About 40% of your household water is used to grow and properly maintain bluegrass lawns that are not sustainable in the Colorado landscapes. Every February through May, Greeley offers a series of public lectures on a variety of landscape topics, and especially ways to save water outside.
Webinar: What’s Happening in Greeley Forestry?
Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Did you know that Greeley has a program to supply customers with a free shade or ornamental tree? Greeley's Forestry Manager, Shiloh Hatcher, will discuss the Share the Shade program, provide an update on the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Greeley, and cover tips for growing successful trees.
This webinar will be hosted on Teams.
Webinar: Life After Lawn: Lawn Replacement Program
Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Do you want to upgrade your landscape and save water too? This class is for both the homeowner and for larger property projects. We will walk you through what you will need to do to apply for Greeley's Life After Lawn rebate. Topics covered: Ways to remove the grass, basic design tips, what is and isn't included in the projects, what can be included in your design and ways to be budget friendly. Plus, there will be time for questions.
This webinar will be hosted on Teams.
Webinar: Sustainable Landscape Design
Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Description: Deryn Davidson, CSU Extension Sustainable Landscapes Specialist, will give you with design ideas for your project to create a beautiful landscape while keeping sustainability in mind. This session will aid in the knowledge and care of your landscape. Finally, Deryn, will give you some plant choices to consider when planning your garden.
This webinar will be hosted on Teams.
Real Landscaping without Irrigation or Weed Fabric
Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Hosted on Teams
Kenton Seth of Fruita Colorado, will explore how to use real life alternatives to two things that we would have assumed were irreplaceable staples of landscaping. This isn't just theoretical, this isn't just cute talk, it's actually doing it, and in the real world. How are we supposed to work where some projects literally have no irrigation supply? Or, can we surprise a client wanting to save water and go above and beyond, while still having color and green vegetation? And similarly, how can we forego the "necessary evil" of weed fabrics?
This webinar will be hosted on Teams.
Previous videos from classes
Basic Design Principles –by Lauren Wilson, local landscape designer
This class walks you through the design principles for a water-saving landscape that is open and inviting. Take advantage of areas receiving full exposure to the sun or learn how to use hydrozones which means positioning plants with similar water, soil, and sun needs together.
Western Best Practices: “Right Plant, Right Place, Right Practice” –Annie Barrow, Denver Botanic Gardens
Do you want to learn how to create a landscape that will survive on natural precipitation or a minimal amount of supplemental water? Annie’s innovative approach will help your plants thrive in a hot, arid climate like the Front Range.
Convert Your Irrigation System to Drip—Rita Jokerst, city of Greeley
Drip irrigation provides water to plants where they need it most -- at the roots. It can also help establish your new water-thrifty planting beds. Converting your irrigation system to drip may seem intimidating, but Rita guides you through the process of retrofitting an existing overhead sprinkler zone to a drip zone.
How to Seed Your Native Lawn—Don Hijar, Pawnee Buttes Seed Company
Do you want a native lawn, but find the process a little daunting? Seeding a native lawn is different than rolling out bluegrass sod. Don will share his knowledge about when to plant and how to maintain the yard while during the establishment period.
Cold Hardy Cacti and Succulents—Tony Koski, CSU Extension Turf Grass Specialist
Succulents and cacti have grown in popularity with gardeners who want a hardy, low-water plant. Some succulents are more suited to being grown indoors as a houseplant and others are perfect for your outdoor garden. Tony will help you decide which one is right for you.
How to Build a Rain Garden- Riley Lynch, Colorado Stormwater Center
Rain gardens are beautiful gardens, full of native plants, that are watered only with the rain. During this workshop with the leaders, we'll cover design, sizing, and plant choice to conserve water and save money on your water bill!