One of my favorite garden design clients is Dena Carpenter and the Enterprise Building in downtown Grand Junction. We started collaborating on designing the 20 built-in planters of the Enterprise building way back in Spring of 2007. Dena is an… Read more: Evolution of a Garden project – The Enterprise Building in downtown Grand Junction

I recently attended a seminar on Urban Forest Diversity given by Vince Urbina, a community forester with the Colorado State Forest Service. Vince has been our local authority on urban forests and has taught classes through the CSU Extension master… Read more: Diversification – not just for portfolios

It’s not everyday that I get to design a landscape for friends but this summer that’s exactly what I did. Tom and Barbara were downsizing and wanted to move closer to town. They found a very nice home on a… Read more: A Good Luck Story

Hello, I am Kathy Kimbrough, a professional landscape designer for more than 20 years in beautiful western Colorado. We average 10 inches of rain or less annually. If you live in a dry region too, you can benefit from knowing… Read more: Unlock the Secrets of Successful Landscape Design in Western Colorado. Discover Xeriscape…

This spring in Grand Junction has been one of the coldest in history. Certainly the coldest spring since we moved to town in 1998. Along with those cold temperatures came much needed precipitation in the form of snow and rain.… Read more: Progress on my landscape despite late freezes

From 2013: Plant Select, a cooperative program between the Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University, recently published its 2013 Demonstration Garden Surveys. 63 demonstration gardens across Colorado participated in the plant evaluations and 118 plants were rated on a… Read more: Plant Select Survey Top 20 Plants

This story is from High Country Gardens’ blog. I found the picture on my Pinterest page. I thought it was important enough to share with my audience. This type of transformation from huge, useless lawns to beautiful wildlife friendly garden… Read more: Amazing Transformation in Suburbia

I received my weekly email from the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado. They always have great ideas, inspiration and practical tips for me to apply to my landscape design business. But when I saw this posting today I knew I… Read more: Top 10 Landscape and Garden Trends

This is a great time of year to collect the perfect ingredients for your compost bin. Grass clippings and fallen leaves – nitrogen from the grass and carbon from the leaves.

From 2013: The 22nd annual Western Colorado Botanical Garden garden tour was this weekend and by my count, the wettest on record. I have volunteered as a master gardener for the last 10+ years for the tour and have seen… Read more: Garden Tour Highlights

Back in the day, I lived in the super-large, super-humid, super-congested city of Houston, Texas. I’m am so glad I live in Colorado now but I don’t regret living in Houston as I met my wonderful husband of nearly 30… Read more: My Crepe Myrtle Miracle

This time of year many perennials start to look tired and shabby and overgrown.  But a few, like May Night Salvia, respond well to a severe pruning right about now. May Night salvia on July 7th This is a large… Read more: May Night Salvia Reborn

This is a picture of my nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’ in the middle of pruning it back on June 11th.  The center of the plant completely flopped open and the stems were only blooming at the ends.  So I… Read more: The tale of the floppy catmint

I’m going to let you in on a secret of mine. I have always wanted to have my yard showcased on a local garden tour. Having loads of people come through and appreciate the endless hours of weeding, planting, pruning,… Read more: Pockets of Greatness

Here is another great article from the CO-Horts at CSU Extension.  Dr. Tony Koski is the grass guru in Colorado and has some food for thought on Round Up. CO-Horts: Roundup is Roundup…Right?: Tony Koski, Extension Turf Specialist Which one… Read more: CO-Horts: Roundup is Roundup…Right?

I just found this fabulous garden blog by CSU Extension agents from across Colorado including our very own Susan Rose of the Tri-River Area office.  I will pass along their wisdom and be sure to check it out when you… Read more: CO-Horts: The Weeds are Winning – Again…

I have always said that adding and maintaining an appealing landscape will add value to your home and can help sell your home faster. The Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) posted this information in their weekly tips: Landscape Return… Read more: Landscape ROI

I have been very lucky in recent years to channel my love for landscape design and Master Gardener experience into my own landscape design business. I truly enjoy what I do and hope I can continue to empower homeowners to… Read more: GardenSmarts in the Beacon Senior newspaper

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of interviewing several people who are interested in joining our local master gardener ranks. The interview process is pretty quick and simple. Review their application, ask a few questions about why they want to be… Read more: The Master Gardener Journey

With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays around us, now might be a good time to go outside and take in the peace and serenity of our winter gardens.  With our recent snowfall, everything looks beautiful. Upright… Read more: Winter in the Garden

WOOSTER, Ohio – Perhaps it has happened to you: You present a friend with a beautiful poinsettia for the holidays, and she shrinks in horror. How could you possibly give her something that could be deadly to Fifi or Fluff… Read more: Poinsettia’s Poisonous Reputation Persists, Despite Proof to the Contrary — Ohio State University Extension

I love living in Colorado because I can walk in any forest or garden and find the most beautiful cones in the world.  We have all sorts of pine cones – scotch, ponderosa, mugo and white to name a few.… Read more: Shimmer Wreaths

Living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is truly wonderful.  We have amazing mountains, red rocks and desert.  We have lots of sunshine and dry air.  Here in the Grand Valley we have all of that plus orchards, vineyards and gardens… Read more: Water Restriction Woes

Thursday evening I saw the first hummingbird of the season buzzing around my yard.  I should say I heard the sweet little bird.  I did not actually see it until yesterday afternoon.  She was pulling spider webs off of an… Read more: The Hummers are Here!

Is your house on the market?  Is the outside of your home as “Market Ready” as the inside?  There are many shows on TV these days that show you how to “stage” your home for a quick sale.  Their mantra… Read more: Got Curb Appeal?

I saw this on a great Facebook page called Positive Outlooks and had to share it with you.   Happy Valentines Day to everyone.  Hope you get to share the day with your loved ones or as my Dad would… Read more: Words to Live By

The USDA has just released its new plant hardiness zone map.  My garden is now located in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a  (0 – 5 F).  It used to be in Zone 6. Check out their map and see where your… Read more: New USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

I have been enjoying the holidays at my parents’ home in Sarasota for the past few weeks.  We drive down from Grand Junction every year so we can bring our beloved dog Molly Brown.  We leave Colorado when winter has… Read more: Holiday Blossoms

Struggling to find a meaningful gift for someone?  Why not give the gift of landscape design. One of the most satisfying things I do at Garden Scentsations is consult with homeowners about what their landscape could become. I love to… Read more: Give the Gift of Landscape Design

One of the many projects I worked on this summer is the creation of a huge planter box.  It now resides where 3 large butterfly bushes used to be.  They were 12 years old and died last winter.  I was… Read more: My New Planter Box

My backyard on first day of Fall 2011. Summer has left the building!  Sure doesn’t seem that way with the warm temperatures we’ve been having.  Today the high is 90!  Avg high temp should be 75.  Much more comfortable.  Fall… Read more: Fall is a Gardeners Paradise

I love to create beautiful pots for season long color and interest.  This summer I had a chance to plant 3 large pots for my client Amy. At this point, the possibilities are endless. To compliment the green pots and… Read more: Amy’s Pots

I am a tree lover.  I love all types of trees and I include many varieties of trees in my garden designs and my own yard.  I do what it takes to keep them healthy which includes planting them in… Read more: Farewell to the King

This morning we woke up to 50 degrees, rain and clouds.  Not what we usually have in mid-June.  It is welcome however.  Any rain is good rain when you only get 8-9 inches per year.  We have had an unusually… Read more: The last day of Spring

I am a big fan of mixed borders in our landscapes.  They offer so much variety and texture and have interest year round if you plant it right.  Its very simple to achieve this look in your yard.   I… Read more: Mixed Border Ideas

One of the main objectives of my garden designs is to have something in bloom or have great foliage and structure in the garden all year long.  It’s easier to do than you might think.  When choosing plants, whether its… Read more: Lovely as the Month of May

Common lilac bud Walking around my garden this afternoon, I noticed many plants coming to life.  We have had a warmer than usual few weeks and I have started to water since we have also been drier than usual.  This… Read more: Celebrating the 1st day of Spring

Over the winter, I was pondering what to plant in the large empty spot where the overgrown Fitzer type juniper lived for years and years. This spot is between a Sunburst Honeylocust on the left and an Autumn Purple Ash… Read more: And the winner is……….

I was daydreaming about having my very own compost bins for months. My friends Bill and Meredith had a super set up with 3 bins – one for fresh material, one for almost finished material and one for the finished product.… Read more: My Favorite Valentine

Here in the Redlands, we received about 4″ of snow.  Good, wet snowball-making snow.  Instead of letting it melt down your driveway and into the street, shovel it on your lawn or planting beds.  They can always use the extra… Read more: Put that snow to good use

Even though its February, I am ready to get outside and dig in the dirt.  I’m ready to see what made it over the winter, watch for early blooming crocus and start my compost pile up again. I love walking… Read more: Courageous Gardening

According to the National Weather Service, there has been no precipitation in the Grand Junction area since the first of the year.  That means your trees, shrubs and perennials are getting very thirsty and need to be watered.  I know… Read more: It’s time to water your yard!

Waiting for Spring to arrive, I love to catch up on my reading.  If you are anything like me, you have a good selection of garden books in your home library to give you inspiration and answer questions about gardening.… Read more: Winter reading essentials

Hi. My name is Kathy Kimbrough and I own Garden Scentsations, a landscape design company. I specialize in designing water wise gardens and garden coaching.  Have you heard of Garden Coaching? We help our clients become better gardeners through hands-on… Read more: Welcome to my Blog