Geographically speaking, Aurora is high and dry, making drought tolerant planting a must. Wind can also be a factor, with tornadoes being a rare but present occurrence.

Aurora spreads widely - wider, in fact, than Denver - with many single-family homes comprising the housing stock. With abundant outdoor activities, a mild climate, and four distinct seasons, Aurora is a lovely place to spend time outdoors.

Whatever your landscape vision may be, Yardzen is ready to make it a reality, working with you to craft a landscape design that achieves the look, feel, and function you are dreaming of, then connecting you with a vetted contractor from Yardzen’s Pro Network to get your design built.

Plains and mountain ecosystems are chief sources of inspiration for landscapes in Aurora. Native grasses like Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem are used heavily, with flowering grassland perennials or structural shrubs as accent. Evergreens like spruce and cedar are popular tree choices, as are Cottonwoods and the native Rocky Mountain Maple.

Water scarcity is a long-standing issue in Aurora, making drought tolerant designs a requirement.

While design styles run the gamut from modern to traditional, the regional landscape is consistently evoked through plant selection.

Native plant species from mountain and plains plant communities perform well in Aurora.

We’ve listed a few of these below, along with some introduced species that are also popular choices among Aurora residents:

→ Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster':

A tall, upright grass that is tough, low maintenance, and quite attractive.

→ Perovskia atriplicifolia:

A forgiving species that tolerates heat and cold, dry and wet, and does well in low water designs.

→ Aquilegia caerulea:

The Colorado state flower, and very popular as a small, colorful accent.

→ Picea pungens:

Likely the most common tall evergreen tree in the area. Many people prefer 'Fat Albert' cultivar.

→ Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition':

A very popular grass with attractive blooms.

→ Arctostaphylos x coloradensis 'Panchito':

A great native shrub that lends sculptural form to planting designs.

Drought tolerance and fire safety are key concerns for landscape designs in Aurora. Limiting lawns and choosing drought tolerant species will help considerably in reducing water consumption.

Wind tolerance is also a good thing to consider. Plants can be used alone or in combination with structural elements to shelter outdoor spaces from winds.

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, there are no fire-proof plants, and maintenance is the most important determinant of a landscape’s fire safety.