The beautiful white and lavender Columbine (Aquilegia caerules) was established as the state flower of Colorado back in the late 19th century. Also called the Rocky Mountain Columbine, this flower is protected in Colorado with a law that declares its protection as a duty of the state's citizenry.

Title 1, Part 9, Section 24-80-906 reads:

It is hereby declared to be the duty of all citizens of this state to protect the white and lavender Columbine Aquilegia Caerulea, the state flower, from needless destruction or waste.

The statute further declares that it is unlawful, punishable by up to 50 bucks, to rip the plant out of the ground, or to excessively pick the flowers along roadsides or on public lands. It is even unlawful to pick the flower on private land, unless you get the landowner's permission first.

Very adaptable, Columbine plants do well in our area under a variety of conditions, but they thrive if you give them a well draining, rich, moist soil with morning sun and afternoon shade. You can prolong their blooming time into late June and even to mid-July if you remove fading flowers. Your beloved hummingbirds will thank you with a million wing flutters!

The cacti have been blooming abundantly and beautifully this year, but they do every year. Although the cold winter temperatures limit the number of cactus types that grow in our region, the ones that do always delight the senses this time of year.

We have done our research and testing and have found several cold hardy cacti that will do just fine with the long and cold winters of our region. The list includes the Prickly Pear (Opuntia acicularis and O. engelmannii), Santa Rita (Opuntia violaceae), Cholla (Opuntia bigelovii), Silver Cholla (Opuntia echinocarpa), Beavertail (Opuntia basilaris), and several types of Hedge Hog.

All our cacti are grown outdoors, hardened for the harsh conditions of the northern Nevada bioregion. We have several types in easy to transplant four inch pots, as well as several more mature specimens in gallon and five gallon sizes. Cactus plants are great for rock gardens and fulfill many of your xeric needs. Come into our shop and see our selection.