Geophytes are an important part of the steppe climate. Some of the most recognizable geophytes are bulbs. Bulbs offer not only spring beauty but interest throughout the season. Bulbs can also be an important source of food. #steppesuns</p> This first spring in the Denver Botanic Gardens' Steppe Garden </strong>is an exciting time. Right now the part of the garden dedicated to Central Asia is bursting to life with hundreds of spring bulbs. Bulbs are a crucial part of the grassland biome we call steppe. Many of these bulbs arise very early in the season to capitalize on the slightly warming soils and the lack of competition from taller grasses that will block out light and gobble up all the water. These bulbs use their specialty water and carbohydrate storage system to give them the resources needed to put on their spring spectacle.</p> Once the blooms have ended, they capture as much light as they can before the competition wakes up and bullies them out of the scarce resources. Many of my favorite plants are bulbs and now is the time I get to revel in their glory and crawl along the ground to get up close and smell their sweet fragrance and peer inside their oft pendulous faces.</p> Bulbs are also a critical source of food for early pollinators, being some of the first plants to bloom. Hungry bees that are just waking up from a winter respite have these brightly colored and sweet-scented flowers to welcome them to a new year. I imagine that spring bulbs are to bees as coffee is to me; that one joy in the morning that gets you motivated and gives you the wherewithal to conquer all that comes your way. Many bulbs have poisonous parts making them unpalatable to pesky herbivores and giving us and the pollinators a source of beauty and inspiration, especially after a long drab winter.</p> Many of the Gardens' staff are passionate about bulbs. Sonya Anderson has worked hard scouring the globe to find the bulbs to bring us this intricate display that starts in February and will, in one form or another, carry us through until November. The pinnacle is still, however, spring with Tulipa, Fritillaria, Crocus, </em>and Corydalis</em>. This year is just the beginning. As many of these bulbs naturalize and fill in, the displays will only get better and more beautiful as we welcome in spring, sunshine, and the promise of better weather and the chance to get our hands dirty again with the task of gardening.</p>
</p> The Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary last year, is a favorite destination for Gardens visitors year-round, but it’s particularly popular in the winter. Warm, humid, and filled to the ceiling with tropical plants, the Boettcher Tropical Conservatory offers the perfect respite from the gray, chilly days outside the dome.</p> Most days, the Boettcher Tropical Conservatory closes to visitors each evening. But attendees of Off the Clock</em>, our series of theme-night-style events, have the special opportunity to experience this vibrant space after dark. Walking along a pathway lined with lights, guests can get a taste of what happens in a tropical forest after the sun sets.</p> Docents wearing glowing lanyards are stationed along the path to chat with guests and answer questions about the plants that thrive in the Boettcher Tropical Conservatory. Without too much waiting, guests can spot insect and amphibian residents of the Boettcher Tropical Conservatory that don’t typically come out during the day. Plus, the Boettcher Tropical Conservatory offers guests a warm and beautiful thoroughfare for guests to access activities scheduled in Marnie’s Pavilion and the Orangery during the event. </p>
Everyone says they love trees. Practically every one of the millions of trees in the Front Range was planted by someone. Dutch Elm disease removed most American elms fifty years ago, and Thousand Cankers is busy wiping out the Black Walnuts right now. And Emerald Ash Borer is not likely to be contained in Boulder County much longer. If, and when, the insect appears in Denver Metro, it is possible that a million trees could die in a few years: the cost for removing these is likely to cost over a billion dollars in Colorado alone.</p> The other costs: the loss of cooling by trees (these are the lungs of the city, and the air conditioners) will result in greater fuel costs for air conditioning. And the greatest loss is that of beauty. Trees are the living sculptures that line our lives as much as they line streets. The study of Biophilia has shown that trees and nature have an enormous impact on psychological well-being. The loss of either is a subtle blow to our psyches.</p> If Ash trees, a major component of our street tree palette, do disappear will we just replace them with a new monoculture? More and more nurseries are selling trees propagated asexually, greatly diminishing the genetic diversity of our Urban Tree Flora. Compare the leaves on these Burr Oaks selected from a row at Chatfield Farms grown from the same seed lot—this is genetic diversity in action!</p> Why does diversity matter? Not only does a wider palette of trees provide a richer paint box with which to color the canvas of our cities—diversity provides buffers for potential pests and diseases. Monocultures are far more prone to rapid spread of both of these threats. Be sure to attend the tree conference to learn more.</p> 2017 4th Annual Tree Diversity Conference</strong> Friday, March 10 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., York Street Registration includes lunch</em></p> Learn More and Register Today</a></p> This Tree Diversity Conference brings five of the leading authorities on Street Trees to Denver.</p> The Director of America’s National Arboretum in Washington, whose focus professionally has been on Street Trees.</li> A nurseryman from Oregon who’s explored the world for plants, and who has a home in the desert which rarely gets more than 10” rainfall.</li> A nurseryman from Littleton, CO who went on to convene the biggest short course on trees in the hemisphere.</li> The director of a statewide network of Arboreta in our neighboring state, unique in the world for its outreach to their community.</li> And the Top Gun Arborist of Denver who’s led the charge to identify and monitor every street tree in Denver City and County.</li> </ul> These seasoned Arborists will be as enthralling and entertaining as they are knowledgeable. Be there (or stick to astroturf)!</p>
</p> Each summer, guests flood the Gardens for a summer concert series in our outdoor amphitheater, and the events are well-known in the Denver area. But did you know that Denver Botanic Gardens has its very own concert series designed just for kids?</p> For each Bumblebee Jamboree </em>concert, kids can dress up like their favorite pollinators and buzz around in Mitchell Hall to the tunes of a local children’s entertainer. With lively music, outgoing performers, and plenty of space for kids to dance and play, these concerts are delightful for kids and their parents alike.</p> At the end of each concert, don’t miss your free coloring sheet or your chance to get a 4-pack of tickets to the Denver Children’s Museum while supplies last!</p> Jeff and Paige</em></strong> March 18, 2017</em> - Get tickets</a> Jeff and Paige bring fun-filled love of the outdoors and ecology to their concerts, bringing concepts like insect anatomy, energy conservation, and plate tectonics to the whole family. Their messages are delivered in a playful manner that captivates children and adults alike. The pair have released five albums and have won numerous awards for their music. Learn more about Jeff and Paige here</a>.</p> April - TBA</em></p> Advance purchase recommended. Purchase tickets online</a> or at the Bonfils-Stanton Visitor Center. Tickets are limited, get yours today! Concert admission includes admission to the Gardens.</p>
Roses are red, Violets are blue, Sugar is sweet, And so are you.</p> This simple, well known love poem may bring a smile or cringe to your face. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and for better or worse, it causes us to think of those we love, lost or hope will someday love us. The rose is an oft-used token of love, but plants and Valentine’s Day may have more in common than you think. Plants like to get it on and can also help you get in the mood.</p> Did you know that many plants have or produce fruits with aphrodisiac properties? Cacao – used to make chocolate – grow in pods on Cacao trees. The aroma of vanilla, derived from some orchids, is very sensuous. Mint has long been considered a sexual stimulant. Basil is associated with the voodoo love goddess Erzuli and has been used in love spells for divination and ensuring fidelity. Believe it or not, garlic has been used as an aphrodisiac since the Ancient Egyptians. A combination of apple cider vinegar and honey is said to stimulate the production of sex hormones in both women and men, and doubles men’s stamina.</p> The Gardens’ has several Valentine’s Day-themed programs that are sure to educate and possibly arouse feelings of romance. We also a kid-friendly Valentine’s Day program!</p> Orchid Showcase</strong> Through February 20, 2017 Spend some time with your love while strolling through the display of exotic orchids in Marnie’s Pavilion and the Orangery. Included with admission.</p> Orchids 101</strong> February 4, 2017 Orchids, just like all exotic and mysterious things, can be challenging to deal with. Never fear, Orchids 101 class is here! Learn about basic orchid biology, ecology, cultivation and propagation, with demonstrations of proper watering, repotting and mounting techniques.</p> Love Potions from the Vine Tour</strong> February 10, 11, 12 and 14, 2017 The steamy jungle has no shortage of plants thought to have powers to inspire or sustain desire. This docent-led tour through the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory features plants that may be used as aphrodisiacs and also reveals the secret romantic lives of tropical plants</p> Seedlings: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue</strong> February 8-10, 2017 Children ages 18 months – 6 years old can discover the sweet scent and beautiful colors of these famous February flowers.</p>
When does it matter if the seeds or plants are from local sources?</p> The second week of January 2017, twelve experts from around the country representing botanic gardens, academics and practitioners, gathered at a workshop hosted by the Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware. The workshop, entitled “Risks, Rewards and Realities when Sourcing Native Plant Materials for Restoration,” was co-sponsored by the US Botanic Garden and the Mt. Cuba Center. I was privileged to be invited and attend as a representative of Denver Botanic Gardens.</p> As interest in planting natives increases (see Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home as one example</a>), there is an ever-growing need to know where plants should be sourced from for different projects. Should seeds be collected from local plants or will cultivated plants serve just as well? How does this change if the planting is in a backyard or a 50-acre restoration project?</p> The mantra is ‘local is best,’ but is that always the case? Plant traits change with their provenance, and determining the best choice in terms of genetic adaptability, ecosystem compatibility and biodiversity support is a complicated topic. Our aim is to tackle this topic and provide the public and plant nurseries with guidelines on where to source plants from for small-scale restoration projects.</p> By the end of the workshop, we began to develop a tool assessing various options of plant provenance, compiled scientific literature on the topic and started writing our recommendations. Over the next several months, the tool will be refined and tested using commercially available plants. Results of our analyses will provide general guidelines on when seed and/or plants should be sourced locally and when it is best to source them from other places.</p>
The name of the Japanese Garden at Denver Botanic Gardens, 松風園 Sho-Fu-En, means ‘The garden of pine and wind’ and was inspired by the Rocky Mountain wilderness. </p> During our growing season, we often think of evergreens as a background to colorful flowers and leaves. Winter precedes the vivid colors of spring and summer which then fade away in the fall. Now the evergreens become the focus in the Japanese Garden as most plants go dormant until next spring.</p> December is a wonderful time of the year in the Japanese Garden. We welcome various shades of green against the greys and browns of the early winter landscape. The ancient ponderosa character pines display their movement and structure showcasing the rugged Rocky Mountain scenery. The pines cast their shadow on the lake and the water reflects gentle winter sunlight, changing its appearance throughout the day.</p> In the early morning after a cold and snowy December night, you will find the quiet beauty of 松風園 on the snowcapped flexible ponderosa pine branches. Snow flocks the juniper’s needled branches and the Russian hawthorn’s red berries. Atop the fresh snow we often find a variety of animal footprints, evidence of the mysterious activities of nocturnal creatures in the garden. These slowly melt away under Colorado’s bright winter sunlight.</p>
