In Colorado Springs, a garden is proving that beauty and conservation can grow side by side — even in the desert.
The Water Wise Demonstration Garden, maintained by Colorado Springs Utilities, just won the top national honor in education from the American Public Garden Association: the Garden Excellence Award. It's the kind of award usually given to large botanical gardens and arboretums, making this small Colorado garden's win especially notable.
What makes the garden special? Native plants. In Colorado's arid climate, where water is precious, this garden stays green all summer long while watering most of its plants just once a week. That is remarkable for a desert region where many lawns need water every day.
"This garden shows that you don't have to choose between having a beautiful yard and saving water," said a spokesperson for Colorado Springs Utilities.
The garden features model front-yard designs that homeowners can copy. Visitors can walk through plots showing different ways to arrange native flowers, grasses, and shrubs that already thrive in Colorado's dry climate. The goal is to inspire people to their water-hungry lawns with landscapes that nature already supports.
The site is open to anyone for free self-guided tours. Staff members are on hand from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer questions about which plants work best for different yards.
The community can celebrate the garden's achievement on August 1 at 8 a.m. during "Coffee and Conservation," an event featuring cake and free guided tours.
For a region facing ongoing drought and water shortages, the Water Wise Demonstration Garden offers a hopeful message: small changes in how we garden can make a big difference for the environment.