This spring was the first growing season of my prairie restoration experimental research plot at Chatfield Farms. Millions of pounds of seed are planted every year for ecological restoration and the demand for native seed exceeds its supply. I am interested in understanding how the source of seeds used in restoration relates to plant performance. </p> What performs better, seeds from cultivated plants or wild-collected seeds? For wild-collected seed, how does the environment from where they were collected relate to their performance (size, growth rate and reproductive output) at the field site? Do plants from more similar environments to Chatfield Farms perform better than plants from different environments? Are these relationships the same across many species, or do they vary among species? The results from this experiment will help land managers and restoration practitioners to choose appropriate seed sources to maximize restoration success.</p> To answer my research questions, I conducted an experiment on five study species commonly used in shortgrass prairie restoration: prairie sagewort (Artemisia frigida</em>), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis</em>), prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha</em>), dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata</em>), Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus</em>) and Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda</em>). For each species, I planted seeds from six wild-collected populations across the western U.S. and from commercially available cultivated seed.</p> I am tracking growth stage and life stage of each individual plant for two growing seasons, and biomass at the end of the experiment. With more than 1,000 plants involved, volunteers were integral in every step of my experiment: planting seed and repotting seedlings in the greenhouse, plot set-up and construction, planting seedlings into the ground and assisting with weeding and data collection.</p> Out of all the different types of measurements I am collecting, I am especially interested in phenology. Phenology is the timing of when organisms progress through their life stages or life cycle events. Plants are known to alter when they start leafing, flowering and set seed in response to environmental conditions. However, some of their phenology is also genetically determined – e.g. plants from environments with shorter growing seasons may always flower earlier than plants from environments with longer growing seasons. If some plant populations are not able to alter their phenology enough to keep up with the pace of climate change and the environmental conditions at the restoration site, then they may die out in the future, leading to restoration failure.</p> This blog post was written by Katherine Fu, Ph.D. student at University of Colorado Denver. Katherine is planning a career in plant ecology and conservation. Specifically, she is interested in focusing on research questions related to restoration, plant communities, succession and plant/animal interactions.</em></p>
With cooler weather and an overnight hail storm punctuating the early weeks of our growing season, the water gardens got off to a slightly slower start this year. Fortunately, our extensive collection of aquatic plants has made a triumphant comeback, and August is a great month to take a walk around the ponds to see them in their full glory. </p> Begin your stroll at the small pool in the Ellipse garden, home to the Chihuly sculpture, Colorado. A unique plant displayed in this pool is mosaic plant (Ludwigia sedioides</em>). This South American native thrives in warmer water, making this small pool the ideal spot for it to show off its intricate pattern of tiny floating leaves arranged in a mosaic pattern on the water’s surface. Hardy and tropical waterlilies (Nymphaea</em> hybrids), along with Colocasia </em>and Canna</em> hybrids, round out the display in this pond.</p> Head west to the Romantic Gardens’ pool, where you will find a display of Australian waterlily species and hybrids. These waterlilies are also a bit finicky, requiring consistently warm water and sunny weather to grow. Too many cloudy, cool days and they can quickly decide to go dormant. The Romantic Gardens’ pool is not connected to our recirculating waterway system and therefore the water temps stay an average of seven to 10 degrees warmer, making it the perfect summer home for these tropical day-blooming waterlilies. Flowers can reach up to 10 inches in diameter and are held high above the water, making for a show-stopping scene. In the center of this pool, two Santa Cruz water platters (Victoria cruziana</em>) surround a central recirculating fountain.</p> Continuing to the west, you will find the Four Towers Pool. This pond borders the south and west sides of the Science Pyramid and showcases a collection of hardy intersubgeneric waterlilies (crosses between hardy and tropical waterlilies that have proven to be winter hardy here in Denver) as well as gorgon plants (Euryale ferox</em>), hardy waterlilies, tropical waterlilies and an assortment of marginal plants (plants that typically grow in shallow water around the margins of a pond), including Canna</em> ‘Ermine’, C.</em> ‘Blueberry Sparkler’, Egyptian papyrus (Cyperus papyrus</em>), Mexican papyrus (C. giganteus</em>), swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus </em>‘Peppermint Flare’), and golden reed (Phragmites australis</em> ‘Aurea’).</p> As you follow the waterway heading west to the Steppe Garden, you will find bog bean (Menyanthes trifoliata</em>) flanked by islands planted with marginal plants including marsh marigold (Caltha palustris</em>), calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica</em> ‘White Giant’) and monkey flower (Erythranthe guttata</em>). Curators are currently experimenting with other steppe region species to see if they will also thrive in the boggy soil on these islands—stay tuned!</p> The next pool on our walking tour can be found at the west end of the Steppe Garden just as you enter the Annuals Garden. This pool is home to a collection of taro (Colocasia</em>) hybrids that showcase the range of foliage and stem colors that have been developed in this genus. Colocasia esculenta </em>is also displayed in this pond with an interpretive sign detailing its importance as a food crop in tropical regions. Hardy and tropical waterlilies accent the display along with the native mare’s tail (Hippuris vulgaris</em>).</p> As you walk through the Annuals Garden, you will come to the next ponds on our tour which are situated on either side of the walkway at the north end of this garden. These pools highlight the Rocky Mountain Legacy Collection—waterlilies that have been tested for performance at Denver Botanic Gardens over the years and which have historical significance. This collection includes the hardy waterlilies ‘Colorado’, ‘Denver’, ‘Denver’s Delight’, ‘Joey Tomocik’, ‘Bea Taplin’, ‘Attorney Elrod’ and ‘Cynthia Ann’. Tropical waterlilies in the collection include ‘Stan Skinger’, ‘William McLane’ and ‘Bob Hoffman’.</p> The Sacred Earth waterway to the south of The Hive Garden Bistro is next on our tour. This small pool is home to a collection of native aquatic plants including Rocky Mountain pond lily/spatterdock (Nuphar polysepala</em>), bog bean (Menyanthes trifoliata</em>) and broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia</em>).</p> Finally, the last stop on our walking tour is Monet Pool, our largest display pond situated just north of The Hive and stretching west to the border of the Japanese Garden. This water garden features the always popular Victoria</em> ‘Longwood Hybrid’ water platters as well as hundreds of hardy and tropical waterlilies, water-loving Canna</em> hybrids, aquatic Iris</em> and other marginal plants including pickerel plant (Pontederia cordata</em>), lizard’s tail (Saururus cernuus</em>), powdery thalia (Thalia dealbata</em>) and common rush (Juncus effusus</em>). Be sure to find the display of miniature hardy waterlilies and star waterlilies in the area near Le Potager at the southwest end of the Monet Pool to end your tour.</p>
</p> Every one of the rental sites at our York Street location offers beautiful and unique elements that form the backdrops for hundreds of private events each year. In general, certain kinds of events tend to inhabit certain venues: the Woodland Mosaic solarium is suited to small gatherings in the warmer months, Mitchell Hall is an ideal space for evening receptions year-round, and the UMB Bank Amphitheater is a perfect location for large gatherings at the peak of summer. However, since it’s grand opening in July 2016, the Annuals Garden and Pavilion</a> has become one of our most popular sites for rentals of all kinds.</p> Positioned at the heart of the Gardens, the Annuals Garden and Pavilion showcases some of the most spectacular blossoms at York Street. Each spring, the long, rectangular beds erupt with thousands of brightly-colored tulips, hyacinths and other spring-blooming bulbs. In the summer and fall, the garden transforms to feature North American annuals at their finest, expertly planted by our horticulturists to create breathtaking displays of vibrant blooms and lush foliage. With nearly a dozen separate garden beds, this space completely immerses your event guests in floral splendor. </p> </p> At the center of these stunning displays, the open-air pavilion is designed with high arches and a dramatic, sloping ceiling that offers shade to guests gathering on the flagstone pad beneath it. Equipped with soft lighting, the pavilion can be booked for daytime or evening events, and as a newer garden, there are plenty of easily accessible power outlets in the area. Depending on how the space is set up, the flagstone pad and the surrounding walkways can easily be used for standing receptions for up to 250, theater-style ceremonies for up to 200 or seated receptions for up to 120.</p> With the décor taken care of by the garden itself, simply add acoustic music, scrumptious food from one of our preferred caterers, and your friends, families or colleagues for an event you (and they!) are not soon to forget. Whether you are hosting a wedding, a corporate event, a non-profit fundraiser or gala, the Annuals Garden and Pavilion may just be the venue you are looking for.</p> Contact our Private Events team for more information at private.events@botanicgardens.org</a> or 720-865-3551.</p> </p>
Following an unusually cool and wet spring, summer has finally made an appearance at the Gardens. Throughout our ponds, waterlilies are putting on a spectacular show, with hardy varieties taking center stage this month. These floating-leaved aquatic plants were made popular by the famous painter, Claude Monet. However, another artistic mind was responsible for the creation of the beautiful lilies that first caught Monet’s attention.</p> Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac, a Frenchman who lived from 1830-1911, is considered the father of hardy waterlily hybridizing. He created over 100 hybrids in a rainbow of colors using species from around the world, including North America, as parent plants. Up until the introduction of these hybrids, most people in Europe were only familiar with their native white-flowering hardy waterlily, Nymphaea alba</em>.</p> In 1889, Latour-Marliac displayed many of his new waterlilies at the World’s Fair in Paris, where they won first prize and caught the attention of Claude Monet. Inspired by the colorful hybrids, Monet placed an order with Latour-Marliac’s nursery (which is still operational today in Le Temple-sur-Lot, France) soon after he completed work on his new garden in Giverny. The rest, as they say, is history.</p> Many of Latour-Marliac’s original hybrids were unfortunately lost over time, but several remain among the most popular hardy waterlilies grown around the world. Here at the Gardens, 20 of these historically significant hybrids (listed below) can be found growing in an appropriately named water garden: our Monet Pool.</p> Latour-Marliac waterlily hybrids at Denver Botanic Gardens along with their date of introduction:</p> ‘Albatros’ (1910)</li> ‘Amabilis’ (1921) *</li> ‘Andreana’ (1895)</li> ‘Arc-en-ciel’ (1900)</li> ‘Attraction’ (1910)</li> ‘Aurora’ (1895)</li> ‘Darwin’ (1909)</li> ‘Escarboucle’ (1909)</li> ‘Fabiola’ (1908)</li> ‘Formosa’ (1900)</li> ‘Gloriosa’ (1896)</li> ‘Gonnere’ (1914) *</li> ‘Indiana’ (1912) *</li> ‘Laydekeri Fulgens’ (1893)</li> ‘Laydekeri Lilacea’ (1893)</li> ‘Marliacea Carnea’ (1880)</li> ‘Marliacea Chromatella’ (1880)</li> ‘Paul Hariot’ (1905)</li> ‘Sioux’ (1908)</li> ‘Virginalis’ (1908)</li> </ul> *Introduced after Latour-Marliac’s death</p> To see an exhibition of Monet’s artwork, including a collection of his famous waterlily paintings, visit the Denver Art Museum’s exhibit Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature</a> </em>which runs from October 21, 2019 through February 2, 2020.</p>
Rivers and their neighboring ecosystems are very important for plants and animals – especially in the American West where surface water is limited. Native plants in riverine ecosystems provide food and habitat for birds, mammals, insects and reptiles. The plants also help to filter stream water and act as a buffer during flooding events.</p> Riverine ecosystems are valuable corridors for wildlife; however, these ecosystems are shrinking because of the over-allocation of water for agricultural, municipal and industrial uses. Suburban and urban river corridors are some of the most highly degraded river habitats but also some of the most crucial for wildlife because they provide food, shelter and act as a corridor for movement in an otherwise foreign landscape.</p> Deer Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River, is one example of a suburban stream that has been degraded due to loss of riverine habitat. Deer Creek flows through Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms and empties into the Chatfield Reservoir.</p> In the 1860s, pioneering settlers began to homestead the land that is now Chatfield Farms. The land was used for livestock grazing and hay production, which introduced a suite of non-native, invasive grasses. During the early 20th century, the creek was channelized to provide more efficient use of the land for farming. Because of this, riverine habitat was lost and the current plant community along Deer Creek at Chatfield Farms exhibits an overwhelming dominance of non-native species.</p> In 2015, Denver Botanic Gardens initiated a stream restoration project along Deer Creek at Chatfield Farms. The Research and Conservation Department used this restoration project as an opportunity to test out a passive restoration strategy. Passive restoration is where minimal restorative activities are undertaken and the habitat is left to regenerate on its own. The objective of this restoration project is to emulate a natural, self-regulating ecosystem that is ecologically integrated within the landscape where it occurs.</p> Our passive restoration strategy consists of re-creating historical stream-flow conditions that native plants would have evolved under. We installed tree in-stream structures that were designed to mimic beaver dams. These structures were strategically placed to push water up onto historical channels of the creek that are not currently connected with the creek. We hoped that the re-wetting of these channels would increase riverine habitat without being too disruptive to the creek’s inhabitants. After the installation of the structures, our team of ecologists initiated a long-term monitoring program for vegetation and water quality to evaluate the success of this passive restoration strategy.</p> 2019 is the fourth year of ecological monitoring along Deer Creek. Anecdotally, the structures are working the way we had planned by keeping water in the system for longer periods of time. The habitat surrounding the structures also seems to be exhibiting more native plant species than parts of the stream that were not manipulated. Because there are beavers at the very eastern edge of the property, our hope is that the beavers will recognize the potential for new habitat where we have built our structures and move into those places to maintain the structures themselves, mitigating the need for continued human maintenance and involvement on the structures.</p> This blog post was written by Margo Paces, graduate student and botany seasonal. </em></p>
</p> While it may be hard to think about down parkas, hot chocolate, and twinkle lights in the heat of July, now is the perfect time to start planning your annual holiday party. We invite you to add even more sparkle to your event this year by hosting your party during Blossoms of Light™</a>, a dazzling display of light and color that becomes the hottest ticket in town during the holiday season.</p> With booking options available every night of the week from November 29 – December 21, we can accommodate parties large and small, modest and extravagant. Choose from our versatile and unique indoor spaces to offer your guests a warm retreat on a chilly winter night. Each of your guests will be able to wander our glittering winter wonderland the night of your booking, and tables and chairs are also included. </p> Guarantee your guests an evening they won’t forget, immersed in the stunning surroundings of one of the top holiday light shows in the country</a>. Popular dates are already selling fast, so contact us for more information today at private.events@botanicgardens.org</a> or 720-865-3551.</p> Thinking of popping the question this December? Ask us about our private engagement packages! </em></p>
Across the Front Range of Colorado (and the world writ large), ecosystems and the services they provide are giving way to subdivisions and housing developments. Pasturelands—which were native prairies not so long ago—are commonly converted into private subdivisions to accommodate a growing number of residents. In Douglas County, however, the newly acquired 2,038-acre Sandstone Ranch Open Space will protect in perpetuity an aesthetic landscape that was slated for luxury housing.</p>Emerging from the evergreen slopes of the Rampart Range, mottled hillsides of Gambel oak savanna give way to lush green meadows surrounding West Plum Creek. To the old pioneers who migrated westward by way of the Homestead Act, the precariously balanced sandstone spires conjured images of unevenly stacked bales of hay. Following a hundred-and-some years of ranching, Sandstone Ranch retains evidence of a significant cultural history. But what makes Sandstone Ranch the new crown jewel of Douglas County Open Spaces is its natural aesthetics and the diversity of organisms living on the property.</p>What does a floristic inventory provide?</strong></p>At the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium, we focus on documenting the floristic biodiversity of the Southern Rocky Mountain Region. In keeping with the Gardens’ mission of connecting people with plants, our floristic team is working in collaboration with Douglas County Open Space to (1) capture a “snapshot” of the floristic richness (a list of the plant species present) at Sandstone Ranch, (2) deposit voucher specimens of each and every plant species observed in Sandstone Ranch into the herbarium—which may be accessed and used freely by the global community—and (3) provide land managers, stakeholders and citizens with a better understanding of the biological community within the Ranch.</p>While Sandstone Ranch is at this time closed to the public, a master plan is currently in the works and is expected to balance ecological conservation with public access. The work we are conducting at Sandstone Ranch will be used to inform management strategies that protect sensitive species from anthropogenic disturbances, while also providing a resource for the public to connect and interact with the flora of Colorado.</p>Plants Stories from the Ranch</strong></p>Viola selkirkii </em>(Selkirk’s violet): Once thought to have simply died out in Colorado, this violet is considered critically imperiled within the state. Yet within the appropriate habitat (cold mountain forests) it is widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Only two other occurrences are currently recorded within the state; one from Rocky Mountain National Park, and the other a few miles north of Sandstone Ranch near Devil’s Head. The distribution of this species may be best described by the Arcto-Tertiary Geoflora hypothesis.</li>Bromus inermis </em>(smooth brome): As a native to Eurasia, B. inermis </em>is a common forage crop that has aggressively escaped cultivation. If this grass is not properly managed, it outcompetes and displaces desirable native species. In Sandstone Ranch, smooth brome carpets the low valleys and meadows which would have historically been dominated by the now uncommon little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium</em>) and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis</em>).</li>Corallorhiza wisteriana </em>(spring coralroot): This orchid species is an eastern relict whose distribution is largely relegated to regions south of Pleistocene glaciation areas. Instead of performing photosynthesis, this red stemmed orchid parasitizes mycorrhizal fungi from which it steals energy and nutrients (myco-heterotroph). This orchid and the Selkirk’s violet are indicator species for mesic-montane habitats which have high ecological value.</li></ul>This blog post was written by Richard A. Hum, M.S., Botany Field Assistant.</em></p>
For most of us Tibet summons images of mystery, lofty mountains, monasteries on high perches and, of course, yaks. Tibet has been called the Rooftop of the World, just as Colorado could claim to be the “rooftop” of the Continental United States, although Tibet’s 4,500-meter mean elevation is more than double Colorado’s mere 2,000! For the last 10 years, touristic travel to Tibet has been restricted and at times brought to a standstill. I had little hope to ever have a chance to go there until Harry Jans (a passionate world traveler from the Netherlands with great savvy) invited me to join a group of 20 keen alpine gardeners on a botanical trek from Lijiang (in northernmost Yunnan) where we boarded a small bus that will bring us ultimately to Lhasa.</p> Although I’m in the last leg of the journey, I feel it safe to say that few of the trips I’ve been blessed to take have reached so many heights, both literally and figuratively. Most every day for more than two weeks now we have driven well above 4,000 meters (higher than the highest peaks in Colorado) and from the tops of many passes (some above 5,000 meters) we have climbed to 17,000 feet on occasion. It is astonishing that not one of a bus full of travelers seems to have experienced altitude sickness or other mishaps; but Harry has selected carefully, perhaps, picking seasoned travelers.</p> I have read many books by the early great explorers of this region, including Frank Kingdon Ward and Frank Smythe. They invariably describe a region of virtually non-existent roads, the most primitive accommodations and almost stone-age living conditions of peasantry. I can only imagine what they would think. The highways that we’ve sped along are smooth and beautifully maintained. The hotels we’ve stayed at, even in the most modest towns, are of a level of luxury that one rarely finds outside large cities in America – immense chandeliers, marble floors, walls, often beautifully and decoratively patterned. Spacious, comfortable rooms and bathrooms with gleaming fixtures you’d not likely find in many towns in America — or Europe for that matter.</p> The homes of the farmers in the countryside are likewise sturdy, often large and attractive with beautiful patterning of bricks and trim fields everywhere, typically within stone walls crowned with thick bundles of rose canes to discourage trespassing.</p> There is a fly in the ointment, perhaps. Or better put, a yak in the pasture. More accurately, thousands, likely millions of yaks that have mown the landscape down to the nubbins in many areas, leaving only the most toxic and unpalatable herbs to proliferate. Fortunately, these are some of the showiest wildflowers: primulas in many species forming vast throngs of yellow or red; giant rhubarbs of several kinds; the daphne cousin Stellera chamaejasme, forming domes of vivid yellow (in Yunnan) or pink and white (elsewhere). But once you venture far enough or high enough you find areas that are too far for yaks to venture from their nighttime corrals, and here a flora of breathtaking variety and beauty prevails.</p> Just as each “summit” across the Great Basin seems to have its own Penstemon, Phlox, Eriogonum or Astragalus, every “La” (Pass) in Tibet unfurls a tremendous variety of new Meconopsis (poppies), Primula or Androsace. I have already accumulated more than 3,000 images in my database, and we still have a pass or two before arriving in Lhasa!</p>
Summer has finally arrived and Denver Botanic Gardens is beaming with flowers, visitors and events! This is a peak time to visit and enjoy the wide variety of gardens and plants it has to offer. Climbing plants are a key part of the displays in virtually every garden as they provide vertical interest as well as serve an essential ecological role for wildlife by providing habitat and food for many birds and pollinators.</p> As soon as you arrive and begin your journey into the Gardens, you will be greeted by Lonicera sempervirens</em> ‘Blanche Sandman’ (trumpet honeysuckle) inside the parking structure growing along the north side of the entrance with bright red blooms with yellow centers. Showy red berries follow on this vine and provide food for songbirds.</p> As you make your way to the Bonfils-Stanton Visitor Center, you will come across several additional varieties of climbing plants including Aristolochia macrophylla</em> (Dutchman’s pipe), Vitis vinifera</em> ‘Purpurea’ (purple-leaf grape), Humulus lupulus</em> (hops) and Parthenocissis tricuspidata</em> ‘Green Showers’ (Boston ivy). These fine specimens are located along the East side of York Street growing along the Parking Garage trellis.</p> As you then enter the Gardens through the Visitor Center, make your way to the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory where you will find Ipomoea carnea,</em> a species of morning glory with stunning pink flowers that weave through the arbor located on the second floor on the northeast side of the Tropical Conservatory.</p> Continue meandering through the Gardens until you reach the Romantic Gardens, where you will find Wisteria</em> frutescens</em> var. macrostachya</em> ‘Aunt Dee’. This cold hardy climber thrives in full sun, has lilac blue flower clusters and is an ideal vine for covering trellises and fences.</p> Just a short distance from the Romantic Gardens is the Herb Garden, which has a large trellis covered in several varieties of seedless grape vines, including Vitis</em> ‘Reliance’, V.</em> labrusca</em> ‘Concord’, V. labrusca</em> ‘Canadice’, and V</em>. ‘Suffolk Red’. These incredibly delicious grape varieties will inspire you to grow your own grapes in your home garden.</p> As you continue your adventure through the many gardens of Denver Botanic Gardens, you will find other amazing climbing plants. Take note of these wonderful plants and set forth to create your own vertical garden!</p>
Let’s pause for a moment and think—really think—about food. It punctuates and often defines important times in our lives, yet it is also an essential, daily element of our lives. </p> </p> It wasn’t always special. For millennia, food was a drudgery. Day in and day out, it was just a matter of finding, hunting and gathering whatever we could. Humanity’s relationship to food changed dramatically once we settled down, created cities after creating farms. For most in Colorado, and much of the developed world, the choices we have are now constant. Visit a local grocery and it’s hard to believe it if there is no star fruit or butter lettuce.</p> I am old enough to remember when many fresh fruits and vegetables appeared seasonally. While there is still an optimal time to buy Colorado peaches, some variety of the peach is always available.</p> There are too many people, however, who live in areas where the only choice for a fresh fruit or vegetable may be a banana at a convenience store. A lack of grocery stores and complicated public transportation leave many locked in a cycle of poor nutrition and ill health.</p> Several community organizations have rallied to alleviate the problem and we joined this righteous cause several years ago. The Gardens’ Community Supporting Agriculture program produced a super abundance of produce which created an opportunity to open markets in food deserts. Near that time, we teamed up with Veterans to Farmers, raising money for stipends to engage vets in our program, teaching them to farm and opening new doors to reach deep into underserved communities. More than 80 veterans have now graduated from the program and most have gone on to start their own farm operations. We call the entire enterprise Urban Food Initiatives.</p> Now we look to bolster our efforts locally and take the mission globally. With work on crop wild relatives, genetics, atmospheric water harvesting and soils management, we are poised more than ever before to help people all over the world have at least some opportunity to access healthy food.</p> Sadly, hunger and poor nutrition are problems unlikely to lessen with a growing global population. However, if we all do our part, if we stay determined to make a lasting difference, then maybe we can finally emerge into a more sensible and sustainable future for all people.</p>
