Local city garden wins national award for plant education in native desert climate

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Water Wise Demonstration Garden maintained by Colorado Springs Utilities won a top national award for its leading example of how to grow a beautiful native landscape in an arid desert climate.

It won the "Garden Excellence Award" from The American Public Garden Association, the group's top national award.

The local demonstration garden is packed with native plant species and stays green all summer long with one watering per week for the majority of the flora. It features model landscaped plots for homeowners to see all the different ways they can landscape their front yards with native and water-friendly plants.

The garden is open to the public for self-guided tours. Staff is on site from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer questions.

The public is invited to celebrate the garden's national achievement on August 1 for "Coffee and Conservation" at 8 a.m. for cake and a free tour.

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