NOVEMBER 2017: SNOW-IN-SUMMER
It’s Colorado…. who doesn’t love a little snow in the summer to cool things off, right? Head to the mountains and you might just find some in June or July. But on the plains, there is a groundcover often planted that flowers so profusely, it seems as if the snow has arrived. Snow-in-Summer or Cerastium tomentosum is a low growing groundcover, 3-6” high that can find its way into nooks and crannies of your favorite boulders, creep around and over your moss rock walls, and really provide a carpet of white to add contrast to your Boulder Colorado landscape! It has small star shaped white flowers that bloom for extended periods during mid and late summer.
Snow-in-Summer is fairly drought tolerant, but like any plant needs water to become established. It does best with regular watering, likes amended loamy or sandy/loam soil and loves full sun. It can tolerate partial shading, sandy soils, and definitely needs room to spread. It is native to Europe but is found in gardens the world over. As it spreads, it attempts to put down new roots, but can be pulled up and pruned back to the original plant if needed for maintenance.
Plant small 2 ¼” or 4” pots about 1 foot apart for maximum quick coverage. However, if needed, each plant can spread about 3’ over time. Mulch around the newly planted plants to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Water thoroughly and regularly and in just a few weeks they will take hold. Find a spot in the front of your perennial garden for a summer splash of snow.
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Glacier View Landscape and Design, Inc. 
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