Landscape design & build for Lakewood

Lakewood runs the gamut stylistically but tends toward a naturalistic aesthetic that highlights both the mountain and plains plant communities that surround the city. Grass-heavy designs are prominently featured, complemented by sculptural trees and shrubs and painted with drifts of perennial color.

Out of concern for fire safety – and as a material nod to nature – rock mulches are frequently used to replace bark mulch in planting beds. Boulders, a common accent feature, similarly allude to the geology of the Rockies.

Native grasses like big and little bluestem or Bouteloua ‘Blonde Ambition’ are heavy hitters, as is the non-native but high-performing Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, which makes for a tall, no-fuss accent.

Pops of floral color from columbines, Russian sage, Ericameria nauseosa, or Pawnee Buttes sand cherry frequently punctuate grassland designs.

Spruces and cedars are popular evergreens, but perhaps the most widely-used is the Picea pungens, especially the ‘Fat Albert’ cultivar.

Cottonwoods (especially the plains cottonwood) and the native Acer glabrum are other popular, attractive trees common to Lakewood landscapes.

Drought is an ongoing factor in Colorado, increasing water scarcity in an already dry climate. Landscapes in Lakewood must prioritize water conservation. Species with low water requirements – especially low water natives – are a great place to start when assembling a planting design.

Fire safety and erosion control are also chief concerns. Choosing fire smart plants, designing for defensible space, and, above all, maintaining landscapes for fire safety are all critical procedures in and around Lakewood.

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

Utilizing the winter to work through the design phase sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.

We are happy to work with clients to develop designs that meet their level of comfort around fire safety. Choosing fire-resistant plant species and following best practices for fire-safe landscape design are options that our designers are happy to employ at a client’s request.

While design can help reduce your risk of fire damage, it’s important to note, that there are no fire-proof plants, and maintenance is the most important determinant of a landscape’s fire safety.