Best Plants for Roaring Fork Valley Gardens

Gardening in the Roaring Fork Valley means working with high altitude, short growing seasons, intense UV, wildlife, and soils that range from rocky to clay-heavy. The good news? Plenty of beautiful plants thrive in these conditions — you just need to choose the right ones.

Here are the best-performing plants for garden beds throughout the valley, from Aspen to Glenwood Springs.

Perennials: The Backbone of Mountain Gardens

Perennials come back year after year, making them the most cost-effective and low-maintenance choice for mountain gardens. These varieties perform reliably at altitude:

Full Sun (6+ hours)

• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): Bright yellow blooms from July through September. Extremely drought-tolerant once established
• Blanket Flower (Gaillardia): Red and yellow flowers that love poor, well-drained soil — perfect for mountain conditions
• Russian Sage (Perovskia): Silvery foliage with lavender-blue flowers. Deer-resistant and thrives in dry conditions
• Penstemon: A Colorado native with tubular flowers that hummingbirds love. Multiple species grow well at various elevations
• Yarrow (Achillea): Flat-topped flower clusters in white, yellow, pink, and red. Virtually indestructible at altitude

Part Shade

• Columbine (Aquilegia): Colorado's state flower — delicate, distinctive blooms in spring and early summer
• Coral Bells (Heuchera): Colorful foliage in burgundy, lime, and peach tones. Great for edges and borders
• Hosta: Lush, leafy plants that work well on the north side of buildings at lower elevations in the valley
• Astilbe: Feathery plumes in pink, red, and white. Needs consistent moisture but handles partial shade beautifully

Shrubs for Structure

Shrubs add year-round structure to garden beds and require less maintenance than perennials once established:

• Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil): Yellow, white, or pink flowers from June through frost. One of the most reliable mountain shrubs
• Serviceberry (Amelanchier): White spring flowers, edible berries, and stunning fall color. Native to Colorado
• Blue Mist Spirea (Caryopteris): Blue flowers in late summer when most plants are fading. Deer-resistant
• Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus): Bright yellow fall blooms and silver-green foliage. Extremely drought-tolerant and native
• Lilac: Fragrant spring flowers that perform well throughout the valley, especially at lower elevations

Annuals for Seasonal Color

With a short growing season (late May to September for most of the valley), annuals provide fast, bold color:

• Petunias: Non-stop color in containers and beds. Choose Wave or Supertunia varieties for the best performance
• Marigolds: Heat-loving, deer-resistant, and blooming until frost
• Snapdragons: Handle cool mountain nights better than most annuals and provide vertical interest
• Geraniums: Classic container plants that love the sunny days and cool nights of mountain summers

Tips for Success at Altitude

1. Amend your soil: Most Roaring Fork Valley soils benefit from compost mixed in at planting time. This improves both clay and rocky soils
2. Mulch heavily: 2-3 inches of mulch conserves moisture, regulates soil temperature, and suppresses weeds. Essential at altitude
3. Water deeply at first: New plants need consistent watering through their first season. Once established, most of these picks are low-water
4. Know your zone: Aspen is USDA Zone 4b, while Glenwood Springs is Zone 5b-6a. This matters when selecting plants
5. Plan for wildlife: Deer, elk, and rabbits are realities in the valley. Focus on deer-resistant species or plan for fencing

Garden Installation & Maintenance

Taylor Made Lawns installs and maintains garden beds throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. We handle everything from design and planting to mulching, pruning, and seasonal plant care — so your gardens look beautiful without becoming a second job.