Agriculture Past & Present
The historic Hildebrand ranch tells the story of early agriculture on the Front Range, while a working farm grows produce for the Gardens’ food programs.
Chatfield Farms Location
The CSA program is the cornerstone of the Gardens’ Urban Food Initiatives, growing more than six acres of vegetables for subscribers and farm stands.
Wind your way through seven acres of corn. Corn Maze can be viewed from two 15-foot tall illuminated bridges. Visitors under the age of 10 can explore the mini-maze.
This garden features flower varieties that make great bouquets and thrive in Colorado’s climate. The garden helps to support the Gardens’ Urban Food Initiatives through the sale of fresh flower bouquets. Bouquets are sold to CSA shareholders and at the weekly farm stand at Union Station.
Fresh herbs from this garden are part of CSA members’ weekly produce share. Many favorite culinary herbs are well-suited for growing in our climate, and this garden features both annual and perennial herbs.
The gardens surrounding the Hildebrand Ranch homestead offer a mix of highly ornamental edibles, showy annuals and historical plants—complementing the homestead’s status on the National Register of Historic Places. Included are the Mary Washburn Orchard, shady woodshed garden, All-America Selections Garden, Cut Flower Gardens and the Herb Garden.
These 400 irises are rare historical varieties that otherwise might be lost to time. The collection is part of a nationwide horticultural heritage movement to preserve heirloom irises, acquired from the Landkow family in Washington State. Visit in late May or early June to see the garden in full bloom.
The Dye Garden features 15 varieties of dye plants used to color fabrics. Natural Dye Study Group of the Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild approached the Gardens to establish this unique garden. They collect and prepare plants for use in dyeing.
The rows of vegetables grown on this one acre are part of our Urban Food Initiatives. The garden is dedicated to small-scale agriculture for demonstrations and education, and supplies vegetables for Farm Stands in areas with limited access to fresh food.
In 2011, numerous apple, cherry and plum trees were planted to help re-create the orchard that the Hildebrands established on the ranch. There is also a grape trellis that supports numerous varieties of table and juice grapes.
Celebrate fall at Pumpkin Festival at Chatfield Farms, a treasured October tradition for the entire family. Pumpkin patch is closed for the season.