July 23, 2026

Conservation Gardens Celebrate 20 Years

For 20 years, Northern Water’s Conservation Gardens have helped bring water-wise landscaping to life. What began as an outdoor laboratory has grown into a welcoming community space where people can explore practical, beautiful ways to use water efficiently in Front Range landscapes.

Northern Water dedicated the Outdoor Laboratory for Landscape and Irrigation Education, known as OLLIE, on July 31, 2006. The 2.5-acre site demonstrated turf, soil, irrigation and planting experiments as part of Northern Water's Turf and Urban Landscape Water Management and Conservation Program, now known as the Water Efficiency Program. In 2007, OLLIE was renamed the Conservation Gardens at Northern Water, beginning a new chapter as a hands-on learning destination for water-efficient landscaping. 

Since then, thousands of visitors have explored the gardens through guided tours, public events and educational signage discovering how plant choices, efficient irrigation and healthy soils can create landscapes.

Conservation Gardens Drone Shot Summer 2026

After Northern Water established its Water Efficiency Department in 2018, the effort expanded its focus to include broader campus sustainability and earned multiple LEED certifications for campus development projects. In 2018, the site adopted the combined name Conservation Campus and Gardens, reflecting its growing role as both an educational garden and a model for sustainable practices.

As the Conservation Campus and Gardens marks 20 years, Northern Water continues to expand its public outreach through marketing efforts, educational programming and the annual Conservation Gardens Fair. The gardens remain open to the public from sunrise to sunset seven days a week, offering year-round inspiration for Front Range-friendly landscaping and water-efficient gardening practices.