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The harsh prairie vistas were windblown with hard soils that did not take readily to the tenacious tilling of the agriculturally inclined settlers.</p> <p>Water, was and is, a major commodity across the entire state. <strong>Denver</strong>, with a rapidly growing population had a significantly hard time juggling the needs of city dwellers and nearby farms. Never in ready supply, the control of the water, its storage, and cleanliness was the topic of many debates. In fact, many early <strong>Denver</strong> officials were elected based on their stance concerning water resources.</p> <p>Throughout the 20th century, <strong>Denver </strong>worked to create irrigation ditches and canals, the <a href="http://www.vintagehomesofdenver.com/realestateblog/2011/02/11/have-leash-will-travel/" target="_blank"><strong>Highline canal </strong></a>being one of the most popular, in order to get water to the quickly developing suburbs. Naturally, with these improvements, water became more easily attained and the battles over water began to subside. Now, people could consider not just survival planting and watering, but also using their agricultural skills on beautifying the area.</p> <p>Amazingly, every tree that you see in the city of <strong>Denver</strong> was planted. Homesteaders and school children have planted the trees that make <strong>Denver</strong> so shady today. <a href="http://www.vintagehomesofdenver.com/artman/publish/east-denver/City-Park---Denver-Neighborhoods.html" target="_blank">City Park</a>‘s majestic trees were planted by area school children, a tradition that began with the city’s first Arbor Day in 1884. It is hard to imagine <strong>Denver</strong> as such a stark, desolate place.</p> <p>The quest for greenery is still prevalent in <strong>Colorado</strong> today. In an effort to make our <strong>Denver homes </strong>an oasis, some homeowners have been driven to extremes. While one’s yard may be green and lush, dare I say Ireland-like, in May, by July is unrecognizable. Frustration does not describe what an average <strong>Denver homeowner</strong> goes through between June and September. The dry heat, the lack of rain, the weeds, and clay soil all make attempts to tame this resistant prairie futile.</p> <p>Some days, as I gaze enviously at my neighbor’s lawns, I wonder what their secret is. Watering constantly would appear to be one “secret” weapon, but in this day and age, it is just not okay to water to your heart’s content, nor is it cost-effective. In the western states, the price of water can outdo the price of heat, so watering in moderation is a necessity. Chemicals also seem to be beneficial, but again, not a viable option for most people invested in their Denver real estate and the health of the community. So, what should we do?</p> <p>Many folks choose to go the route of xeriscaping. This newly discovered gardening style is particular well-suited to the <strong>Denver</strong> area. Plants that fit this description typically thrive with little to no water, full sun exposure and can tolerate the ups and downs of <strong>Denver</strong>‘s thermometer. The technique also yields a bevy of eye-catching results. The textures and colors available in a xeriscape lawn are breathtaking. Many <strong>Denver homeowners</strong> opt for this landscape, not only to make their <a href="http://www.vintagehomesofdenver.com/artman/publish/southeast-denver/Denver-Neighborhoods---Washington-Park.html" target="_blank"><strong>Wash Park</strong></a> or <a href="http://www.vintagehomesofdenver.com/artman/publish/south-denver/Platt-Park-Neighborhood.html" target="_blank"><strong>Platt Park</strong></a> home more beautiful, but also as a path to self-expression. Your lawn becomes your palette, and the options are endless.</p> <p><img title="Xeriscaped Yard" src="http://www.vintagehomesofdenver.com/realestateblog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/front-yard-meadow-l-300x300.jpg" alt="Xeriscaped Yard" height="281" width="281" />Many <strong>Denver homeowners</strong> incorporate walkways, decks, arbors and recirculating fountains to create their perfect meditation space. Though not a cheap fix to the water consumption, dead grass, clay soil issue; it is a long-lasting solution. Most local greenhouses, such as <a href="http://www.otoolesgardencenters.com/" target="_blank">O’Tooles</a>,, can help guide you as you begin your xeriscape journey. The <a href="http://www.ext.colostate.edu/index.html" target="_blank"><strong>Colorado</strong> State Universit</a>y extension office is also a vast resource, not only in arid-friendly gardening, but also many other environmental issues that a <strong>Denver homeowner</strong> may come across.</p> <p>Some of us simply give up and start throwing stones. Boulders, gravel, river rock, lichen, petrified trees and other non-living entities have made dried and barren lawns into sculptural displays in many <strong>Denver </strong>neighborhoods. Being in such a geologically interesting state makes finding Mother Nature’s works of art easy. What better reason to take a trip to the into the <strong>Rocky Mountains</strong> than to gather nifty bits of granite or slabs of sandstone to put your own mark on your <strong>Denver real estate</strong>?</p> <p>Finally, there are those die hard <strong>Denver homeowners </strong>that just must have a yard. Perhaps they grew up in Ohio (like myself), or Georgia or Vermont or anywhere that the annual problem is <em>controlling</em> the growth of grasses not begging them into existence. So, if you’re set on having a lawn, be sure to follow a couple of tried and true techniques that may help you reach your goal. Our friends at <a href="http://www.blueirislandscapes.com/" target="_blank">Blue Iris Designs</a> in Denver have this to say:</p> <ul> <li><strong>AERATE</strong>: Core aeration is the best for our <strong>Colorado</strong> lawn. Pulling ‘plugs’ out of the ground allows water and oxygen to penetrate our hard clay soil. Don’t bother with the spikes that don’t actually pull any kind of plug. They only compact the soil even more. Water deeply the day before for the best results. Leave the cores on the ground when finished. They will decompose within a couple of weeks. Aerate in the spring if your lawn is healthy, and again in the fall if your soil is hard and compact or if your lawn is unhealthy.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>WATER</strong>: Shallow, frequent watering makes for a thirsty, unhealthy lawn. Watering shallowly keeps the plants roots shallow and more susceptible to drought. Water deep and less frequent for healthy lawn. Only water when your lawn really needs it. If you see a blue-gray tone to your bluegrass or if footprints remain more than a few minutes, it’s time to water. Or you can check by inserting a screwdriver into the soil about 4 inches. If it’s difficult to insert and comes out dry, your yard needs watering.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>FERTILIZE</strong>: Use an organic-based, slow release nitrogen fertilizer for spring and summer fertilizer. In the fall, fertilize before your lawn loses its green color.</li> </ul> <p>So, the next time you are looking at some <strong>Denver real estate</strong> in the heat of the July sun, don’t judge a book by its cover. If the yard is weedy and dry, perhaps the homeowner is just between a lawn attempt and throwing stones.</p> </div> </div> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <div class="bottomone"> <p class="center" align="center"><img width="1100" style="border: 0" height="203" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/slices/bottom1.png" usemap="#bottommap"></p> <div class="bottomwrap"> <div class="bottom-overlay"> <a href="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/for-buyers/" alt="For Buyers"><img class="one" width="151" height="100" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/images/bmenuitems/1.png"></a> <a href="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/for-sellers/" alt="For Sellers"><img class="two" width="151" height="100" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/images/bmenuitems/2.png"></a> <a href="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/general-resources/" alt="Resources"><img class="three" width="151" height="100" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/images/bmenuitems/3.png"></a> <a href="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/investments/" alt="Relocation"><img class="four" width="151" height="100" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/images/bmenuitems/4.png"></a> <a href="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/blog/" alt="The Latest News"><img class="five" width="151" height="100" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/images/bmenuitems/5.png"></a> <a href="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/contact-us/" alt="Contact Us"><img class="six" width="151" height="100" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/images/bmenuitems/6.png"></a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="bottomtwo"> <p class="center" align="center"><img width="1100" height="142" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/slices/bottom2.png"></p> <p class="center" align="center"><img width="1100" height="33" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/slices/bottom2sep.png"></p> </div> <div class="bottomthree footer"> <p class="center" align="center"><img style="border: 0" width="1100" height="90" src="http://vintagehomesofdenver.com/wp-content/themes/vhod/slices/footer-n.png" usemap="#footermap"></p> <div class="footerwrap"> <div class="left flogodiv" style="width: 450px;"> <p> 2563 15th St., #101, Denver, CO 80211 <br> Email: 5280realestate@gmail.com <br> Office: 303-265-9176 </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="desinfowrap"> <div class="desinfo"> <div class="desinfo-left desinfofix"><p align="left">Copyright © 2013 Vintage Homes of Denver</p></div> <div class="desinfo-right desinfofix"><p align="right">Real Estate Website Design by <a href="http://www.highelevation.net" target="_blank">High Elevation</a></p></div> </div> </div> </body>  </html>