Landscape Design & Installation in Denver, CO

Quick answer

Landscape design and installation in Denver should plan around a dry climate, alkaline and sometimes expansive clay, and your water provider's watering rules. Good plans group plants by water need, keep thirsty plants away from the foundation, and often reduce lawn. Spring and early fall are the main planting windows.

Last updated October 22, 2026

A landscape plan that works in Denver starts with water. The metro is semi-arid, summers bring intense high-altitude sun, and most water providers limit when and how often you can irrigate. A good designer plans around those limits instead of fighting them, grouping plants by water need and putting the thirstiest parts of the yard where you will actually use them.

What a design and installation project usually includes

Site visit and conversation. How you use the yard, sun and wind exposure, slopes, drainage near the house, and your maintenance tolerance.
A plan. Anything from a marked-up photo to a scaled drawing with a plant list and irrigation zones. Ask what is included before you agree.
Turf removal and soil prep. Removing old bluegrass, loosening compacted clay and adding compost to planting beds in reasonable amounts.
Hardscape, grading and irrigation first. Walls, paths, drainage and drip lines go in before plants so they aren't trampled.
Planting and mulch. Plants set at the right depth, beds mulched, and everything watered in.
Establishment. Even drought-tolerant plants need regular water their first season.

Plant choices for the Front Range

Most of the Denver metro falls in the colder half of USDA zone 6 or the warmer half of zone 5, depending on location and elevation, so check your ZIP code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Hardiness is only part of the story. Plants also need to tolerate alkaline soil, drying wind, hail and sudden spring and fall freezes. Colorado State University Extension publishes plant lists and xeriscape guidance for the Front Range, and it is a good, non-commercial place to check a proposed plant list.

Water-wise design and your HOA

Many Denver-area homeowners are shrinking their lawns. Colorado law generally makes HOA rules that prohibit xeriscape or drought-tolerant landscaping, or that require turf, unenforceable, though associations can still adopt design guidelines. Get your HOA's current guidelines before you design, and submit plans for approval if required. Separately, a state law that took effect in 2026 stops local governments from allowing new nonfunctional turf on commercial, industrial and HOA common-area property; it does not apply to individual single-family yards.

Right plant, right place

Keep most plantings and all sprinkler spray at least five feet from the foundation on expansive soils, as CSU Extension recommends, unless the plants need very little water.
Group plants by water need so drip zones can be scheduled efficiently.
Check mature size, especially near walks, driveways and windows.
On wildfire-prone lots, follow the Colorado State Forest Service home ignition zone guidance close to the house.

Timing

Spring and early fall are the main planting windows in Denver. Spring planting gives roots a full season, but watch for late freezes. Fall planting avoids summer heat, but plants need water going into winter. Design work can happen any time, so winter is a good season to plan and get on a company's schedule.

Questions to ask a landscape company

Is design included, or is it a separate fee?
How will the plan fit my water provider's watering days?
Do you guarantee plants, and what voids the guarantee?
Can you provide a certificate of insurance and photos of similar projects?

Thinking about a smaller lawn? Read our guide to choosing or replacing a Denver lawn, then request a landscaping company.

Frequently asked questions

Can my HOA stop me from xeriscaping in Colorado?

Colorado law generally makes HOA rules that ban xeriscape or drought-tolerant landscaping, or that require turf, unenforceable. Associations can still adopt design guidelines and require approval, so get your HOA's current rules and submit plans before you start.

Is xeriscape just rock and cactus?

No. Xeriscape means water-wise landscaping: good soil prep, efficient irrigation, plants grouped by water need, mulch, and practical lawn areas. A good Front Range xeriscape can be full of flowering perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses.

How much does landscape installation cost in Denver?

It varies with the size of the area, how much turf is removed, plant sizes, soil prep, irrigation changes and any hardscape. Get written, itemized estimates from more than one company and compare quantities, plant sizes and guarantees.

Sources and further reading

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