Garden In A Box Program FAQs
What is Garden In A Box and what does it include?
Garden In A Box is an easy, professionally designed low-water perennial garden kit. These kits are intended to encourage replacing unused sections of lawn (grass is a high water plant) with low-water plants to reduce outdoor water usage!
All low-water perennial gardens include starter plants (not seeds) that come in 4-inch pots. Plants will be organized into 2 ft. x 1 ft. trays, and will be hardened-off and ready to plant when you pick them up! We also offer a vegetable garden in the spring that comes in 2-inch pots in a 2 ft. x 1/2 ft. tray. *When necessary, Resource Central will select appropriate plant substitutions.
Additionally, gardens include up to three professionally designed plant by number maps that make it easy to install your perennial or vegetable garden. The comprehensive Plant and Care Guide and Garden Info Sheets include planting, watering, and seasonal maintenance suggestions to support you in caring for your new garden.
No, these gardens do not come in or with a planter box – they are intended to be planted directly in the ground. It’s just a catchy name for an easy, DIY kit!
Does my Garden In A Box come with or in a planter box?
No. It’s just a catchy name! Your Garden In A Box can easily be planted directly in the ground, a raised bed, or a garden “box,” but the kit does not include an actual box to plant the garden in.
When are gardens available for purchase?
Our gardens for spring planting go on sale in early March for pick up in May or June. Gardens for late summer planting go on sale in mid-June for pick up in August or September.
Am I eligible for a $25 Water Provider/Municipality discount?
Whether or not you reside in a participating water provider/municipality, you may purchase a garden at an affordable price! There may even be a pickup location near you.
Partnering water providers/municipalities supply a limited number of $25 discounts that may be applied to select Garden In A Box kits*. Residents in participating water districts/municipalities can claim a $25 discount assuming discounts are available. These discounts are claimed in a first come, first served manner and are applied at checkout. Check the tool below to learn if you qualify for a Garden In A Box water provider/municipality discount (or any other water-saving programs).
*Note: All Six Packs and the Best of Summer Veggie Garden are not eligible for the $25 discount.
How do I claim my $25 Water Provider/Municipality discount?
To claim a water provider/municipality discount simply select your water provider/municipality from the dropdown menu during checkout and click Apply Discount. If discounts still remain for your water provider/municipality, the discount will automatically be added to your order and you will be able to view it in your cart. There is a limited supply of discounts for each water provider/municipality.
Are gardens mailed?
No, we do not ship our gardens. All orders must be picked up at one of our distribution locations across the Front Range. Check this page for details on garden pickups. You will select your pick up date and time during the checkout process.
What is your return or refund policy?
You have 8 days prior to your pickup date to cancel and receive a full refund without penalty. We cannot accommodate changes to your order less than 8 days before your pickup date.
If you request to cancel within 8 days of the pickup date, your order will be refunded but subject to a 15% restocking fee.
See the Replacement Plant policy below for plant health related issues.
Can I change my order or pickup date?
Yes, but all changes must be made at least 8 days before your pickup date. We cannot accommodate changes to your order within 8 days of your pickup date. Call 303-999-3820 ext. 222 or email gardeninfo@resourcecentral.org for all order changes or inquiries.
Garden & Plant FAQs
How much sunlight do the plants require?
We offer gardens for full sun, adaptable, and part-shade sun exposures. Full sun gardens require 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day, especially between the hours of noon and 4pm. Part-shade gardens require 4 hours of direct or indirect sunlight per day or periods of full sun but only in the early morning or late evening. Adaptable gardens could handle full sun or part-shade exposure.
What does the 'native' designation mean?
The short answer – when we use the term native, we are referring to regional natives (Mountain, North Central, South Central, and South West) and nativars. Take a look at an individual garden’s Plant List for the native status on individual plants in that garden.
Looking for more info? Read more about native gardening & our take on it here.
Have the plants been treated with neonicotinoids?
No. None of our plants have ever been treated with neonicotinoids.
What size are the plants upon pick up and how big will they grow?
All of our perennials come in 4″ pots at pickup and veggie starters come in 2″ pots. The mature spread of each plant will vary and is listed both in the plant list on the individual gardens’ webpage and in your garden’s printed Info Sheet which you’ll receive at pick up.
The plants may seem small at pick up compared to their mature spread but this is normal! Denver Botanic Gardens complied a document of Best Practices for planting in our western climate which recommends planting perennials in a quart size, which is another term for our 4″ pots. At planting and into their second year the plants are focused on growing their roots down for establishment and may not grow to their mature size but at the third year and beyond they’ll leap into a display of blooms.
Upon pickup, I have a question or concern about my order. What should I do?
Concerned about incorrect order:
Your garden should be labelled with its name. If you’re not seeing the name, you can use your garden info sheet and plant tags to ensure that you received the correct plants. Sometimes we need to make substitutions, and we send an email notifying you of this change (
Concerned about plant health:
Garden In A Box is a living product and we make every effort to provide you with healthy, viable plants at the time of pickup. If you receive an unhealthy or non-viable plant, you must email us photos of the plant(s) in question within 48 hours of your pick up date and we will do our best to replace your plant. After 48 hours in your care, we are no longer responsible for the health of the plants. Email gardeninfo@resourcecentral.org.
When should I plant my Garden In A Box?
We time our pickup events, in both spring and late summer, when it is appropriate to plant perennials in Colorado. No matter the planting season, be sure to check the weather before planting as Colorado is known for its unpredictable weather!
In spring, you can plant your perennials as early as the first week in May. That said, the average last frost date along the Front Range is around May 15th. We advise waiting to plant your vegetable garden until after this date (following the instructions in your veggie garden Info Sheet!), and if you want to avoid the threat of frost for your new perennials, wait until mid May for these as well.
Late summer is also fabulous times to plant perennials! In the late summer, we strongly recommend planting at least a month before the first hard frost date, which is usually early October.
The ideal times of day to plant are in the early morning or in the evening. The cool temperatures and gentle sunlight reduce stress on new plants.
Does Resource Central offer planting services?
Garden In A Box is designed as a do-it-yourself program, and, unfortunately, we do not have the staff capacity to offer planting services. If you are unable to plant your garden for any reason, consider asking a friend, family member, neighbor, or landscaper for assistance! Senior centers often have resources available for tasks such as planting, we recommend checking out your local senior center. To search for landscapers, try the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) website.
Can you recommend a landscaper to help with my project?
We cannot recommend specific landscape contractors. Instead, we encourage you to visit the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado website to find a qualified landscape professional in your area.
Order Pickup FAQs
Where do I pick up my Garden In A Box?
All gardens must be picked up at one of our pickup locations during the spring or late summer seasons. During the order checkout process, customers will select from available pickup locations, dates, and time slots.
What should I expect at the pickup event? Do I need to know my order number?
Garden In A Box pickups are run as drive-through events. You will be directed to drive up to our blue check-in tents where we will ask for the first and last name on the order(s). No need to print out your order confirmation or provide your order number(s). Once checked in, your order(s) will be loaded into your car by our staff and volunteers. You don’t even need to get out of your car!
Will my order fit in my car?
Probably, but this will depend on how many gardens you purchased! We encourage you to clean out your trunk in preparation for your garden pickup. Each garden will come in one or two 2 ft. x 1 ft. trays of plants, so please plan accordingly.
Gardens covering 60 sq. ft. come in one tray of plants and gardens covering 100 sq. ft. come in two trays of plants. If you order multiple gardens, use this math to figure out how many trays you’ll receive! The average-sized car can fit about 8-10 flats when empty. Note also that the gardens or flats do not stack.
Note: Gardens are starter plants and printed materials only; kits do not come with a “planter box”.
Can someone else pick up my garden on my behalf?
Absolutely! Just make sure they know the first and last name on the order and which gardens you ordered. Forwarding your order confirmation or pickup reminder is a great way to give them all the info they need in case there are any questions!
What happens if I miss my pickup event?
We ask that you (or someone you’ve delegated) pick up your order at the pickup event you requested. These gardens are a live product and, due to the volume of our business, we cannot guarantee care of the garden after the pickup event.
If an order is not picked up at the requested pickup event, you must pick up at our office in Boulder within 4 days of the missed pickup date. If you cannot pick up your order within 4 business days you must let us know and make other arrangements. Orders that are not picked up within 7 days of the missed pickup date without prior communication about other arrangements will be donated without a refund.
We understand that sometimes things come up and you may not be able to pick up right away. We ask that you let us know if you need a different arrangement as soon as possible.
