of rain fall in Denver, CO, more than 44 inches in Amherst, MA. Much of the local precipitation falls as snow, the rest as rain, sleet, graupel or hail. August has been the wettest month in recent years.

The average air temperature is 37 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows dipping into the negative twenties and the occasional high in the nineties. Only 60 to 80 days are frost-free, enough to grow root vegetables, lettuce and strawberries, not enough for fruit trees or tomatoes.

The sun shines on 300 days per year with high intensity, even in winter. Humidity is very low, the air therefore very clear. Low humidity also means that the air cannot hold heat well; the temperature drops significantly within minutes of the sun setting; nights are always cool to chilly. Weather changes can be rapid and extreme.

The US Department of Agriculture puts us into growing zone 3 based on minimum winter temperatures. Many plant catalogues or nursery tags will use this designation to indicate a plant’s cold hardiness. It says nothing about a plant’s tolerance of aridity, thin air and thin soil.

Soil 
Literally and figuratively, the soil is the foundation, the ground that supports it all. Soil is ground up rock with a thin layer of decayed organic material on top. Water, wind, heat and cold, lichens and other persistent plants eat away at the rock, gradually transforming it into soil. Although considered a renewable resource, soil can't renew itself as fast as it is washed away, blown off, poisoned, paved over, or otherwise destroyed.

Soil in the Rocky Mountains is young, often thin, and somewhat alkaline (that is to say, the pH level is slightly elevated as opposed to acidic soil which has a low pH level). Yet, it is full of life. Microorganisms, algae, fungi, worms, the larvae of insects and beetles, and a few burrowing animals live in it in a complex symbiosis. A shovel full of fertile garden “dirt” contains more living organisms than there are people on the globe.

Picking up a handful of moist dirt and trying to roll it into a ball will tell you a lot about the composition of your soil: if it is too sandy, it'll fall apart. If it contains too much clay, it will be a sticky, gooey mess. Neither one is desirable, since sandy soils don't retain enough nutrients and drain water too fast, whereas clay soils are too dense for good root development and sometimes hold water too long. Both deficiencies are best remedied the same way: by adding organic matter, preferably compost. John Seymour, the guru of organic gardening, lists 15 advantages of adding compost to the soil: "There is no soil that doesn't benefit and no crop that doesn't improve!"

The soil around a new home needs help, no matter how perfect it may have been before construction. What you probably find in your yard is compacted post construction mix that needs to be loosened and enriched. A pitchfork works well, since it is not necessary to actually turn every square foot upside down.

Add a minimum of four to six inches of good topsoil (your own, if it was scraped off and stored on site or import it from commercial yards; see appendix) plus a generous helping of well-rotted manure or compost, available by the truck load or in bags. Work the good soil and the amendments into the existing soil on your lot.

The sooner soil gets covered after a disturbance such as construction, the better, so as not to give thistles and dandelions too easy an entry, or let wind and water carry it away.

Vegetable gardeners can obtain a scientific soil test from specialized labs; call the Montrose cooperative extension service for more info: 970-249-3935. Or visit the CSU TriRiver Extension website on Gardening and Horticulture at: http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/index.html

Organic mulch

DESIGNING A SUSTAINABLE HOME LANDSCAPE
Sustainable, ecological, native, organic, environmentally sensitive—whatever the buzz word: these guidelines are written for the property owner, gardener and landscaper in the Telluride Region who respects the natural integrity and ecological balance of our environment and wishes to nurture it in his/her own yard. They advocate a way of "natural gardening" in harmony with nature, yet suited to individual needs and tastes.

Nature’s places, no matter how beautiful and moving we may find them to be, are not yet gardens; they become gardens only when shaped by our actions and engaged with our dreams.

--Charles Moore, William Mitchell, and Bill Turnbull, The Poetics of Gardens

Goals 
In this age of environmental degradation we have to balance the goals of restoration and preservation with the tradition of marking our territory. The improvements we make in our yards could be a tiny step towards helping the planet survive.

A sustainable landscape aims for:
• preservation of local character
• preservation or restoration of ecosystems
• prevention of invasive species
• protection of topsoil
• conservation of energy and resources
• use of healthy, non-polluting materials

Considerations and Ideas
The following considerations and ideas will help you achieve these goals; they apply anywhere in the region, even if your neighborhood or subdivision has a specific set of landscape regulations.

Climate, for the most part, is a given. Subtle modifications are possible and often desirable. You can create shady places by planting trees and shrubs; privacy and a wind break through berming; moisture holding flowerbeds by terracing. Boulders and rocks create a microclimate: the soil beneath them retains its moisture, the boulder itself stores warmth from the sun. Plants therefore love to snuggle up to a boulder, for a perfect Colorado landscape look. Take advantage of the different microclimates on your property: The east side, which tends to be protected from winter winds and receives the most amount of beneficial sunshine, could be the ideal spot for a combination of ornamentals and edibles. A stream or other natural source of moisture provides the perfect environment for lush wetlands plants.

Topsoil should be scraped and stored for re-use at new construction sites. It contains many viable seeds that are totally site- specific, together with all the necessary nutrients. Bare soil, whether imported or re-applied after construction, needs to be covered as soon as possible with seed and mulch or starter plants in order to prevent erosion and to control invasive weeds. Straw mulch often contains an abundance of undesirable seeds; erosion control blankets work better (make sure to get one with jute rather than plastic netting, since the plastic does not biodegrade within a year as the manufacturer claims, and small animals can get entangled in it). Taking care of the soil is the organic gardener’s first priority; healthy plant growth follows from there.

Gentle changes in grading direct the flow of water away from structures, to areas where it is needed. Personal needs for privacy or screening might require additional alterations, such as berms or mounds - use sparingly!

Plant choices: Native plants, exotic plants 
Native plants are the Genius Loci, the Spirit of the Place.

For centuries gardeners have experimented with exotic, that is non-native, ornamentals trying to expand the palette of usable plant material, to create a special ambience, to introduce unusual color, texture, shapes or sizes. Most exotic species, however, do not provide adequate food and shelter for native wildlife and do not contribute to the ecosystem. They come in two groups: invasive and non–invasive.

Invasive introduced plants such as oxeye daisy and Canada thistle tend to colonize disturbed lands at the expense of the native species that haven’t developed defense mechanisms against the invaders. They spread rapidly if they are not controlled by whatever means necessary. These are our noxious weeds.

Non-invasive, non-native plants don’t pose an active threat to the native plants, but they don’t contribute to the native ecosystem either and most often they have a very hard time surviving the challenging conditions they find around here. The occasional, non-native, non-invasive plant that will live and grow at this altitude is just fine, if it fulfills a function a native plant wouldn’t provide equally. A crabapple tree for example, more easily lends a feeling of “home” to a front yard than an aspen tree.

Native plants, on the other hand, are adapted and perfectly suited to the harsh climate, thin soil and wildlife. Their water needs are met by rainfall and snowmelt and they can withstand the frost, the intense sun, and desiccating winds. They have proven their resistance to the occasional dry summer. Also, they represent the greatest diversity possible in the given environment. Native plants do not require pesticides or artificial fertilizer, and they require only little maintenance: a mountain meadow wants no mowing, an aspen tree no pruning. Native plants live in balance with each other and with the animals they feed and shelter; native plants and animals depend on each other. Lastly, native plants help make up the look that attracted many of us to Telluride in the first place. Turfgrass and petunias are ubiquitous and non-descript. Silver lupine, twinberry and Engelman spruce are unique and site specific.

Plant rescues are a great way of obtaining native plants; try to save all healthy plants of manageable size that would otherwise be bulldozed at new construction at your own property or in the neighborhood. The Telluride Garden Fairies have used this sustainable approach for many years to the delight of all their beneficiaries.

Wildflower meadows have become very popular. Again, it is important to choose the species carefully. Many prepackaged wildflower mixes contain varieties that will either not thrive at high altitude or have become noxious weeds because of lack of native competition. Please read the label carefully. A safe alternative is to order your own special mix from a reliable, knowledgeable seed company. If grass seed is added to the mix at a ratio of 1/3 grass seed, 2/3 wildflower seed, the resulting meadow will be even more natural looking. Recommended grasses are fescues or blue grama grass. However, please don’t be fooled by the gorgeous picture of a wildflower meadow in a seed catalogue: that picture was taken on the perfect day, with perfect light, when the flowers were in their all-season prime.

Grasses play a vital role in our native landscape. Seed is available from the same suppliers (see appendix) or you can even go out and collect your own; since grasses tend to produce large seed heads this is fun. Hand broadcast the seeds just before the first snowfall and watch the grass grow in spring. Reseed in the spring and once more in the fall, if necessary.

A bluegrass lawn needs too much water, fertilizer and on-going maintenance to be sustainable, even though it has some redeeming qualities. A nice thick turf prevents run-off, minimizes soil erosion, filters the water before it enters the aquifer; it reduces environmental pollutants, such as dust, pollen, noise, heat; it supports microorganisms, and still makes a wonderful play-space for kids of all ages; it provides a soft, calm foreground for an exuberant flowerbed. Weighing all the pros and cons, please try to limit your lawn’s size or consider replacing it with a deck or patio if it mostly serves as a sitting and entertaining area. Tall fescue, is a less thirsty alternative to Kentucky Bluegrass; it is available as sod.

Tall Fescue

Now, that you have graded your lot for proper drainage and water retention, amended the soil, placed the boulders and decided on a truckload of native plants – is there a more or less sustainable way of arranging them? For the casual look, you will take your inspiration from nature and group trees of different sizes in an informal pattern, under-plant them with shrubs, grasses and flowers just the way they like to grow outside the property line. Such design that imitates nature might be the most successful and easiest to maintain. However, I don’t think sustainability is at stake if you let the artist in you roam freely and have fun with unusual planting arrangements (aspens on a grid), startling color schemes (the all-white flower garden), or unusual plant combinations (a mix of edible and ornamental).

Oxyeye daisies

A partial list of noxious plants in the upper San Miguel watershed includes: knapweed, thistle, dame’s rocket, toadflax, oxeye daisy, dandelion, etc. etc.

A word on Xeriscaping
The idea of “xeriscaping” was originally introduced in areas with a lot less precipitation than we have here, in order to reduce the amount of water used for the irrigation of ornamental landscapes. The term comes from the Greek word for “dry.”

Observing the basic principles of xeriscape (NOT zero-scape) will improve any home landscape:

1. Plan and design it
2. Limit the turf area
3. Irrigate efficiently
4. Improve the soil
5. Use mulches
6. Use low water demanding plants
7. Maintain appropriately

Native plants ARE xeriscape plants, since they don’t require supplemental watering after their establishment period. As explained above, they additionally have other desirable qualities that non-native drought resistant plants don’t have.

Be aware that plan lists in xeriscape publications are usually compiled with the semi-arid conditions and lower altitudes of the front range or even Southern California in mind. Many of the recommended plants will not survive our harsh winters (for example buffalo grass, which is usually suggested as a substitute for the non-native, rather thirsty Kentucky Bluegrass), other plants don’t appear in the lists, because they need too much water for conditions in Pueblo, for example, but will do great here, such as the quaking aspen.

MAINTENANCE
Sustainable landscapes thrive without power equipment and chemicals; they use water and other resources wisely; they are energy efficient, as they need no mowing, pruning, clipping, or green housing. They do not generate waste, as all dead material is allowed to rot on the spot or on a compost pile, nor do they cause pollution through chemical fertilizer and herbicide or pesticide application.

Regular soil conditioning with well-aged manure will eliminate to need for chemical fertilizers. Mixing well-rotted farm animal manures (especially cow, horse and chicken manure) into the soil provides an abundant supply of nitrogen to your plants. Nitrogen is the key nutrient plants use for growing leaves. If you can add an inch or so of compost to your garden each year, you probably don't need any additional fertilizers. Manure is easy to come by in our area. Although steer manure is a bit more nutritious than horse manure, the latter will do just fine. If you can only get fairly fresh manure, let it sit for a season (compost it) and never use fresh manure on food gardens. Composted steer manure is also readily available in bags at garden centers and large supermarkets. Work the manure gently into the top layer of soil, without damaging any roots. Or you can brew a manure tea and water your plants with it. Other gentle, but effective, fertilizer teas can be made from stinging nettle, dandelions, and other “weeds,” by soaking them in a watering can or barrel full of rain water for a few weeks. Make sure to gather the herbs/weeds before they set seed.

Is it okay to use Miracle Grow? As a water soluble fertilizer it is easily absorbed by plants and, indeed, makes them grow miraculously. It is a synthetic concoction of nitrogen, phosporus and potassium, at much higher doses than you would find in an organic fertilizer and therefore very stimulating to plant growth but damaging to the soil and its natural mechanisms (it is prohibited in certified organic farming). You can safely use it on ornamentals in containers or for your houseplants, but not in your garden soil where it would undo some of the good you are trying to achieve with manures and other organic fertilizers. And please don’t use peat moss. It is harvested (unsustainably) from peat bogs, rare, powerful ecosystems that should be left untouched.

The other common garden chemicals come in spray bottles, ready to kill. There are insect killers (insecticides), weed killers (herbicides) and fungus killers (fungicides). What makes us think that the ingredients that make these chemicals toxic to pests wouldn’t also be harmful to pets and children, and pollute our water supplies? Luckily, our high altitude gardens do not harbor many pests. We can get away without fungicides and insecticides, although we need some defense against pesky weeds. Weeds rob desirable plants of water, light, and soil nutrients. We have to be unforgiving with invasive ones, such as dandelions, thistles, or bindweed. Once they get established it is extremely laborious to get rid of them. Round-up and similar products have no place in the natural garden. Instead, try horticultural vinegar or get yourself into a meditative mood and start hand weeding. Great tools have been invented for that purpose.

What exactly is wrong with a bit of Round-up? Well, it is highly toxic. Produced and marketed by biotechnology giant Monsanto, who also brought us Agent Orange, PBCs and genetically engineered seed, Round-up increases the risk of cancer in those who regularly work with it. Doesn’t it make sense then, that it would kill microorganisms in the soil, along with that plant you want to get rid of, setting off an ecological chain reaction? When the micro organisms are gone, then the next higher species of creatures will die from starvation and so on until you have a dead system with plants on chemical life support.

Water
Water might be our most precious natural resource. We have to use is wisely and sparingly. Water shortages have occurred several times in the past few years in the Telluride Region. With more and more people moving here and more lawns being watered every year, the water supply is by no means guaranteed, even here at the top of the watershed.

Native plants in their naturally preferred places with their favorite companions need supplemental water only until they are firmly established. Depending on the natural rainfall this could mean extra watering every other day in the first season, less the next year, and none from the third year on, unless it is an especially dry one.

The options range from automated irrigation systems with humidity sensors to the more frugal drip irrigation system, to soaker hoses, or the watering can.

For people who travel a lot, second home owners, or those who readily admit that they don’t want to worry about their plants’ water needs, an automatic system fits just right. Timed appropriately, it can be more water conserving than a hose and sprinkler arrangement. Drip irrigation is often part of an overall sprinkler system; it works well for flower and shrub beds and for containers.

Small flower beds and vegetable gardens can also be watered the old fashioned way: with a watering can. Walking from plant to plant with your can in hand gives you the opportunity to look at each shrub and each flower face to face. You will enjoy colors, textures, smells, and other details that might easily go unnoticed otherwise. You can give your plants just the amount of water they need, watching out for runoff. Whenever you water, water deeply, so that your plants are encouraged to develop long strong roots, rather than shallow surface roots. Yellowing of the leaves often indicates over-watering.

Use a watering can!

Rainwater does your plants good. They actually prefer it to the chlorinated designer water that pours from the tap. If you do install a rain gutter and barrel, please make sure that children and small animals can’t get into it.

Other means to reduce water consumption in the garden include preventing runoff with the help of soil amendments, groundcovers and mulches, and by terracing the steepest areas. In order to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation, it makes good sense to water during the cooler times of the day. If you need to have a piece of lawn, design its size and shape in a way that it can easily be irrigated.

Mulches and Fertilizers
Mulch protects the soil from wind, hail, hard rain and desiccating sun. It helps retain moisture in the soil; it stabilizes soil temperature and protects shallow rooted plants from freeze damage and frost heaving; it keeps weeds at bay. Under a blanket of shredded leaves, straw, bark, or other organic matter the beneficial microorganisms can go about their work. Organic mulch has the added advantage of fertilizing the soil as it decomposes. However, even crushed rock and gravel or other non-organic materials can be used effectively as mulch, for all the other benefits.

Organic mulch

Snow is the ideal winter mulch; it protects plants from drastic changes in temperatures, from wind and sun. Plants suffer more in no-snow years than during winters with heavy snowfall.

CONCLUSION

Walk away from your landscape for two months and see what survives. What survives is sustainable, what doesn’t is on life support and should be replaced with more resource-efficient landscaping.

--Bob Perry, Earthword, Fall 1991

LISTS

Native Plants of the Montane Zone (8,500 – 10,000 FEET)

Montane Forest

TREES

SHRUBS

PERENNIALS

Many of the commercially available perennials are hybrids of native plants. Often, that's the best you can do. Most of them like lots of sunshine. Those marked with "c" are good for cutting. Many more native perennial wildflowers are available as seed.

GRASSES

Native grasses add greatly to the natural look. Many of them are available as seed. To be listed here, a certain species or variety had to be considered native at our altitude by at least two reliable reference books or persons. All are bunch grasses (as opposed to sod-forming grasses), so your future lawn will be a bit irregular and bumpy.

F = foothills , M = montane zone, S = subalpine zone, A = alpine zone

Grassmix recommended by the Town of Telluride:
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SUPPLIERS
Buying local goods from local suppliers is a major step toward sustainability!

Nurseries and Garden Centers within 75 miles

More than 75 miles from Telluride, but worth visiting!

Mail Order Seed Companies 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This document was made possible by a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and generous support from: San Miguel County Planning Department, Telluride Environmental Commission, Aldasoro Development Corp., Lawson Hill Property Owners and Telecam Partnership.

The 2006 revision was commissioned by the Town of Telluride Public Works Department. It was printed on 100% postconsumer recycled paper

The 2007 web-based version was created by Dan Collins, Deep Creek Arts, Telluride, CO.

Telluride , Colorado
July 2007