At the recent Salida Home & Garden Show, Designscapes Colorado's Designer Michael Buchenau presented "Considering the Home Landscapes of Chaffee County — Reflections as a Seasoned Landscape Designer." The response from attendees was telling: a room full of engaged homeowners looking for resources to have a beautiful landscape for their home. 

Michael Buchenau presents at the Salida Home and Garden Show.

Designing for a Demanding Landscape

Chaffee County presents a distinct set of challenges — fire mitigation requirements, persistent wind, deer pressure, and arid, rocky terrain. Add to that the diversity of sites across the county, from properties within the city limits to wooded hillsides to open ranchland, and it becomes clear why a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn't work here.

Michael's philosophy, and the foundation of Designscapes Colorado's approach, is straightforward: the landscape should reflect the land. That means reading what's already present. The native palette, the terrain, the views of the Collegiate Peaks and the Arkansas River, and designing in harmony with the land rather than against it.

The Principles That Hold

Across all site types, three fundamentals consistently determine success in Chaffee County:

• Native and regionally adapted plants that are built for this climate
• Quality irrigation systems designed for efficiency in an arid environment
• Soil amendment that gives plantings the foundation they need to establish and thrive

This is what makes a landscape resilient and sustainable over the long term.

What Homeowners Took Away

Michael's presentation reframed homeowners challenges with creating a landscape that is beautiful, sustainable, and practical for the Chaffee County environment.. Chaffee County's conditions aren't an obstacle to good design; they're the context for it. 

Attendees left with a clearer path forward — and renewed confidence that it's possible to create something beautiful here.

Interested in designing a landscape that belongs to your site? Contact Designscapes Colorado to start the conversation.