Helping Northern Colorado grow with confidence.
Hi, we're Fossil Creek Nursery! Our team knows Northern Colorado gardening like the back of our (green) thumbs! Whether you're a brand-new Colorado homeowner or a seasoned plant pro, our nursery experts are here to help you grow with confidence.
Mix & Match Perennials: Buy 4 Get 1 FREE
The best bloom for your buck! Buy 4 perennials, get the 5th completely free!
Gayfeather, Spotted (Native)
Lavender, Phenomenal
Prairie Winecups (Poppy Mallow)
Ice Plant, Purple
Goldenrod, Little Lemon
Bleeding Heart, Valentine
Catmint, Little Trudy
Dianthus, Fire Witch
Meadow Sage, Carondonna
Sedum, Autumn Joy
Let's Get Growing!
Our 15 acre nursery, right at your fingertips.
Don't Let Bugs Win The Battle
Meet Eco-Bran, our best selling grasshopper control solution! Its popularity stems from its bran system: acting as a bait, rather than spraying the active ingredient directly onto the plant itself. It delivers highly effective, localized pest control while minimizing the impact on beneficial insects and the surrounding environment.
Please consult the official product label for precise application rates and safety guidelines.
We sell out every year, so get yours before it's gone!
Supplies For Success: Soils, Fertilizers, Amendments, & More!
You have a great taste in plants. Now it's time to stock up on everything you need to make sure your garden looks its best!
Smart Start Essential Planting Bundle
Eco-Bran (2lb Bag)
Fox Farm Happy Frog Potting Soil
Fox Farm Bush Doctor Coco Loco Potting Soil
Fertilome Root Stimulator
Fox Farm Ocean Forest Potting Soil
Back To Earth Acidified Cottonburr Compost
Fox Farm Strawberry Fields Potting Soil
Unmatched Balled & Burlap Tree Selection
B&B trees are carefully dug and wrapped with burlap, preserving their root systems for optimal growth and transplant success. These trees offer the advantage of being established and ready to thrive in your landscape, providing faster growth and immediate impact compared to containerized options. Whether you’re looking for shade trees, ornamental trees, or evergreens, our expert team will help you select the perfect B&B tree for your garden, ensuring long-term beauty and health in your landscape.
The Botanist's Bulletin Blog
Check out blog posts and resources from our nursery professionals.
Your Garden’s Secret Weapon: 3 Beneficial Bugs You Want in Your Yard
Welcome to the world of beneficial insects: the unsung heroes of organic gardening. By introducing and supporting these good bugs, you can create a balanced ecosystem right in your backyard.
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Peony For Your Thoughts: Your Guide To Growing Peonies On The Front Range
Few plants bring as much dramatic, romantic flair to a spring garden as the peony. With their lush foliage and massive, pillowy blooms, they are a showstopper in any landscape. Here at Fossil Creek Nursery, we frequently get asked: "Can I actually grow these successfully in Colorado's unpredictable climate?" The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, our cold winters provide the exact chilling hours peonies need to set their spectacular blooms. To help your peonies thrive for decades to come, we’ve put together a quick guide to success. Location & Light Peonies are sun-worshippers, but Colorado’s high-altitude sun is intense. The Sweet Spot: Select a location that receives 6 to 8 hours of full sun daily. In our region, a spot with morning sun and a little bit of afternoon filtered shade is often ideal to protect the delicate petals from scorching. Air Circulation: Peonies need their personal space. Plant them away from large trees or aggressive shrubs that will steal their nutrients, and ensure they have room for air to circulate freely around the foliage. This keeps fungal diseases like Botrytis blight at bay. Soil Prep: Building the Perfect Bed Colorado is famous for heavy clay or incredibly sandy soil, neither of which makes a peony particularly happy right out of the gate. Peonies demand well-draining soil rich in organic matter. The Fix: Before planting, amend your soil deeply with compost. If you are dealing with thick Front Range clay, mixing in organic material improves drainage so the roots don't sit in soggy soil and rot. Supporting the Show: Enter the Peony Cage We’ve all seen it happen: a gorgeous peony bush bursts into bloom, a classic Colorado spring rainstorm rolls through, and suddenly those heavy, water-soaked blossoms are face-down in the mud. Because standard garden peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) produce massive, multi-petaled heads, structural support is mandatory. Timing is Everything: Do not wait until the plant is blooming to support it! Place a peony cage or grid support over the plant early in the spring when the red shoots are only a few inches tall. How it Works: As the stems grow, guide them gently up through the grids of the cage. By the time the heavy buds open, the framework of the cage will be completely hidden by lush green leaves, invisibly holding those massive flowers upright through wind and rain. Ongoing Care & Maintenance Watering While establishing their deep root systems, peonies need regular moisture. Water deeply at the base of the plant once or twice a week rather than giving them frequent shallow sprinkles. Once established, they are surprisingly drought-tolerant, but they perform best with consistent moisture from bud-set through flowering. Always water the soil, not the leaves, to avoid fungal issues. Your space will always have its own unique conditions that affect the amount of water your plant will need. We highly recommend regularly checking your soil by hand a few times a week and adjusting water as needed until your plant is established. Fertilizing Peonies aren't heavy feeders. A light application of a low-nitrogen or balanced fertilizer (like a 5-10-10 mix) in early spring as they emerge is usually all they need. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which will give you massive, beautiful green leaves but very few actual flowers. Fall Clean-Up In late autumn, after a heavy frost has turned the foliage yellow or brown, cut the stems down to about 2 inches above the ground. Dispose of the foliage rather than composting it to prevent any overwintering fungal spores from waking up in your garden next spring. Ready to Plant? Come See Us! Peonies are incredibly long-lived perennials, it’s not uncommon for a well-cared-for plant to live for 50 years or more. Investing a little time in proper soil prep and depth pays off in a lifetime of spring beauty. Stop by Fossil Creek Nursery today to check out our selection of gorgeous peony varieties, high-quality soil amendments, and heavy-duty peony cages to get your garden set up for success! Read more about Peony care with CSU Extension
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Oh Snap! Late Season Snow Damage
Oh Snap! Don't let a surprise snowstorm ruin your landscape. Follow our guide on saving snow-damaged trees, assessing structural health, and when to call a pro.
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Shop By Flower Color
Custom Landscape Design Inspiration
Need help planning your dream garden? Snap a photo of your yard, and let our design tool do the rest. Our team has created a collection of perfect plant "recipes- from native sun-lovers to shade-loving cut flowers- that our program will professionally layer into your space. See exactly how your garden could look, grab your full plant list, and enjoy an exclusive discount. Everything is hand-picked by our local staff and ready for you at the nursery! See what’s possible!
Fossil Creek Nursery Wholesale
Fossil Creek Nursery is your destination for premium landscaping plants in Northern Colorado with unbeatable selection, superior plant quality, fast quotes, speedy delivery, and expert team support.
Ready to elevate your landscaping game? Come see why Fossil Creek Nursery is Northern Colorado's #1 Landscape Supplier!
Hi, We're Fossil Creek Nursery
Fossil Creek Nursery has been Fort Collins’ trusted plant nursery since 1969, providing high-quality trees, shrubs, perennials, and garden essentials tailored to Northern Colorado’s unique climate. More than just a garden center, we are a community of plant enthusiasts dedicated to helping you create thriving landscapes, lush gardens, and inviting outdoor spaces. Whether you're a homeowner looking for the perfect low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants, a landscaper in need of wholesale plant supply, or a gardener seeking expert advice, our knowledgeable team is here to help. Visit us today and discover why we’re Colorado’s go-to destination for sustainable gardening, native plants, and landscape solutions!