Find Your Discount
Resource Central partners with local water districts to offer this Garden In A Box program. Participating water providers offer a limited number of $25 discounts to encourage their residents to save water on their landscapes. These discounts are first come, first served, and are applied at checkout. Anyone can purchase even if discounts are not available to you.
Find out if you qualify for a Garden In A Box water provider discount (or other water-saving programs) with our eligibility quiz below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 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 with these xeric kits to reduce outdoor water usage!
Xeric gardens include 6 to 51 starter plants* that come in 4-inch pots. We also offer a vegetable garden in the spring and the 32 vegetable starts are in 2-inch pots. Gardens come in rectangular 2 ft. x 1 ft. trays (see photo below), and will be hardened-off and ready to plant when you pick them up! *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, this garden does not come in or with a planter box. It’s just a catchy name for an easy 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. For full details on what your Garden In A Box does include, see question above – “What is a Garden In A Box and what does it include?”
When are gardens available for purchase?
Spring Garden In A Box kits are on sale now, visit the online Garden Store to purchase today! Fall Garden In A Box kits will go on sale this summer. Sign up for updates on the fall season here.
Am I eligible for a $25 Water Provider discount?
Participating water districts supply a limited number of $25 discounts to apply to Garden In A Box purchases. Residents in participating water districts can claim a $25 discount as long as discounts are still available. These discounts are first come, first served, and are applied at checkout, if available.*
The following Water Providers are partnering with Resource Central to offer discounts in 2023: Arvada, Aurora, Bancroft-Clover WSD, Berthoud, Brighton, Broomfield, Castle Rock, Centennial W&SD, East Cherry Creek Valley, Edgewater, Englewood, Erie, Evans, Fort Collins-Loveland, Fort Collins Utilities, Frederick, Golden, Greeley, Lafayette, Lochbuie, Longmont, Louisville, Loveland Water & Power, Lyons, Northglenn, Parker, Pinery, Roxborough, Severence, Superior, Thornton, Wellington, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Willows WD, and Windsor.
Whether or not you reside in a participating water district, you may purchase a garden without a discount at an affordable price! There may even be a pickup location near you!
*Note: All Six Packs and the Best of Summer vegetable garden are not eligible for the $25 discount.
How do I claim my $25 Water Provider discount?
To claim a water provider discount, once gardens have been added to your online shopping cart, simply select your water provider from the dropdown and click Apply Discount. You will see the $25 discount applied in the Review Cart section. You will need to check the box indicating you certify the water provider you selected is accurate before Proceeding To Checkout. See the answer to “Am I eligible for $25 discount?” for a list of participating water providers.
Discounts are limited!
Are gardens mailed?
No, we do not ship our plants. All gardens must be picked up at one of our distribution locations across the Front Range. Curbside pickups occur in May and June for the spring season or late August and early September for the fall season. You will select your pick up dates and time during the checkout process.
Can I change my order or pickup date?
If you need to make changes to your order or pickup date please contact our customer service staff as soon as possible and we will make every effort to accommodate you. All changes must be made at least 7 days prior to your pickup date or they cannot be guaranteed. Call 303-999-3820 ext. 222 or email gardeninfo@resourcecentral.org.
Will the gardens fit in my car when I pickup?
Probably, but this will depend on how many gardens you have purchased! We encourage you to clean out your trunks in preparation for your garden pickup. Each garden will come in one or multiple 2 ft. x 1 ft. trays of plants, so please plan accordingly. Gardens are starter plants and printed materials only; they do not come with a “planter box”.
Gardens with one 2 ft. x 1 ft. tray:
- Colorado Oasis
- Morning Dew
- All Six Packs
- Best of Summer Veggie Garden
Gardens with two 2 ft. x 1 ft. trays:
- Alpine Glow
- Butterfly Bounty
- Curbside Charm
- Summer Shadows
Gardens with four 2 ft. x 1 ft. tray:
- Splendid Seasons
Can someone else pick up my garden on my behalf?
Absolutely! Just make sure that they know the first and last name on the order and which gardens you ordered. Forwarding your order confirmation or pickup reminder is an easy way to give them this info.
What happens if I miss my pickup event?
Well, shucks! Even after all those reminders, you forgot. It happens. Any unclaimed gardens will be taken back to our office in Boulder for pickup there. We will send an email to you the day after your pickup event with instructions on how to pick up your order from our office. Please note: We are not a nursery. We are not set up to care for and water your plants for long stretches of time! Please make every effort to pick up or send a friend to pick up quickly!
When should I plant my Garden In A Box?
We recommend planting after the last spring frost date in Colorado, which is usually after May 15th, however, this date is even shifting closer to Memorial Day. Fall is also a fabulous time to plant perennials! In the fall, we recommend planting at least a month before the first hard frost date, which is usually mid-October. Either season, be sure to check the weather before planting, as Colorado is known for its unpredictable weather!
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! To search for landscapers try the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) website.
What is your return or refund policy?
Refunds are accepted until 10 business days prior to your requested pickup. We cannot guarantee refunds after that point. Once you have received your garden there are no exchanges or returns. See the Replacement Plant policy below for plant-health related issues.
One of my plants died. Can I get a replacement?
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 a plant you receive is unhealthy, please let us know within 48 hours of your pick up 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. Call 303-999-3820 ext. 222 or email gardeninfo@resourcecentral.org.
Where do the plants come from?
All of our plants are grown here in Colorado. Little Valley Wholesale Nursery in Brighton and SiteOne Gardens in Windsor and Brighton provide our perennial plants. Our vegetable plants come from Elliott Gardens in Denver, CO.
Have the plants been treated with neonicotinoids?
No. None of our plants have ever been treated with neonicotinoids.
How much sunlight do the plants require?
We offer full sun, adaptable (full sun that also thrives in part shade), and part-shade gardens. Our full sun plants require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, and our part shade plants require at least 4 hours of direct or indirect sunlight per day.
Can you recommend a landscaper to help with my project?
We don’t 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.
