Mountain Horticulture and High Altitude Gardening

Current COVID-19 Program changes – Due to COVID-19 in-person Horticultural/Master Gardener programming has been reconfigured. Many of our in-person programming has switched to a virtual format. We have a weekly eNewsletter with a “Garden Corner” topic, announcements for virtual events, and other gardening, lifestyle, and family activities while we cannot meet in person. Sign up for the eNewsletter list, and view the email archive with past week’s Boredom Buster activities.

Maintaining a garden in our Clear Creek communities presents its own unique challenges.  Our growing season is shorter than many other areas in Colorado, wildlife is abundant and elk, deer, and moose are known to wander to wander through our garden and vegetable beds. Many plants simply can’t survive the high elevation conditions. As your local office of CSU Extension we have numerous resources to answer your questions so you get the most out of your high altitude garden!

Extension Thursdays

Clear Creek CSU Extension’s Extension Thursdays series features a variety of activities and presentations, some of which include horticulture topics.  Find them on our calendar.

Ask a Master Gardener

Have a gardening question?  Ask a Master Gardener!  Take a picture and detail your question in an email to christine.crouse@colostate.edu.  It will be answered by as soon as possible by a Master Gardener or Christine, our local CSU Extension agent.

Clear Creek Master Gardeners

Interested in becoming a Colorado Master Gardener?  Master Gardeners are a valuable resource to their Clear Creek community, answering gardening questions and maintaining our demonstration gardens.

The deadline for new Clear Creek County CMG Applications is Friday November 22, 2019 at noon.

CMG classes begin January 2020.

Visit the Colorado Master Gardeners site for details about applying and being a CMG and includes the online application link. There is also information and a link for RENEWING CMGs.

The Clear Creek County CSU Extension Colorado Master Gardener (CMG) program includes a local volunteer commitment of 50 hours the first year. Cost for the CMG program is $170 plus course materials. Partial CMG scholarships are available for those who qualify. The Colorado Gardener Certificate (CGC) option is available for those not able to make the volunteer commitment; cost for the CGC training is $530 plus course materials. The cost for course materials is approximately $100; there are various formats from which to choose.

Document Downloads

• Cover Letter and Training Information
• CMG Application
• 2019 CMG Schedule

Please send the Colorado Master Gardener application and send it back to christine.crouse@colostate.edu

Native Plant Demo Garden

Clear Creek CSU Extension and the Clear Creek Master Gardeners maintain a demo garden at the Georgetown Heritage Center – (809 Taos St, Georgetown, CO 80444). Expansion plans are in progress.  Visit our mountain garden demonstration garden to learn about plants that grow in our community.

Native Plant Demo Garden Brochure

Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens in Mountain Elevations 7,500’+

Vegetable Gardening in the Mountains

Mountain Gardening Basics

Download a list of nurseries and seed companies in Colorado that source Colorado Native Plants

Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes

Native Grasses for Colorado Landscapes

Native Shrubs for Colorado Landscapes

Native Trees for Colorado Landscapes

Tour Ken Nelson’s 2019 private high altitude garden located at 8,519′ in Clear Creek County