</p> Colorado is reputed to have such a harsh climate that many trees could never grow here, like flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) or Sweetgums (Liquidambar stracuiflua</em>). Once again, conventional wisdom is proved WRONG </em></strong> by Denver Botanic Gardens! We boast a fabulous specimen not far west of York St. in the Sensory Garden: I have admired this the last ten or fifteen years it has been growing rapidly, but only last year and this year has it finally fulfilled my expectations for fall color: right next to our only Sassafras</em>, it rivals that magnificent tree in its fiery foliage. Yes, yes...I know we had 8" of wet snow yesterday. Both Sassafras</em> and Liquidambar</em> (and most every other tree at the Gardens) came through very well. Everyone panics with our untimely snows (and we do get them every year!), but plants are resilient, and the better plants are almost immune! So keep planting better plants!</p> </p> "Boston ivy" (Parthenocissus cuspidata</em>) is not seen nearly as much as English ivy in Colorado. This Japanese cousin to Virginia Creeper is rather neater in growth form--rather resembling a deciduous English Ivy--and the fall color is often quite good. This year it has been exceptional. The Waring house positively glows!</p> </dt> Closeup of Parthenocissus cuspidata ("Boston" ivy)</dd> </dl> Every keen lover of fall color I speak to says the same thing: this has been a magnificent year for fall color. When Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica</em>), American elm (Ulmus americana</em>) and all the Lindens turn brilliant yellow and positively glow you know it is a really good fall color year. Combined with the ubiquitous scarlets of Freeman Maples (Acer freemanii</em>) and the glowing deep purple and gold of White Ash--which is also very popular--the street scene around Denver was very New England. I have a hunch that the show will continue well into November. Colorado does Indian summer with a vengeance, don't forget! With our Allan Houser sculpture exhibit, it is all the more appropriate it do so.</p>
Even though the Haitian constitution mandates the establishment of a national botanical and zoological garden, Haiti is one of few countries in the world without a national botanical garden. Following the January 12, 2010 earthquake, the need to establish a national botanical garden has become all the more important in order to develop a platform to conserve plants and habitats, provide horticultural training and environmental education, create a place of retreat and solitude for the local population, develop tourism opportunities leading to economic development, and play a role in poverty alleviation by providing rural outreach in sustainable horticultural practices. The vision of Mr. William Cinea, a passionate champion for the establishment of national botanical garden in Haiti, is being brought to fruition this week though the International Symposium on the Creation of a Haitian National Botanical Garden (October 24 and 25, 2011). With 12 international delegates representing botanic gardens in five countries, the symposium today focused on the role of a botanic garden in rebuilding Haiti. Over 100 local Haitian professionals from various civic, development, ecological, and botanical fields are attending this symposium to learn about the role of botanic gardens and their impact on the community. Denver Botanic Gardens is one of six botanic gardens in the United States to be part of this initiative. The creation of this garden will have long-lasting impacts on the Haitian economy, culture, natural heritage, and youth. </p>
Did you know that Denver Botanic Gardens horticulturists have created and maintained the interior flora and fauna displays at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center (CCSC) year round since August 2005? Gardens’ horticulturist Blake Burger goes to CCSC five days a week. He designs and installs the displays, and provides daily care for all of the interior plantings. His days there start at 5:30 a.m., hours before the first visitor starts to shop. He creates stunning presentations including several colorful and seasonal displays--one for spring, fall and a special holiday display. Blake’s goal is to increase awareness of the beautiful Denver Botanic Gardens just one mile north of the CCSC. He does that by creating displays to coincide with events going on at the Gardens—also by incorporating signs and brochures that include interpretation of the displays and of the events. “I have been creating and maintaining the displays at the shopping center since 2008,” says Blake. These pictures show the Grand Court at the CCSC in September. "Every September, I like to add a bit of fall color to the interiorscape to get people in the spirit for the upcoming season. Mums and other indoor blooming plants are placed throughout the Grand Court. My goal is to bring awareness to Denver Botanic Gardens by creating a pleasant indoor environment for people to shop, relax, and work throughout the Cherry Creek Shopping Center," says Blake. "Seasonal displays are set up in April, September and November. They typically last 4-5 weeks. In 2012, I will be creating a Japanese display in the Starbucks court to create awareness for next year’s Japanese theme at the Gardens." Next time you are at CCSC, stop by to admire these displays. Be sure to come back and visit after the second week of November when the holiday displays will be installed (and do your holiday shopping at the same time!). And if you see Blake installing the next creation, be sure to stop by and say hi!</p>
</dt> </dl> </p> </p> </p> </dd> It isn't every day a star is born! Trot on down to the Rock Alpine Garden (preferably early in the morning or late afternoon in the slanted light) and you will behold a spectacle! Mike Kintgen has planted what seems like dozens of a dazzling new grass which is undoubtedly staging its Colorado (and possibly international debut) in public horticulture. Wouldn't you like to have been there the first time 'Karl Foerster' did its thing in Germany half a century ago?</dd> </dd> Well...some day you will be able to tell your progeny that you were there, that you SAW Muhlenbergia reverchonii</em></strong> produce its gauzy halo of glowing rose/mauve sparks in the dying embers of the day, in the dying embers of our growing season! If you are not able to visit us at the Gardens, you can see a spectacular planting at the Gardens at Kendrick Lake in Lakewood (the gardens are on the NW corner of Jewel and Hoyt...the plant is on the SE-most bed of the gardens.) You'd be a fool not to come to Denver botanic Gardens, however--it's too gorgeous for words right now. Come before hard frost, although the horticulturists are busily (rapidly, and very tactfully) disassembling the summer displays in anticipation. But let's not talk about that</strong></em>!</dd> </dl> </p> </p> The second and third pictures were taken in the Rock Alpine Garden last week. The lower the light the more vivid the color--alas, these were taken an hour or two before prime color.</p> Scott and Lauren Ogden introduced this stunning grass, which is native to Eastern and Central Texas. It was first offered for sale by High Country Gardens, in New Mexico, where I suggest you order this winter to plant it next spring. They offer the similar Muhlenbergia capillaris</em>, which is not a reliable performer in Colorado. At least not the forms we have thus far. But who needs it, with our stunning Texas halo grass!</p> </p> </p> While speaking of Lauren...she has completely redone the Undaunted Garden</em>, possibly the finest book ever written about gardening in our region. If you do not have the current update (with all new pictures, tons of new text featuring a hundred new plants), do not pass go, get it immediately! That's an order</em></strong>....(I'm feeling a tad bossy today, sorry.)</p> P.S. Lauren and Scott featured our new grass on the cover of their wonderful book a few years ago: you can see they got it in the perfect late light....aaaaaah!</p> </p>
</p> Certain plants have a certain "cachet" and Acer grandidentatum</strong></em> or bigtooth maple (with a host of other common names, usually alluding to some aspect of Utah where it is perhaps most abundant) is one of those plants. Imagine a petite Eastern sugar maple, only it tolerates alkaline soil and considerable heat and drought! That is a plant for all of us, I daresay! I heard it grew in Colorado near Mesa Verde, but several years ago a much larger colony was found by David and Pati Temple, who live south of Cortez.</p> This year I was extraordinarly lucky to be invited by David and Jeff Wagner (more about him anon!) to join them on a trek to find this new population in a place (I kid you not) called "Disappointment Valley." I hasten to tell you that this typically piquant Western place name is undoubtedly a ruse to keep the likes of you and me away. It is a splendid spot not far from the Utah line surrounded by magnificent wilderness and full of plant and animal treasure.</p> </p> </p> Here you can see one of the many picturesque buttes that form the backdrop to the valley. As far as I can tell, the substrate everywhere hereabouts is Mancos shale, a remarkably deep remnant of the Sea of Tethys from Mesozoic times. Mancos shale posses many properties: it is one of the slickest substances on earth when wet, and most remarkably it will turn people of middling height into towering giants (want to or not: I shall not tell you how long it took to clean our shoes off!). It grows plants well, as you can see.</p> Some of the maples we found were almost 40' or more tall, with trunks nearly a foot in diameter. The color was the most uniform crimson-pink I have ever seen on the species: I think this is definitely an area to explore further, and a place to get the hardiest, reddest of maples. In addition to bigtooth, there were gorgeous lemon yellow mountain maples thereabouts (Acer glabrum</em>) and even some pretty massive box elders (Acer negundo</em>). I kept looking to see if there might not be some intermediates around, but here I was truly disappointed!</p> </p> </p> A closeup of the man</em></strong>! David Temple and his wife Pati are two of Colorado's state treasures. They own an exquisite 3,000 acre ranch, much of it with conservation easements, boasting the highest, largest waterfall in the four-corner area. They have restored various ranches they own or have owned to a remarkable pristine look by their careful land management and sensitive farming practices. David grows hundreds of remarkable and often unusual trees for sale. I have some pictures of these I can share if you clamor loud enough...much of what he grows is available nowhere else. And don't get me going about their house and guest house--they are beyond lovely!</p> </p> </p> Jeff is a nurseryman who owns Four Corners Natives, a specialty wholesale nursery featuring a terrfic assortment of unusual and otherwise unobtainable native plants. He and his wife, Lisa Hollenbeck, hosted me this past weekend for an extravaganza weekend with the Durango Botanical Society. I am planning a blog about this hospitable and wonderful group that is creating an extensive Plant Select garden, a small botanical garden really, alongside the impressive Durango Library. I would be sure to put this on your bucket list of regional gardens to visit. I know you will not be disappointed!</p>
</p> A trip to North Carolina would not be complete without the obligate stop to gawk at Kudzu (Puereria</em> sp.), that nearly mythical pea relative that is reputed to have swallowed several Southern States, presumably burping loudly...</p> </p> We were fortunate to have as a guide last weekend Bobby Ward, Secretary of the North American Rock Garden Society (and past president of the same august group). One could not have had a more knowledgeable cicerone. Bobby is a world traveler who is a retired ecologist native to North Carolina: he knew everything, and shared it in just the right doses.</p> If you look carefully, you can see the trees in the distance (many sixty or more feet tall) are completely covered with this inexorable vine. Despite a thorough search, we couldn't find a single blossom to test to see if indeed it smelled exactly like grape soda. On the flight home I saw an article that claimed a plataspid beetle introduced to George is now devouring kudzu, limiting its growth by a third. Suddenly kudzu champions have emerged from the woodwork, concerned at the potential loss of this southern scourge! </p> </p> During business trips, one never knows what lies in store. After a delicious dinner at the home of Bobby Wilder (my host and friend of many years), we were treated to a spontaneous and totally unplanned reading by Roy Dicks from Rhapsody in Green</em>, published in 2009 Timber Press title which he conceived of and edited. Roy is a theatre and music critic for the Raleigh News and Observer, and life partner of Bobby Ward pictured above (it's a small world there in Raleigh, and much of it seems to be named "Bobby"!)...</p> </p> Here is the book cover. You can read more about it on the Timber Press website, or better yet, you can order the book on Amazon for a very modest sum. I doubt if there is a gardener alive who wouldn't be beguiled by Beverley Nichols' opinionated and yet somehow charming observations on the magic of gardening. During the course of Nichols' long life he wrote dozens of books on a wide range of subjects, although his gardening books have been consistently his most popular: most are still in print thanks largely to the efforts of Roy, who launched them one by one through Timber press. I shall end with a sample which resonated with me: “Pay a visit to the nurseries. Every conifer has a definite personality of its own and which proclaims itself from its earliest youth, and to buy a tree, even a baby, from a catalogue is as foolish as to adopt a child by parcel post.”</em> So there</strong></em>, Forest Farm</strong> and all you other purveyor of mail order babies!</p>
As we look for ways to conserve our natural resources and create sustainable communities, Denver Botanic Gardens in partnership with Sterling Ranch has helped create low-water sustainable landscapes at their demonstration site at Allis Ranch in Douglas County. Sterling Ranch will be Colorado’s first rainwater harvesting community and this project will set a new standard for water conservation in Colorado. To achieve a goal of using only a third of water used by traditional communities, we have created demonstration gardens that showcase use of water-wise plants and various irrigation systems. The different planting schemes include:</p> Water-Smart Garden with very low water use ornamental plants with low maintenance.</li> Traditional Garden utilizes common ornamental plants of low to moderate water use requiring moderate maintenance.</li> Backyard Oasis showcases the use of a patio with shade plants and other aesthetic amenities such as a water feature, fire pit and planter boxes.</li> Open Space Garden features low water, naturalistic meadow garden.</li> Edible Garden with vegetables, fruits and berries planted in traditional rows and raised beds.</li> </ul> As the community starts build-out over the next 20 years, these demonstration gardens will serve as a teaching tool educating the public on how to create attractive living spaces while conserving one of our precious natural resources – water.</p>
</dt> </p> Over the years visitors often say things such as "You must have everything at the Gardens!" Walking around on a beautiful autumn day like today that may seem the case. But in fact, we are missing many</strong></em> superb plants, both native and exotic. Filipendula</em> is a case in point: this genus of herbaceous Spiraea cousins includes a dozen or species widespread and abundant throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere... Filipendula</em> has been effectively AWOL from Denver Botanic Gardens for most of my tenure. Few plants are as adaptable, common in the trade and in nature. I confess that I have planted a few way back when, but I have noticed in recent years they are pretty much gone. These pictures were taken at a private garden at over 8000' near Conifer: proof that our members beat us at our game!</p> </dd> The queen of the genus is unquestionably the Queen of the Prairie (F. rubra</em>), one of the largest (it can be 8' tall when happy), showiest and most admired native plants of North America, largely confined to the Tall Grass Prairie of the Midwest. Like all the denizens of that biome, it was reduced drastically in its range when the prairies were busted for corn and soybeans. It is making a strong comeback in gardens due to its long season of midsummer bloom...if you want to see a spectacular clump like this one in Conifer, you will have to give it room, deep rich loam and lots of water. If you plant it, stand back! It spreads moderately by rhizomes to make a large, large, larger clump.</p> </p> </dd> </dl> This tiny cousin--barely a foot tall--could well be called the "Princess of the woodland," since it seems to need a tad more shade. It can be tricky to find in nurseries, even mail order!</p> </p> On the trip that Mike Bone and I took to Kazakhstan, several small, white flowered Filipendulas were everywhere in the steppe, in mountain meadows, along streams. Two were identified as F. ulmaria </em>and F. vulgaris</em>. Truth be said they look an awful lot like one another, and both resemble F. hexapetala</em>. Alas, white is not the most sought after hue (even this glowing, ivory white), although their ferny basal foliage is attractive throughout the season--especially in autumn when it can take on orange and scarlet tints.</p> These Filipendulas superficially resemble Astilbe</em>, although their flowers have a rakish, slightly tipsy look to them unlike the symmetrical spires of Astilbe</em>. Of course, filipendulas are in the rose family while Astilbes are saxifrage cousins. We collected seed of white filipendulas on the steppes of Kazakhstan which will be adorning several spots in Plantasia next year.</p> </p> You will find spectacular plantings of lupines in mountain gardens throughout the state, like these in Conifer. These are descended from wild species restricted to the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska, so they seem to do best in cooler climates and at altitude. I have seen fine specimens nonetheless in Denver. These are a parting glimpse of that same mountain garden of two long term, enthusiastic supporters of Denver Botanic Gardens. Now perhaps if I can only persuade my colleagues to get these into our York Street and Chatfield gardens...(sigh</strong></em>)</p>
</p> Andrew Pierce, past Director, Assistant Director, Propagator and Conservatory Superintendent at Denver Botanic Gardens, passed away early this morning (Saturday, September 17, 2011), at his home with his family around him.</p> Andrew was well known and universally loved and respected by his peers throughout the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. He was born in Kent, England and graduated from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew's horticultural training program, and was always a loyal "Kewite." He brought the rigor and intellectual prowess of that training to Denver Botanic Gardens in the mid-1970s when he was instrumental in helping transform this still fledgling institution that had little true botanical gardening going on in it into what we enjoy today.</p> Hired initially to oversee the Conservatory as Superintendent, he raised the production standards and scope of the greenhouse complex and propagation ranges. He instituted our Index Seminum</em>, and later designed (along with Lainie Jackson) our very first Perennial Border, accelerating our transformation from a Victorian Carpet bedding showcase to true botanical displays and collections.</p> Andrew possessed a truly astonishing range of knowledge and experience. I have ever met anyone who had a broader knowledge of the Plant Kingdom. Show him a twig of a tropical tree, an obscure herbaceous perennial cultivar or a high alpine cushion plant and he would likely know the botanical name and a good deal of scientific lore about it. He loved people, and was a true friend and mentor to many of us.</p> I doubt that I would have stayed at Denver Botanic Gardens my first few challenging years were it not for his attentiveness, his guidance and above all his warmth of heart and irrepressible humor. I know many others would say the same.</p> </p> Perhaps one of Andrew's greatest and unsung legacies will be Denver Botanic Gardens' presence on Mount Goliath. It was he who first took me and many others down that trail, who trained the first volunteer docents and who championed that magnificent locale. I do not believe that Mount Goliath would be what it is today without his initial inspiration.</p> I know I shall think of Andrew frequently throughout the rest of my life--when I admire a glorious border in bloom, or see the first crocuses in my rock garden. And when we all descend through that fragrant forest of ancient bristlecone pines on Mount Goliath, we shall certainly feel his kind and gentle presence striding almost palpably nearby.</p>
Join Gardens’ adjunct researcher Dr. Don Hazlett for a look into the field of ethnobotany. Dr. Hazlett will be giving the second talk in our new brown bag series: Re-search the Gardens: Meet Our Scientists. Dr. Hazlett has been instrumental in the initiation and curation of the Gardens' ethnobotanical collection, housed within the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium. As part of the ethnobotany research Dr. Hazlett conducts as an adjunct researcher, he investigates Native American and Spanish common names. These common names frequently provide information not only about plant origin, but plant use and cultural importance as well. Dr. Hazlett’s talk will be in Gates Hall from noon - 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14</strong>. We look forward to seeing you there.</p>
Effective today, three rare Colorado plants have been added to the list of species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both DeBeque Phacelia (Phacelia submutica</em>), and Parachute Penstemon (Penstemon debilis</em>) are listed as threatened while the Pagosa skyrocket (Ipomopsis polyantha</em>) is listed as endangered. DeBeque phacelia and Parachute penstemon are restricted to shale slopes on South Shale Ridge and the Roan Plateau in Western Colorado. Energy development and exploration is the biggest threat to these species. The Pagosa skyrocket is restricted to two known populations near the town of Pagosa Springs where it faces threats from urban development.</p> The Research & Conservation department at Denver Botanic Gardens is working to help protect each of these species through our seed collection efforts. We have collected seed of DeBeque phacelia and Parachute penstemon in the last two years and are targeting the Pagosa skyrocket for seed collection in 2012.</p> To read more about the listing see the Center for Native Ecosystems or to read the official ruling see the US Federal Register.</p>
</p> "Scrofulous" is defined as "morally tainted" by the dictionary...what this has to do with the genus Scrophularia</em> escapes me. Over the years we have grown no end of rather scruffy little Scrophs: most have lacy leaves and blackish flowers. But there are a few beauties that show great promise. Queen among these is Scrophularia macrantha, </em>a highly local plant from a few sky islands in New Mexico. It can be found many places at Denver Botanic Gardens, chiefly in the Plant Select garden where it is creating a spectacle (and attracting the occasional hummingbird). It is available at most independent garden centers locally as well. David Salman of High Country Gardens gave it the common name of "red birds in a tree"--so very imaginitive and it seems to be sticking!</p> </p> The amazing horticulturists of the city of Lakewood have planted this "rare" plant throughout the hell strips of the city, as well as in many of the parks and especially in the extraordinary displays at Kendrick Lake and around the Lakewood Municipal buildings. The picture above was taken on Alameda Avenue. </p> </dt> Scrophularia chrysantha</dd> </dl> We have grown a handful of species of Scrophularia</em> over the years, mostly with tiny black flowers and cut leaves. I have always been charmed with this early spring blooming species from Western and Central Asia. Alas, it is barely on the fringes of cultivation. But perhaps our propagators will grow lots of them for upcoming plant sales?</p>
