niwot fattoria

Niwot Fattoria6170 North 79th StreetNiwot, Colorado 80503

Prepared Spring 2010

Sundew Design LLCDesigner:Rachel Bechhoefer

LaNDSCaPe MaSteR PLaN

Client: Charlene VonSchlesien

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THESE DRAWINGS ARE NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

Niwot FattoriaLandscape Master Plan

6170 North 79th StreetNiwot, Colorado 80503

Prepared Spring 2010 By Rachel Bechhoefer

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Existing Conditions CONCEpTS

Zones of Use

Fields of Color

Drainage plan

DETAIlS

Soils and Grading

The Farmhouse: plan View

The Farmhouse: Sections

plANTING

plant Communities and Associations

phasing

phase I planting plan

phase II planting plan

phase III planting plan

Views of phase III

plant lists

RESOURCES

What is NIWOT FATTORIA? Goals for a working farm A Native Ecological Landscape plant species native to the Colorado foothills and the region that promote visual interest, beneficial wildlife, and require few inputs.Use plants that are drought tolerant and reduce runoff and erosion.Create a windbreak that resembles a native forest ecosystem.Cover the hillsides with a showy display of colorful native wildflowers and plants that are visible from the road and intersection.

A Productive Agricultural LandscapeGrow produce, herbs, fruits, and nuts to feed residents with enough surplus to sell.Keep honeybees to produce honey and pollinate plants.Raise poultry and livestock for agricultural products and manure to build soil. Build a greenhouse to propagate crops and native plants for use on the site and for sale.Display the produce from the farm for visitors and passersby to see from the road.

A Supportive Social LandscapeMake the property an inviting home and an enjoyable place to live. Open the landscape up to the public, providing resources for children and adults to learn about native plants, edible landscapes, and organic agriculture.preserve open space to bring an experience of the natural world amidst urban sprawl and maintain a pastoral agricultural landscape that is pleasing for people.




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Zone I MOST VISITED 1 or more times a day Herb and Cutting Gardens Chicken Coop

Zone II Visited everyday Greenhouse Farmstand

Zone III Visited weekly Growing Field Orchard

Zone IV Visited biweekly pond Fields and Meadows

Zone V lEAST VISITED Monthly Forest Open Space

To Boulder CountyOpen Space

To Boulder CountyOpen Space

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Highway 52

FARM

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pUBlICpRIVATE

NOT TO SCAlE

ZONES OF USE DIAGRAM

This diagram is helpful to understand how the farm with be used and what types of plants will be placed where. The most frequented places are typically found closest to the dwelling. Less frequented, wilder places are further away or off the beaten paths. This diagram also divides zones into private areas for residents and areas open to the public.




BERMS & SWAlESKeep and use water on-si te to support p lants and wi ld l i fe.

Berms and swales are used in conjunction to move, collect, and absorb water and on-site. This reduces surface flow runoff and protects natural waterways from sedimentation and pollution. Both elements allow for overflow and they direct water to desired locations. Overflow travels to existing drainage swales and streams.

Build berms by making compost mounds, allowing them to turn into soil, and planting them when they reach the desired height. The uphill side of berms and the channels of swales can then be planted with plants that would require supplemental watering in other locations, as they will be able to access the extra water diverted to these elements. See planting plans.

STEp-BY-STEp Sheet Mulching

Sheet mulching is a method of intensive soil building that can contribute to weed abatement and build fertile topsoil in a more natural and cost-effective way than importing ready-made soil mixes.

1. First spring: layer (any or all of the following) cardboard precomposted kitchen scraps brew mash leaves soil and/or manure woodchips

2.Thru summer: let it compost

3. late summer: Seed a fall/winter cover crop, i.e. winter peas, winter barley, rye or triticale

4. late fall: Mow the crop under and leave the cuttings over winter

5. Following spring: plant gardens!

TIpS

Compost on location: Make small piles where you want berms, garden beds, or just need better soil.

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Berms catch and divert water.

Swales capture and infiltrate water.




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GARDENS SURROUNDING THE FARMHOUSE

Visitors approach the farmhouse from the northwest, where a large evergreen is surrounded by native shrubs and flowering plants. low-grow grass and wildflowers fill in around the drive and house, while drought-tolerant evergreens screen the house.

NOT TO SCAlE

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Wildflowers drape the hillside as one looks out from the rear deck. The orchard extends off to north, and transitions into the forest windbreak. A path winds through the woods from the farmhouse toward the growing field.

WINDBREAKH HERB GARDENSC CUTTING GARDENS

To Open Space

ORCHARD

Stone steps from the rear deck lead to a bridge over a dry creek and open onto the herb and cutting gardens.




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Alternative 1Cut the slope with a two-step retaining wall using boulders found on the property to create a terraced bed. The wall can serve as steps to reach the cutting garden or a low seating wall looking into the orchard.

GARDENS TO THE EAST OF THE FARMHOUSE

Alternative 2Cut the slope with raised beds for herbs and showy flowers to create a terraced hillside. Paths between raised beds provide easy access for cutting herbs and flowers. Ledges provide seating or shelves for potted planters.

stone step

fruit treesstone steps/seat wall

FARMHOUSE

cutting garden

windbreak trees

SWAlEdeck with trellis

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raised herb bed raised cutting gardendeck with trellis

FARMHOUSE

SWAlE

fruit trees

stone step

potted planter

path




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plANT COMMUNITIES & NATURAl ASSOCIATIONS

In Colorado, patterns of native species and ecological communities are primarily determined by elevation, while solar aspect and moisture are secondary determinants. This diagram shows the primary native ecological regions that were drawn on for the landscape master plan and some of the key plant species that are central to each area.

High Mountains:ponderosa pineAustrian pineBlue SpruceMtn. MahoganyKinnikinnickMtn. Wildflowers

Rolling Foothills:pinyon pineJuniperBurr OakAspenMapleAshMtn. MahoganyCurrantPrairie Wildflowers

Dry plains:CottonwoodHoneylocustHawthorneChokecherryCurrantMockorangeSand CherryYuccaTall and Short Grasses Prairie Wildflowers

Wetland Valleys:CottonwoodRedtwig DogwoodElderberryServiceberryCattailslittle BluestemWetland Wildflowers

~ 5000 ft.

5000-6000 ft.

6000-7500 ft.

7500-8500 ft.

Creating a Wildflower Meadow

1. prep soil by sheet mulching and thoroughly weeding the area.2. First season: Plant native wildflower seed. Seed to the density recommended by seed supplier. Keep weeds at bay to allow seedlings to establish.

3. Fall planting after the first season: Transplant. Note naturally occurring clusters of plants and gaps and add more of native varieties to gaps near clusters to make larger clumps. This will encourage natives and particularly appealing plants. larger clumps will provide a showy display. 4. Repeat step 3 after the second season, and subsequent seasons. Other varieties and plants should come up and add to clump diversity.

Diligent weeding and periodic mowing are advised at all stages.

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On plant Spacing

Space plants according to their mature plant size guidelines. See plant lists. Trees- 20'-30'Shrubs- 10'-15'perennials- 6"-3'

Plant agricultural row crops fields on the contours of slopes. Space rows according to crop plant size, including rows for perennial crops, shrubs and annual crops.

phase I

The first phase is about preparing and building soil that will support future planting. It is also about establishing plants to control runoff and prevent erosion. Sheet mulching, weeding, cover cropping, and composting are key components of this phase.

Begin to create berms.•

Begin planting meadows and • wildflower areas, and differentiate planting areas.

Begin planting a windbreak to block • cold northern and westerly winds. Plant quick growing trees and shrubs, such as aspen and cottonwood. plant evergreen varieties for year-round screening.

Start ornamental beds to add interest • to the property and begin to establish orchard trees to expedite fruit production.

Build a shed for the growing field area, • bring in beehives, and start a small flock of chickens.

phase II

The second phase builds on the initial planting done in the first phase.

Continue to build soil and make • compost for adding nutrients to gardens.

Build the windbreak by mimicking • forest succession on a shorter time scale, allowing small trees and shrubs to establish on the edges of existing tree lines.

Add to ornamental beds and planting • areas, focusing on the entrance to the property, along the driveway, and surrounding the farmhouse.

Increase row crops and expand • growing fields along the land contours.

Add to the flock of chickens and • provide additional chicken coops or moveable tractors.

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phase III

The third phase is the realization of the master plan, adding larger elements and completing planting areas and beds.

Build a greenhouse to propagate • plants using seeds and cuttings found on the property.

Seed annual row crops each spring • and extend the season by growing crops earlier in spring and later into the fall.

Incorporate more beehives to • increase pollination of newer plants and to increase honey production.

Build a pond to add visual interest, • wildlife habitat, and to hold more water on-site for plants and livestock.

plant succulents such as yucca in • open fields to more fully represent a natural system while creating a transition to the neighboring fields of open space.

On paths

Create and maintain mown paths through field, meadow, and wildflower areas. A small riding mower can provide a sufficient path width for walking and moving wheelbarrows.

paths through wooded areas can be mulch.

Use steppable plants or mulch paths through formal beds.

pHASING plant ing and Development

Phasing the implementation of a landscape plan has a number of benefits. Plants can be purchased over the course of several years to minimize up-front costs. In addition to costs, phasing also minimizes up-front labor for planting and building, making it more realistic for the homeowner to do much of the work on her own. This also allows for work to be done by crews of coordinated volunteers who might only have one day to help out, but can focus on one area and complete a specific aspect of the plan. phased planting can also be a way to mimic the natural process of succession whereby plants colonize an area. In the case of the windbreak, for example, it begins with a field, then shrubs and trees are added, and then greater density is added in the understory of maturing trees over the course of several years. Phases can be completed over subsequent growing seasons, or over longer periods of time.

YEAR 2

YEAR 1

YEAR 3




forest windbreakfieldmeadowpond bermbermstreet

SECTION LOOKING NORTH1 = 40 - 0ll lll

berm berm berm forested windbreakfieldflowerspondstreet swale field

SECTION lOOKING NORTH

SECTION lOOKING NORTHEASTstreet swale road buffer growing rows growing rowsflowers field farmhousedrive swale orchard flowers

VIEWS OF pHASE III

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Common Name Botanical name Variety Type/Color Height Width Sun/Shade Water Native? Notes

TreeS

Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa sun normal x

Austrian Pine Pinus nigra 40-60’ 30-40’ sun norm-dry

Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens 40-60’ 20-30’

Pinyon Pine Pinus edulis x

rocky Mtn. Juniper Juniperus scopularum x

Lance-leaf Cottonwood Populus accuminata sun x

Cottonwood, Fremont’s Populus fremontii sun x

Burr Oak Quercus macrocarpa to 100’ sun x nuts, lumber

Ash Fraxinus ‘Cimmaron’ or ‘Marshall’ 50-60’ 30-50’ sun normal x

Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos v. inermis ‘Skyline’ 40-50’ 30-35’ sun normal-dry x quick growing

Maple Acer x freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ x

Golden Chaintree Laburnum watereri ‘Vossii’

Aspen Populus tremuloides x

Crabapple Malus spp. ‘Prairie Fire’ ‘radiant’ ‘Spring Snow’ sun normal x white flowers, fruit

Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn Crataegus crusgalli x inermis white fl. 15-25’ 15-20’ sun norm-dry x tolerates poor soils, fruit

Chokecherry Prunus virginiana ‘Canada red’ 20-30’ 15-25’ norm-dry x fall color, fruit

SHruBS

redtwig Dogwood Cornus sericea (native) Isanti’ or 6-10’ 6-10’ sun-pt. shade normal-moist x

Curl-leaf Mtn. Mahogany Cerocarpus ledifolius evergreen 12-18’ 8’ sun normal-dry x

Purpleleaf Sand Cherry Prunus x cistena

Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia ‘regent’ x

Sweet Mockorange Philadelphus coronarius or lewisii ‘Cheyenne’ normal-dry fragrant

Spirea Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Blue Mist’

Flowering Quince Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Texas Scarlet’ peach-orange

Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Mindea’ ‘Diabolo’ ‘Darts Gold’ copper-purple-gold foliage

Ninebark Physocarpus monogynus

Currant Ribes odoratum ‘Crandall Clove’ x

Currant Ribes aureum ‘Gwen’s Buffalo’ x

Butterfly Bush Buddleia alternifolia blue-violet

GrASSeS

Sand Bluestem Andropogon hallii ‘Goldstrike’ or ‘Garden’ x

Switchgrass Panicum virgatum (native) ‘Shenandoah’ (red-tip) 4-5’ 18” Sun normal-dry x no deer

Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium (native) ‘Blaze’ 2-3’ 15” sun normal-dry x any soil, winter color

Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula sun grows in pine forests

Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis dry x

Northern Sea Oats Chasmantheum latifolium 24-36” 24-36”

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Symbol legend for planting plans

* Succulent + Ornamental Grass C Chicken Coop path Garden Bed Deciduous Tree

Conifer

Juniper

Shrub





MeADOW WILDFLOWerS

rocky Mtn. Bee plant Cleome serrulata pink-red 4-5’ sun normal-dry x

Hyssop Agastache spp. pink- 2-3’ sun normal-dry

Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea purple 30-36” 18-24” sun normal-dry x no deer

Coneflower Echinacea spp. Big Sky ‘Sunrise’ yellow 30-36” 18-24” sun normal-dry x

Coneflower Echinacea spp. ‘Art’s Pride’ orange 30-36” 18-24” Sun normal-dry x

Black eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta yellow 18-24” 24” sun normal-dry x no deer

Mexican Hat Ratibida columnifera red+yellow 2-3’ sun dry x

Western Yarrow Achillea lanulosa white-yellow 12” sun normal-dry x

Blue Flax Linum perenne ‘Sapphire’ blue 12” sun normal-dry x

Narrowleaf Penstemon Penstemon angustifolius viole-bluet 8-12” sun dry x

Palmer Penstemon Penstemon palmeri pale pink 12-15” sun dry x

rocky Mtn. Penstemon Penstemon strictus purple-blue 12-15” sun dry x

Cardinal Penstemon Penstemon cardinalis red 12-15” sun dry x

Blanketflower Gallardia spp red-orange-yell 12” sun normal-dry x

Spotted Gayfeather Liatris punctata pink-purple 12” sun normal-dry

Indian Paintbrush Castilleja spp. orange-yellow 12” dry x

evening primrose Oenothera howardii yellow, pink 12-15” dry x

Scarlet Globe Mallow Sphaeralcea coccinea peach-orange 4-12” sun dry x

WILDFLOWerS FOr PArT SHADe

Columbine Aquilegia spp. ‘Swallowtail’ yellow 24-36” 12-18” shade-pt. sun moderate x

Columbine Aquilegia caerulea rocky Mtn or Colorado Blue blue+white 24-36” 12-18” shade-pt. sun moderate x

GrOuNDCOVerS AND BOrDerS

Bearberry/ Kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 12” sun-pt. shade dry x

Manzanita Arctostaphylos pink 1-4’ sun dry x evergreen

Pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia white, pink 6” sun dry x bluish gray foliage

Iceplant Delosperma spp pink, yellow 4-6” sun dry

Sedum Sedum spp 12” sun normal-dry x

Bird’s Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus ‘Plenaflorus’ golden 4-6” sun dry steppable

Coral Bells Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ red 8-12” 12” shade-pt. sun normal-moist x

Horehound Ballota pseudodictamnus also ‘Nana’ 8-12” 12-18” sun dry gray foliage, good border

Germander Teucrium aromatum purple sun smells like grape

Veronica Veronica spp. ‘Crystal river’ blue sun

CuTTING FLOWerS

rose of Sharon/Hibiscus white, red 4’

Hollyhock all 4-5’

Snapdragons Antirrhinum majus white, other 2-3’

Snapdragons Antirrhinum majus ‘Dulcinea’s Heart’ pink+yellow 2-3’

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Feverfew white 12” sun-pt normal-dry

Coneflower Echinacea purpurea many yellow-white-purple

2-3’

Cupid’s Dart white, pink

Chocolate Flower Berlanderia lyrata yellow 18-24” sun normal-dry

Black eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta yellow 18-24” 24” sun normal-dry

Delphinium Delphinium spp. blue 3-4’ sun-pt normal-wet

Scabiosa pink, white 6-12” 6-12” sun normal-dry

HerBS

rosemary regular-dry needs winter protection

Greek Oregano regular-dry perennia

Spearmint regular perennial

Lemon Balm regular perennial

Lavender regular-dry perennial

Sage regular-dry needs winter protection

Chamomile regular perennial

Dill regular annual

Lovage regular perennial

Calendula regular annual

Italian Parsley regular-dry perennial

Triple Curl Parsley regular-dry perennial

Cilantro regular-dry annual

Wheatgrass regular annual

Mexican Tarragon/Sweet Mace Tagetes lucida 12-18” regular-dry perennial

Basil regular-dry annual

Tarahumara Chia Salvia tiliafolia 4-6’ regular-dry annual

Marigold regular natural insecticide

Sweet Cicely 3-4’ regular attracts good insects

Comfrey nitrogen fixer

NOTeS

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Web Sources

Timberline Gardens, Arvada, CO www.timberlinegardens.comHigh Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM www.highcountrygardens.compawnee Butte Seed Co., Greeley, CO www.pawneebutteseed.comRocky Mountain Seed Co., Denver, CO www.rockymountainseedco.comArkansas Valley Seed Co., longmont, CO www.avseeds.comBoulder County, Colorado www.bouldercounty.orgColorado Materials, Inc., longmont, CO www.coloradomaterialsinc.comBoulder County Extension, Boulder, CO www.extension.colostate.edu/boulder/

Books

Western Garden Book. Editor: Kathleen Norris Brenzel. Sunset Books, Inc. 2001.

Rodale’s All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener. Editors: Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis. Rodale Books. 1993.

Xeriscape plant Guide: 100 Waterwise plants for Gardens and landscapes. Denver Water. Fulcrum publishing. 1996.

Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. paul Stamets. Ten Speed press. 2000.

The Edible Forest Garden, Volumes I and II. Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. Chelsea Green. 2005.

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niwot fattoria

Documents

native plants

use plants

sundew design llcdesigner

types of plants

prepared spring

native forest ecosystem

niwot fattoria6170 north

colorado foothills