Colorado Garden and Home Show is a sneak peek into spring

Dan Daru
·2 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Garden and Home Show is kind of a right-of-passage into springtime here in Colorado even though it is still officially winter.

But, it’s warm inside the Colorado Convention Center where over 500 vendors are showcasing their products that they hope will trend in the home and garden.

Denver metro housing market heating up

Be it ever so humble, one trend that continues to rise is home prices. Another trend is homes made from recycled shipping containers.

“About four years ago less than 1% of people lived in the world in a shipping container. That 1% was people like us. We just have to build it, we got to do it. Now it’s starting to grow into almost double digits,“ said Shane Barber, owner of Carbon Dwell Homes in Denver.

Barber says shipping container homes can be built anywhere. They are now recognized by the International Building Code.

You will need some landscaping to go with your new shipping container home. Xeriscaping continues to make inroads as well. Xeriscaping is, in essence, designing a landscape to use less water.

Meanwhile, new home builders continue to install non-native grasses to Colorado that require a lot of water. Experts in horticulture say the H2O situation in Colorado is only going to get worse.

It’s one thing to grow plants that require a little water, but it’s another to grow plants to eat, like fruits and vegetables. Audrey Sharpe with Plum Creek Garden Market says homegrown fruits and vegetables are a viable way of augmenting a family food source.

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“It is the beginning of the season, so not all of our offerings are out. But we definitely have perennials that you can put in the ground. When it’s warm enough you can get started on your vegetables and herbs,“ said Sharpe.

Saving water, looking for new digs, and planting your victory garden should be enough to keep you busy this week. Besides, what else have you got to do until spring arrives?

The Colorado Garden and Home Show is open through Sunday at the Colorado Convention Center.

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