In Fairplay (elevation 9,953 feet), a tiny unpaved corner of the old stone county building has a spunky display of delphinium, alpine poppy (Papaver nudicale), columbine, Campanula spp., and snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum). The discovery of this little pocket garden was almost as exciting as the llama races!
The historic district of Breckenridge (elevation 9,600 feet) puts on a beautiful show for the summer tourists with gorgeous hanging baskets and flower boxes dripping with color (I was too stunned to take photos? Doh!) Cottage style gardens are tucked into any little space available. This garden includes blooms of cat mint (Nepeta spp.), larkspur, globe flower (Trollius spp.), foxglove, Veronica spp. and Dianthus spp.
Delphinium, lady's mantle (Alchmilla mollis), and Lilium spp. as well.
Gardening at high elevations is challenging: the growing season is very short, the nights are cool, and the sun is intense with a capital I ... but the rewards are huge.
(Frisco is on the shore of beautiful Lake Dillon, an important reservoir for metro Denver and the home of one of our favorite BBQ joints: Q4U.)
4 comments:
I needed that! While I can drive 30 min to the 10,000' level in the Sandia Mtns and see some of that, no towns except below 7000'. And lush up there compared to here, or at least a different lush, but not like what you're showing.
Colo Rockies or bust!
Glad to send you a bit of cool lushness! I'll be craving New Mexico's warmth come January...
Fairplay was an important lunch stop on our way to Crested Butte several years ago. Important because I had to go through our luggage to look for warmer clothes. It was the coldest I had ever been in July. The fleece pullover and some tequila helped warm me immensely.
HaHaHA! Yep, 10,000 feet can do that to you...we had a beautiful "shirtsleeves" day with temps in the mid-upper 60s.
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