One of my botanical heroes is the remarkable Alice Eastwood. Although she never had any formal training in botany, Alice was one of the most preeminent botanists in the West in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She began her career as a high school teacher in Denver in 1879, after graduating as class valedictorian from East Denver High School. While working, she saved most of her salary of $475 a year to fund her most passionate hobby – summer botanical explorations in the Rocky Mountains. </p> Alice went to great lengths to pursue plants – she learned how to ride horses so that she could travel to remote, inaccessible locations, and she even designed her own expedition outfits. During this time, Alice also compiled and wrote “A Popular Flora of Denver</a>,” published in 1893, a few copies of which are housed in the rare book collection of the Helen Fowler Library</a>.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Image source</a>. Public domain. </p> Alice moved to California in 1892 and began working as the curator of the California Academy of Sciences herbarium in San Francisco, but she continued to return to Colorado to document the flora. In particular, Alice was interested in the desert country and Mancos clay hillsides of the western part of the state. During her career, she described to science over 700 new species of plants, such as Castilleja scabrida</em></a>, and had many more named in her honor, such as Erythranthe eastwoodiae</a></em>. One new species that Alice described was Oreocarya aperta</a></em>, which she collected near Grand Junction in 1892. Today, this species is only known from her type collection and is otherwise presumed extinct. Alice even received the great honor of having two genera named in her honor – Aliciella</a></em> and Eastwoodia</em>. </p> When the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck, it destroyed the California Academy of Sciences building and herbarium. Alice bravely rescued over 1,000 type specimens (irreplaceable reference specimens for species) from the building by climbing the broken marble stairs and lowering the priceless specimens to a friend. Unfortunately, most of her own specimens that she had been diligently collecting over many years were lost – but thankfully, some of her specimens were deposited as duplicates in other herbaria.</p> Alice Eastwood’s amazing legacy lives on through the over 340,000 herbarium specimens she collected! The collections she made in Colorado eventually formed the basis of the University of Colorado herbarium. Along the way, a few specimens found their way to the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants</a> at Denver Botanic Gardens, including this specimen of Solidago </em>collected in Barnum Park, Denver in 1910. Although Barnum park is very different looking now, this specimen provides us with window to what it looked like over 100 years ago.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> </p> We are documenting the current flora of the metro Denver area through the Denver EcoFlora project</a> – and will use this data to compare our findings with those compiled by Alice Eastwood over 100 years ago!</p> From the Vault: Wonders and Oddities from the Gardens’ Collections</h4> Inspired by the fantastic stories of collections highlighted in the 2020 exhibition From the Vault: Wonders and Oddities from the Gardens' Collections</em>, staff working with art, library and natural history collections will be sharing wonders and oddities from the collections online. Each entry in this new blog series will feature a staff-favorite object. Enjoy these peeks into our storage vaults to learn more about our varied collections. </p>
Adorning the body with paints and dyes, both temporary and permanent, has been a wide practice around the globe and across centuries. The purpose for these decorations has ranged from culturally significant rituals and ceremonies to simple beauty practices. In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we offer a brief exploration of two historical practices that are still used today.</p> Lawsonia inermis</em> (commonly known as the henna tree, mignonette tree and the Egyptian privet) is a flowering plant native to much of the south of Asia (including the more specific regions of Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia and the Middle East). The leaves are crushed into a fine powder and mixed with water to make henna, a paste which has, for millennia, been used as a dye to color everything from fabrics such as silk, wool and leather to parts of the body including the hair, fingernails and even the skin, resulting in a rich, deep russet tone when finished. </p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Lawsonia inermis </em>Blanco</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Henna for dying hair.</p> While henna is used for a wide array of everyday coloring and dyeing, the tradition of decorating the hands and feet in beautiful intricate patterns has grown in notoriety and popularity. The application of henna has become popular as a temporary tattoo, but the art of henna (or mehndi in Hindi) is an important practice that has been performed for centuries in Southern Asia as a ceremony held the day before a wedding. The bride-to-be, surrounded by her closest female friends and family, is beautified and blessed in preparation for the wedding. In Hindu tradition, this beautification and blessing ritual, Solah Shringar, is a series of 16 adornments applied to the bride, each with an individual purpose and belief behind it.</p> Among these 16 adornments, the purpose of mehndi stems from the deep red color and the long-recognized cooling properties of the henna paste. The color is associated with emotional and fertility-related qualities as well as representing the essence of love; painted on the hands and feet, the intent is to strengthen the bond of love between the bride and groom. When applied to skin, henna has also been known to cool the body, particularly useful in the warmer climates of Southern Asia. It has also been used to relieve stress fever and headaches. These wonderful cooling and medicinal qualities are said to calm the bride’s nerves as she prepares for her new life as a married woman.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Mahendi</p> Body modifications include the permanent tattoos of the Pacific Islands’ various cultures. The traditional practice of tattooing in Hawaii (kakau) had been almost completely lost to time and the colonization of the islands of Hawaii. To keep their heritage alive, some tattooists have dedicated themselves to practicing only the traditional method of the kakau. </p> This method requires the use of chisel-like tools, typically made of wood and animal tusk; not at all like the needles that most who are familiar with modern tattoos would see. The ink would have been made from the soot of the fruit of the kukui tree, and then tapped into the skin by the tattooist. The tools and particular tattooing technique were very similar across many peoples of the Pacific, including Samoa and the Maori peoples of New Zealand. While the tools used for these tattoos today are still much the same, the composition of the ink has now change to modern productions. </p> </picture> </div> </article> Instruments for traditional Pacific Island tattooing. </p> In traditional Hawaiian tattooing, the placement and the tattoo all have a meaning. These tattoos would tell the life story of the individual. Given the lack of antibiotics historically, it was a dangerous procedure to undergo, but the significance far outweighed the risk. The process is a little less risky today, but likely just as painful. </p> Dig Deeper</h4> Learn more about henna</a>.</p> Listen to this interview with Keone Nunes</a>, the man renowned for reviving the art of the traditional Hawaiian tattoo. </p> At the Helen Fowler Library:</strong></p> “Religious & useful plants of Nepal & India: medicinal plants and flowers as mentioned in religious myths and legends of Hinduism and Buddhism” by Trilok Chandra Majupuria</p> “Plants in Hawaiian Culture” by Beatrice H. Krauss </p> There are far too many practices across cultures to name, but if you would like to learn more about the practices of such cultures, particularly those that involved certain plants, the library has a fine selection of books on ethnobotany. The library</a> will be opening again for limited hours in June. All such materials will be available to browse, and members of Denver Botanic Gardens will be able to check books out. Come visit us!</p> All images public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</em></p>
For many gardeners, dry shade is a difficult area to cultivate. The real trouble with dry shade is that few gardeners are aware of the many groundcovers, perennials and shrubs that excel in these conditions. Whether under a tree or shaded by structures or buildings, shady spaces can be a wonderful refuge in summer heat and a quiet place for reflection throughout the seasons. Let’s review some of my favorite dry shade plants from smallest to largest!</p> Groundcover</h4> Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum</em> Commonly known as sweet woodruff, Galium</em> odoratum</em> lives up to its name with small, fragrant, four-petaled white flowers that come on in early spring (April and May). This mat-forming perennial spreads by creeping roots and self-seeding, creating a dense semi-evergreen groundcover in part to full shade. When crushed, cut or dried, the foliage emits a strong aroma and can be used to make sachets or potpourris. </p> Perennials</h4> Coral Bells, Heuchera </em>(many cultivars) Coral bells are a beautiful addition to any shade garden – they provide colorful foliage that persists spring through fall. While they produce flowers in May to June, the wow factor of this plant are its leaves. Many cultivars are available, ranging from chartreuse, variegated, orange, burgundy, red, purple and deep chocolate in color. This is a must have low-maintenance perennial for every shade garden. </p> Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla mollis</em> Lady’s mantle, or Alchemilla mollis</em>, is a rabbit and deer tolerant perennial for dry shade that provides yellow to chartreuse flowers mid-summer among soft, fuzzy, bright green leaves. This plant will self-sow, so removing flowers before it goes to seed will prevent spread and may encourage a rebloom. Similar to the coral bells, this plant is low maintenance, requiring only that it is cut back to ground in spring. </p> Siberian Bugloss, Brunnera macrophylla</em> Also known as false forget-me-not, Brunnera macrophylla</em> is a large-leaved clumping perennial that is topped with many small blue forget-me-not like flowers in early April. Alexander’s Great and Jack Frost are two commonly found cultivars – the former has exaggeratedly large leaves with a silver variegation. The latter has a mainly silver leaf. This plant will spread by rhizome and seed and is vigorous in the garden. </p> Lenten Rose, Helleborus orientalis</em> Lenten rose is a unique perennial for two reasons. Firstly, it is a true harbinger of spring with flowers emerging as early as February or March. Secondly, the Lenten rose performs all year long as it is an evergreen perennial. The leaves are thick, leathery and palmate in form with serrated edges. Helleborus </em>are often hybridized to produce colorful and showy blooms that often accentuate the flower’s yellow stamens. Flower color range from white, pinks and deep reds. This plant is deer resistant but beware, its leaves stems and roots are toxic to humans if eaten. </p> Anemone, Anemone </em>× hybrida</em> Anemone hybrids give height and structure to the garden, with foliage up to 2-3 feet and blooms in August and September reaching 3-4 feet tall. During the spring and summer, the dark green leaves of the anemone provide a lush backdrop to other flowering perennials. ‘Honorine Jobert’ is a cultivar with bright white flowers and yellow centers, while ‘September Charm’, another popular hybrid has pink blooms and yellow centers. Spreads by rhizome and prefers part to full shade. </p> Shrubs</h4> Creeping Oregon Grape Holly, Berberis repens (Mahonia repens)</em> Formerly known as Mahonia</em>, Berberis repens</em> is a native Colorado broadleaf evergreen shrub that offers yellow flowers in spring, blue berries in summer and deep red purple fall color. Thick waxy leaves help retain moisture by reducing evapotranspiration in summer and winter. This plant requires virtually no maintenance. The leaves are somewhat prickly so be thoughtful of where it is placed in the garden. </p> Waxflower, Jamesia americana</em> Native to Colorado, the wax flower is a Plant Select® shrub that can be planted in shade and in high elevations. In the same family as the hydrangea but much more drought tolerant, the waxflower has broad green leaves, spring flowers and brilliant red fall color. Although this used to be difficult to find in the market, it is now being propagated at a fast pace and should be readily available in local nurseries this spring. Check the Plant Select website</a> to find local sources. </p> This blog post and photos first appeared as an article in Life on Capitol Hill, March 2021.</em></p>
It is a beautiful spring morning and you have just arrived at Denver Botanic Gardens for a relaxing stroll. The birds are singing, and the spring bulbs are blooming. The trees and shrubs are budding out, and perennials are waking up and emerging from the freshly thawed soil. As you walk through the entrance you are greeted by a natural oasis to explore. There is so much to see that you don’t know where to begin, so you start meandering down the main pathway with an overwhelming sense of wonder and excitement. </p> As you continue your adventure through the Gardens you come across Shady Lane, a vast shade garden filled with blooming bulbs, perennials and crabapple (Malus</em>) trees ready to burst with aroma and color. You find a bench in the garden to stop, rest and take it all in. </p> The very first crabapple trees in the Gardens were planted in 1976 along the south side of the walkway and the collection was expanded after the completion of the greenhouses and Orangery in 2010 on the north side of the walkway. Fourteen different ideal varieties of crabapples are displayed in Shady Lane and they can be seen in full bloom from late April through mid-May with a palette of white and magenta blossoms that are incredibly aromatic. In autumn, they produce striking red fruit that attracts birds and wildlife. These trees, along with Austrian pines (Pinus nigra</em>), provide a lush canopy that creates an ideal range of shade conditions for understory perennials and shrubs that favor low light conditions. </p> Ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris</em>), hydrangeas, hellebores and hostas can be found growing on the south side of the garden. The north side receives partial sun exposure throughout the day and showcases plants that are well adapted to both high light intensity and low light intensity conditions including columbines (Aquilegia</em>), tulips (Tulipa</em>), irises, lilies (Lilium</em>) and phlox varieties. </p> The tulips, winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis</em>) and Brunnera macrophylla</em> will begin blooming in early to mid-April. The columbines, irises and lilies will begin blooming in mid-April to early May. Some of the timing of the blooms is dependent on weather and precipitation patterns but the recent moisture has primed the garden for some impressive blooms this spring. </p> If you are looking for ideas for a shaded area in your home garden, Shady Lane is an excellent place to gain inspiration and learn what plants are well suited for low light conditions of varying degrees in Colorado. </p>
