Landscaping, brick and basements
Bonnie Brae was laid out with curving streets rather than Denver's usual grid, and development stretched over a couple of decades, interrupted by the Depression. As a result, there is a mix of Tudor-style and English cottage houses from the early period and brick homes from the postwar years, often on somewhat larger lots than in neighborhoods closer to downtown. Mature trees, foundation plantings, hedges and garden beds are common.
For skunks, deep beds against brick foundations, ground cover and shrubs offer cover and grubs to dig for. Many houses here have full basements with window wells, and a skunk foraging in the beds along the foundation is close to those wells. Brick itself does not absorb much odor, but the mortar joints, wood window frames and the soil and mulch against the wall do.
Steep-roofed Tudor-style houses also tend to have smaller, irregular porches and stoops rather than wide raised porches, so the classic porch den is less common. Instead, look under back stoops, sunrooms and garden sheds.
Bonnie Brae houses by era
| Era | Typical features | Skunk-related concern |
|---|---|---|
| Late 1920s to 1930s | Tudor and English cottage styles, brick and stucco, steep roofs | Back stoops, sunroom foundations, older window wells |
| 1940s and 1950s | Brick ranches and one-and-a-half story homes | Basement window wells, low back steps, attached or tuck-in garages |
| Later remodels and rebuilds | Additions, finished basements, new decks | Deep egress wells, low decks, mechanical ventilation intakes |
Questions for Bonnie Brae homeowners
- Are the beds along the foundation thick with mulch or ground cover that hides digging?
- Do basement window wells have covers, especially near the beds?
- Is there a sunroom, back stoop or rear addition with a hollow space beneath?
- Do sprinklers wet the foundation beds every evening, which could reactivate old residue?
- Has a garden shed been checked for an opening at the base?
- If you want to change the exterior of an older house, does Denver's landmark or zoning staff need to weigh in?
Common questions
Do brick walls hold skunk odor?
Fired brick absorbs relatively little, but mortar joints, wood window frames, stucco patches and the soil against the foundation can. Treatment usually focuses on those rather than on the brick face itself.
Is a repellent enough to keep skunks out of the beds?
Repellents tend to give mixed, short-lived results. Reducing grubs and fallen fruit, thinning dense cover against the house and closing den openings are more reliable.
General information for Washington Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.