Is Denver really brown? (Loveland: house, gated, live in)

[charygart]

It's brown for the most part that's not irrigated, so in the areas that are not being maintained by any city, and wild areas. But the closer to the mountain you go, the greener it gets, that's why boulder in general is greener. But in the older areas, where trees are already all grown up and have deeper roots to be able to get their own water, they are pretty green. downtown areas and areas south of denver are pretty green. but areas north of denver (where all the new developments are going) the trees are small in general. and can look pretty brown. And one more thing that I want to point out. The "brown" in denver is caused by slightly different reasons that "the brown" in phoenix.

The brown in denver: being dormant in winter (and the snow don't stick and will melt pretty quickly revealing all the dormant grass and shrubs and trees. and not lots of natural evergreens in the plains). then we will get really wet spring, that will keep everything green until mid june but becomes too dry to stay green)

the brown in phonis: IMO, because in winter doesn't get too cold to go dormant. not lots of vegetation losing leaves if any. and mostly vegetations in phoenix are the ones that are drought tollerant, like cacti. so most of the vegetation are "not dormant" all year long. and from what i saw, they just put rocks and sands to cover islands, "green belts", and planting strip.

so yeah it is browner in denver in some areas, but really green in some areas, and when it's green it's because it's supposed to be green in sometimes of the year, but turning brown because of weather condition. and when it's green it's really green anbd leavy. WHILE in phoenix when it's brown, it's because it's never been green (just all the rocks and sand), and when it's green, it's not really green (just greener compared to the surroundings and not really leavy), and it's all year long.

Hmmm i'm getting confused myself writing this hehe.

[vegaspilgrim]

Xeriscaping in Denver: Smoky Hill Neighborhood Tour.

[DenverAztec]

I am in Phoenix once every quarter and though some streets may appear greener, it is only a few streets in historic areas. North Central, 7th st, 7th Ave and a few others like Palm Drive or the Encanto Park areas are very lush and stay that way year round. However, this is on an incredibly small scale compared to the historic Denver neighborhoods. Denver had many wealthy citizens from it's begining and there are literally thousands of historic homes with yards, trees and streets to match. Denver continues to have on-going tree planting efforts and we have more public parks then any city our size and even some cities that are larger. On the other hand, the suburbs never have had strong tree planting efforts and leave it up to the citizens to plant their own.

Originally Posted by denverian

Denver is "brown" in winter when most trees lose their leaves, but in Spring/Summer/Fall, I'd say it's greener than Phoenix. Lots of large trees form a canopy over the older neighborhoods, and you don't see rock and sand yards here!

Very much agree, Spring has the blossoms in white, pink, yellow, maroon, summer is incredibly green, and fall will show the leaves in lime, yellow, gold, amber and marron if an early freeze does not occur.

Originally Posted by COflower

...I am not sure what "extremely" brown means but we don't have palm tress and don't artificially plant them (they wouldn't survive anyway) like Phoenix does. ...

Funny you mention the Palm trees. Not sure if many of you have noticed, there are dozens that have been planted throughout the city in the park and on the park ways. This has been happening for the past five years or so. They are only there in the summer and then taken back inside for the winter. Check out the few in Washington Park, or on the Cherry Creek bike path, if you blink you will miss them, LOL, as they are about as tall as I am.

Originally Posted by tfox

...To anyone raised east of the Mississippi, Denver is a desert for sure.

The city of Denver is an artificial landscape planted and maintained for 100-150 years. In the older neighborhoods, parks, and parkways, there is a mature old-growth tree canopy that makes Denver look a lot like an eastern city. (Not unlike some of the old oaks in north Central Phoenix, but of course on a scale many times larger).

Denver looks more like a North Eastern city then anything southern. You seldom hear anyone say Chicago or New York City are brown, but they go through the same fours seasons Denver does. Maybe it is the glam or the architecture, or the lack of trees due to the skyscrapers in those cities that paint them colors other then brown? South Eastern cities are typically green all year round; Houston, New Orleans, Miami, etc.

Personally, there is no better place to be then Denver in the summer due to the long days of sun and low humidity, not to mention Green, Green, Green. Keep in mind, this is Denver and not it's burbs.

Phoenician winters are the opposite, it is paradise in Phoenix from November through March but once that heat hits, you may as well have been a sinner paying for your sins. Toss in the ocassional Haboo and large roaches and scorpions and you will certainly be miserable. I was amazed to see the dust stroms so strong there that they knocked over trees and large construction signs. Even small pet can be swept away in the dirt. But this is only during the monsoon season there.

[bostoner]

I previously lived in Denver. I'm from Houston, which is pretty treed and green, and grew up in heavily forested East Texas. I don't recall thinking of Denver as brown, and I assure you I definitely would have noticed!

[Maroon197]

When I was a kid I visited Denver a few times with my parents, and I remember it being somewhat green. But a few years ago I went with a friend to check out the CU law school in early April, I believe, and I remember thinking that Denver looked like an alien planet. It was so brown driving from the airport all the way to Boulder I couldn't believe it--it didn't match up with my childhood memories at all. Even so, you guys had a big snow storm during our visit and the snow certainly made things very beautiful.

[charygart]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

When I was a kid I visited Denver a few times with my parents, and I remember it being somewhat green. But a few years ago I went with a friend to check out the CU law school in early April, I believe, and I remember thinking that Denver looked like an alien planet. It was so brown driving from the airport all the way to Boulder I couldn't believe it--it didn't match up with my childhood memories at all. Even so, you guys had a big snow storm during our visit and the snow certainly made things very beautiful.

You probably took the E470 from the airport all the way to Boulder, which is pretty much nothing, just some hilly plains with nothing really. Until you get to US 36 that will be pretty green in some areas.

And want to add one more thing. because the snow melts relatively quick, compared to like the northern states. Then when it melts it will expose the dormant grass, unlike in the north that will be covered with snow until spring. although old snow can look brown too, because it's dirty and muddy which is icky.

[Katiana]

Having lived in and observed Boulder County for 25 years, I don't really think Boulder or its non-mountain surroundings are any greener than Denver.

[Mikieo415]

Originally Posted by COflower

We are in a semi-arrid climate for most of Colorado as well as that we actually do have winters...yes, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Durango, Grand Junction and well Colorado major areas are typically brown through Oct. to end of March or mid April. Even many native trees go brown like aspens. It's the cycle of life.

I don't know about anyone else... but I would rather look at a brown landscape all winter than a blanket of snow from October till April like Ohio!!!

[jkcoop]

Originally Posted by Mikieo415

I don't know about anyone else... but I would rather look at a brown landscape all winter than a blanket of snow from October till April like Ohio!!!

I agree here - I think that's why people think it's so "brown" in the winter

I grew up in Nebraska. I'd rather just see brown too.

[charygart]

BTW guys, here is the picture I took from my office today. From the cherry creek area

Looks pretty green to me