For me, most days in this new year have felt heavy so far. At times it has been hard to bear the many things that are coming at us all the time. On top of that, it is also late winter here in Colorado, which means we have fewer hours of sunshine and can have colder temperatures in late February – yet the snowpack is terribly low so far.</p> I acknowledge that these difficult feelings are valid and real, and at the same time I make it a practice to look for the beautiful things that continue to exist in our world—and they are everywhere! Making time to reconnect with the good things is crucial to staying well and strong, both mentally and physically. A simple walk in a natural area can give us the space to meet again with beauty and joy, to stretch muscles, engage with curiosity and to regulate our nervous systems. Open spaces are known for their ability to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure and lift the mood, so getting outside into a natural landscape can help us feel better. </p> Evolutionary Influences</h4> For most of human history (100,000+ generations) we have been directly bonded to our local ecosystems for survival. Our innate attraction to certain landscapes is linked to our ancestor’s survival instincts. They were driven to find places that provided food, water, shelter and relative safety. The presence of water, signs of animal life, healthy vegetation and pockets of open space can signal enhanced conditions for survival. Consequently, these environmental preferences are still hardwired in us. They speak to us subconsciously about sustenance and safety. Feelings of security help regulate the nervous system, can enhance creativity and improve sleep quality, heart rate, digestion and immune function.</p> Go for a Winter Walk at Chatfield Farms</h4> Chatfield Farms is a 700-acre native plant refuge and birding hotspot with 2.5 miles of nature trails, and over 15 curated gardens with various themes. The south side of Chatfield Farms offers a unique and unexpected respite from its urban surroundings, featuring a wetlands area, places to see animals and signs of their presence, hear birds sing and watch them fly, and see a variety of plants. </p> To begin your winter well-being walk, make your way from the Robert & Judi Newman Welcome Center to the Green Farm Barn. </p> Here is a map of Chatfield Farms</a>. </p> Green Farm Barn</h4> You will know you are at the Green Farm Barn when you see the silo and a red barn. Now, wait a moment: The Green Farm Barn is red? Yes! It is named for the Green family, who lived and worked here around 1918. </p> Before them, the Ute, Arapahoe, Comanche, Puebloan and other Nations lived or travelled through here because this area is an abundant crossroads between the plains and the mountains.</p> Take some time to explore the gardens near the silo and you will find plants like Echinacea sp</em>.(coneflower), Bouteloua gracilis</em> (blue gramma) and Anaphalis margaritacea</em> (pearly everlasting). These plants provide winter interest for human visitors and a source of food and cover for many birds and small mammals. All three of these plants are native to this area and have medicinal properties.</p> Deer Creek Natural Area</h4> Turning your attention to the east, you will see the majestic forms of Populus deltoides</em> (cottonwoods) lining Deer Creek. Venture down the wide dirt trail (the Dora & Pauline Robert Riparian Trail (#31 on the map) on the south side of the creek. Notice the abundance of birds as you approach the ponds and look at the creek to spot evidence of beaver activity. If you continue, the trail bends north. Here you will see a prairie dog colony. If you are lucky, you could also spot a coyote, bobcat, hawk, eagle or deer. Following the north side of the creek will lead you back toward the Welcome Center.</p> Note: The Dora & Pauline Robert Natural Trail can be accessible for sturdy wheelchairs but is not plowed for snow in winter. </p> Please visit us in all seasons to experience the ever-changing beauty here and make a connection to your local ecosystem! </p>
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about the unusual weather and early blooms this winter, so we decided to check in with one of our horticulturists, Laura Swain, to get the scoop.</p> Why are we seeing early blooms?</h4> We are currently experiencing the warmest and driest winter on record with an average temperature of 43 degrees! Many of our beloved early season plants have evolved in more temperate regions of the world. In the late summer and fall, all plants form buds – or tiny packets of densely stored energy for fast growth in the spring. These buds are typically covered in modified leaves, called bud scales, that keep the buds warm and cozy during winter months. Some plants have already met their dormancy requirements, and the warm days (and nights!) trick the plants into thinking it’s spring. </p> Is this bad for the plants?</h4> The risk is that here in Colorado, we will likely get another deep cold spell before winter is over. When this happens, if plants have already opened those bud scales, they become susceptible to winter burn and dieback. This is rarely enough to kill a plant. They may need some extra pruning in spring. This applies primarily to woody trees and shrubs. For herbaceous perennials, plants may expend some extra energy with early winter growth and subsequent dieback but typically have enough stored energy in their roots to carry on when spring finally arrives. </p> While early flowering itself is not detrimental to overall plant health, there is </em>another risk we should be aware of: what is happening below ground. During winter dormancy, plants stop growing above ground shoots, but roots are still busy growing and storing energy. When winters are very dry and warm, many root systems (and bulbs) can suffer. This is especially concerning for newly planted trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs. </p>
Every other year, the Society for Ecological Restoration</a> hosts an international conference convening restoration researchers and practitioners from around the globe. This year, the conference was held in Denver, and we had the opportunity to not only attend the conference but share the Gardens with participants. Staff from across several departments attended and presented our ongoing research. Our engagement started well before the conference -- we participated in planning and also grew native plants to use for display at the conference that were then planted at the Plains Conservation Center</a> after the meeting. </p> I partnered with colleagues from Naples Botanical Garden, North Carolina Botanical Garden and Chicago Botanic Garden to present on the role of botanic gardens in supporting the native seed supply for restoration. April Goebl presented her work on increased within-species genetic diversity for restoration. Graduate student Meredith Prentice also presented a poster on her thesis work relating post-fire plant communities. </p> At the beginning of the conference, we led a field trip for conference participants to Chatfield Farms</a> to learn about our restoration efforts across scales. We highlighted the experiments we are doing that help inform restoration from backyards to larger open spaces and consider genes to community level processes. We were able to show a multi-year small-scale prairie restoration and several experiments assessing different seeding and planting techniques, local adaptation for seed sourcing, community composition, and site preparation. </p> The best part of attending these types of events is learning cutting edge research and new techniques and meeting with colleagues new and old in person. It is truly invigorating to feel connected by our shared work and mission and to use the lessons learned to improve what we are doing. This year was particularly rewarding because there were so many researchers from other botanic gardens from around the world. I was able to organize an impromptu dinner with most of them, and we not only had a lovely evening connecting over shared issues and opportunities, but we left with some concrete ways we can continue to partner and engage the botanic garden community in restoration even more.</p>
