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Graphic of four native flowers

Xeriscape and Irrigation Educational Opportunities#

Welcome to the XIP educational opportunities page. This page will be updated throughout the year with educational events that Fort Collins Utilities is hosting on waterwise landscaping. Many of these programs are free to participate in and open to the public.  

You can learn from home with our pre-recorded classes on design, irrigation, and xeriscaping basics. Looking for something more? Find additional waterwise landscaping resources and events hosted in our region at the bottom of this page. 

Upcoming Opportunities#

Class Date & Time  Description Registration
Native Seed Swap

Nov. 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Gardens on Spring Creek

Join us for the free Native Seed Swap and Giveaway to get some native seeds for your xeriscape project. There are typically 150+ species to choose from. Participants don't need to bring seeds in order to take some home. Please label seed donations with the scientific name, town/elevation of collection and the date of collection. Entry to the Gardens on Spring Creek is free for event participants.

Learn More

Volunteer in the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden Volunteer days are weekly spring through fall, and a smattering of indoor opportunities in the winter.   Volunteers will learn about plant identification, seed collection and cleaning, how to grow native plants from seed, pruning and transplanting. 

Apply to be a garden volunteer here.

View volunteer shifts here.

Recorded Classes#

Native flowers in a flower bed.

Xeriscape Basics

 

Watch Here

Front yard converted into floral wonderland using Xeriscape!

Designing for a Low Water Garden

 

Watch Here

Regional Educational Opportunities#

Resource Central’s Waterwise Yard Seminars: Free live and recorded webinars from Colorado landscape professionals throughout the year on a variety of waterwise garden topics.  

Gardens on Spring Creek Adult Education: Design and plant your garden with water in mind!  Find classes focused on waterwise landscape and water-conscious irrigation best practices to help make the most of this precious resource.  

Wild Ones Front Range Chapter: Empowers Front Range residents to plant and promote native plant Coloradoscapes. They host educational events, a native plant landscaping toolkit, and free native plant & seed swaps across the Front Range. 

Colorado Native Plant Society: Classes, events and resources dedicated to furthering the knowledge, appreciation and conservation of Colorado native plants and habitats. 

CSU Extension Gardening Webinars: Online gardening classes taught by CSU extension agents are free and open to the public. Registration is required.  

People and Pollinators Action Network: Webinars and educational events focused on sustainable landscaping and wildlife habitat. PPAN offers grants of up to $2000 for sustainable landscaping projects.  

Audubon Rockies: Audubon’s Habitat Hero program teaches participants how to save water and create bird habitats in their landscapes.   

Graphic of four colorful native flowers.

Did You Know?

Fort Collins Utilities is committed to providing ‘round-the-clock, world-class service to our community. We operate 24/7/365.

Pretreating clothing stains may avoid the need to rewash.

The watersheds where our water comes from drain snowmelt and rainfall to the Cache la Poudre and Big Thompson rivers and Horsetooth Reservoir.