Glenwood Springs Water-Smart Garden Tour

The 2025 tour has ended. For a PDF with garden ideas, including plants, contractors and advice from homeowners. Sign up at the form on the right and download the PDF guide.

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in water-smart landscaping!

We’ve organized this annual self-guided tour to showcase some of the projects that have been undertaken as part of the City of Glenwood Springs’ Turf Buyback Program. As you’ll see on the tour, homeowners have come up with their own take on a water-smart garden through a variety of plant species, materials and layouts.

About the Turf Buyback Program

If you’re tired of mowing, looking to reduce your water bills or just done with boring old grass, these gardens will inspire you with creative ideas.

The City of Glenwood Springs’ Turf Buyback Program now makes it even more worth your while by offering rebates of $2 per square foot to replace irrigated, non-native lawn with water-smart landscaping.

Application (PDF).

Garden Tour etiquette

We’re grateful to the homeowners who have agreed to participate in this tour. Since these gardens were installed either last summer or this summer, you will be seeing them in a somewhat immature state; they may take another two or three years to fully grow out.

As you visit gardens, please be respectful of the owners:

  • Visiting hours are between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
  • Park on the street, not in the driveway.
  • Except where otherwise indicated, you’re welcome to view the garden from the curb or fence line, or from along a front walkway if it’s not gated. But please don’t walk in the garden.
  • Don’t knock on the door or disturb the owners, unless they invite a conversation.

Resources

Sponsors

  • City of Glenwood Springs
  • CLEER
  • Eagle Crest Nursery
Water-Smart Garden Tour logo with plant icons

Signup for the 2025 Water-Smart Garden Tour

Fill in the form below to download a self-guided tour map with factsheets on each garden.

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