The plants in Lions Lair were selected because the combination of mid-sized shrubs with short grasses and interspersed perennials creates an under-story/over-story multidimensional effect that resembles what you might see in an African savanna. Before the renovation project in 1997, this area was bluegrass sod. Now, predominant grasses include Colorado natives little bluestem and blue grama, as well as the popular ornamental Blue Avena. Helictotrichon sempervirens, commonly referred to as Blue Avena or Blue Oat Grass, is easy to find in nurseries or garden centers because of its striking blue foliage and compact size. This plant surrounds the dry water hole in the center of the garden. Little bluestem, botanically named Schizachyrium scoparium, is a medium sized warm season bunch grass that naturally occurs in elevations between 3,500 feet and 8,000 feet. Bouteloua gracillis, or Blue Grama, is a short warm-season grass that expands through underground stems called rhizomes. In Colorado, this plant can be found at elevations ranging from 3,500 feet all the way up to 10,500 feet. These two grasses are mixed together to form the outer circle that roughly extends between the lion and zebra sculptures.

One perennial placed in this garden is Sidalcea ‘Partygirl.’ This plant answers to many names including ‘Partygirl’ False Mallow, Miniature Hollyhock, and Checkerbloom , and has found a home in many of our gardens. Blackberry Lily, Belamcanda chinensis, is a favorite in the horticulture department. This variety has orange flowers with maroon spots and seed heads that resemble blackberries. Each summer these plants offer a pleasant surprise unique sports occur in various shades of pink and purple. Russian Sage is another beautiful perennial that blooms in late summer. The fragrant silvery foliage of Perovskia atriplicifolia provides an excellent contrast against its own lavender-blue flowers or other bright green foliage in a garden.

Behind the perennials and grasses are the mid-sized shrubs. White and yellow varieties of Potentilla fruticosa line the walkway from Giraffes and are scattered throughout the garden. If you turn to the left, you will first see a thorn-covered Crataegus crusgalli, or Cockspur Hawthorn. Considered large shrubs or small multi-stemmed trees, these specimens have dark glossy green leaves, small white spring flowers, bright red fall berries, and showy orange to red fall color. Forestiera neo-mexicana, commonly called the New Mexico Privet, has proven to be a durable, drought tolerant shrub and is considered by some to be an excellent aspen alternative for lower elevations. The other large shrub that looks similar to the Privet in size and shape is called buffaloberry or Shepherdia argentea. You can identify buffaloberry by its silvery-gray foliage and orange-red berries compared to the green foliage and blue berries on the privet.