Preparing to start spring gardening with a trip to the hardware store or a random assortment of seed packets?
The city of Aspen is offering a better alternative — starting today, residents are able to pre-order a professionally designed Garden In A Box kit to help support local landscapes and water conservation.
The eight different garden kits, made available through the conservation non-profit Resource Central in collaboration with the city of Aspen, consist of plants native to Colorado that require less than half as much water as a traditional lawn, according to studies performed by the city. Each Garden In A Box includes anywhere between 15 to 29 potted starter plants, a plant-by-numbers map and detailed maintenance and preparation tips.
Last year, Resource Central confirmed over 14,000 gardens were distributed statewide, and while the program has been available annually in Aspen for several years, 2026 marks a significant expansion into the Rockies and Western Slope that is led by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and several other sponsors.
Planting a garden with a variety of water-efficient native plants instead of a traditional lawn is a significant way individual residents can directly impact the well-being of the environment, especially for places like the Roaring Fork Valley that are sensitive to drought and climate change. Megan Killer, plans review technician for water-efficient landscaping standards with the city, emphasized that Garden in a Box properties consume notably less water than the average yard.
“An average lawn requires about 19 gallons of water per square foot per season, where these gardens generally require eight gallons of water per square foot per season or less,” Killer said.
Along with switching to these types of plants, Killer offered several other recommendations for a more efficient lawn. One of the simplest changes residents can make is adjusting the irrigation controller.
“Most landscapes are significantly overwatered … by adjusting the clocks down by a few minutes, you can see what your plants are able to withstand, and most likely you will be surprised to see they will still be beautiful and healthy with less water,” Killer said.
Twenty-nine Garden In A Box kits were purchased in Aspen last year, with the city offering a $25 discount, subsidized by funds from Aspen’s efficiency budget in an effort to promote more sustainable landscapes.
Native low-water gardens will be especially important this year after Colorado has been experiencing one of its mildest winters on record, with historically low snowpack. While it’s not yet known how this winter will impact the upcoming fire season, landscaping with fire preparedness in mind is critical in anticipation of a difficult summer, according to Ali Hager Hammond, director of community wildfire resilience for Aspen.
“Based on snowpack and forecasts, we do anticipate this wildfire season to be above average,” Hammond said. “We are already working with partner agencies and emergency management on planning, projects and education.”
While planting specific, fire-resistant species can play a large part in reducing fire risk, Hammond also stressed the importance of location when planting the Garden In A Box.
“In addition to the plant species, pay attention to how far the vegetation is located from your structure,” Hammond said. “As a basic rule of thumb, keep the first five feet around your home clear of any flammable materials to reduce your risk … the farther from the structure, the more flexibility in landscaping. It makes a big difference.”
The garden kits vary in size from 60 to 100 square feet, recreating some of Colorado’s most iconic landscapes from painted prairies to butterfly havens. Pre-orders for the gardens can be made directly on Resource Central’s website, https://resourcecentral.org/gardens/shop/ , with a second opportunity in June.
Proceeds from the sales of Garden in a Box kits serve as a primary source of funding for Resource Central. Aspen residents will again receive $25 off kits this year when they select Aspen as their pick up location during pre-ordering.
Once ordered, the gardens will be available for pickup June 4 at Aspen Middle School from 5-6:30 p.m.
