Twilight Garden Series
June 26 | July 24 | Aug. 28
Cost: $15 per event | Pre-registration is strongly encouraged
Locations: CSU Trial Gardens and The Gardens on Spring Creek
There is a special beauty in a garden as the sun begins to set! Join us for a series of hands-on educational evenings with horticulture experts from across our community. Three immersive evenings. Three beautiful sunsets. Three opportunities to learn and grow!
All programs include two related topics. Participants will rotate through the two stations. Refreshments and door prizes will be available.
The Twilight Garden Series is presented in partnership with Colorado State University Extension in Larimer County and the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department of Colorado State University.
Tremendous Trees!
Thursday, June 26 | 6 – 8 p.m. | 5 p.m. Doors Open and Informal Walking Tour of the Gardens
Location: CSU Trial Gardens | 1401 Remington St
Tree Planting with Succession in Mind
We know our Ash trees days are numbered so let's learn about planting for tree succession. Plus, witness a live tree planting demonstration where we’ll cover essential best practices for successful planting.
Instructors: Dr. Daniel Burcham, Assistant Professor of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry at Colorado State University and Ralph Zentz, Former City Forester
Tree Diagnostic Walking Tour:
It's time to investigate! Let's get up close with our barked friends to learn how to identify common insect and disease issues.
Tour Guide: Whitney Cranshaw, Emeritus Professor of Entomology at Colorado State
Perennials: The Sun and the Shade
Thursday, July 24 | 6 – 8 p.m. | 5 p.m. Doors Open and Informal Walking Tour of the Gardens
Location: CSU Trial Gardens | 1401 Remington St, Fort Collins
Dry Shade Perennials
Dry shade can be one of the trickiest challenges in any landscape. Join us to explore plants that thrive in these tricky conditions, along with key site considerations and tips for maintaining a healthy, low-maintenance dry shade garden.
Instructor: Chad Miller, Ph.D., Associate Professor and CSU Trial Gardens Director Landscape and Ornamental Horticulture
Show Stopping Perennials for Sun
Have you experienced plant envy? Introduce your neighbors to the feeling! Discover versatile and underused plants that thrive in the Fort Collins area. This class will introduce you to a range of easy-growing, standout garden plants, plus give you tips for their success. Do more with less, conserve water, attract wildlife, and add lasting beauty to your garden!
Instructor: Bryan Fischer, Curator of Plant Collections for The Gardens on Spring Creek
Winged and Wild Gardens
Thursday, Aug. 28 | 6 – 8 p.m. | 5 p.m. Doors Open and Informal Walking Tour of the Gardens
Location: The Gardens on Spring Creek | 2145 Centre Ave
Gardening for Wildlife
Discover how your garden can become a haven for birds, bees, butterflies, and more! Join us for this walking tour focused on creating vibrant, sustainable landscapes that support Colorado’s native wildlife. As we explore the garden together, you'll learn practical strategies for attracting pollinators, providing food and shelter for birds, conserving water, and using native plants to build healthy ecosystems.
Instructor: Tessie Walters, The Gardens on Spring Creek Horticulturist
Birds, Their Food and You
Ever wonder what birds eat—and how you can help them thrive right in your own backyard?
Join us as we explore the essentials of bird diets and discover how meeting their needs can invite more feathered friends to your space. We'll dive into the plants and insects that provide the most nourishment for birds, plus touch on how feeders can complement a bird-friendly habitat.
Instructor: Dave Leatherman, avid Fort Collins birder and retired entomologist for the Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado State University’s Flower Trial Gardens were established to evaluate the performance of flower cultivars in the unique environmental conditions of the Rocky Mountain region. The gardens consists of more than 1,000 varieties of annual plants and 300+ perennial varieties. Each year these plants are evaluated by industry personnel based on vigor, uniformity, floriferousness and tolerance to the environmental conditions. The results of this research are available to people throughout the state and can help with selection of the best plants for use in Colorado. Learn more at http://flowertrials.colostate.edu.