During the dark and cold parts of the year a garden can seem colorless and devoid of life. We may walk through it with eyes to the ground or avoid going out into the Gardens at all. As we approach the new year we are also faced with the traditional time of contemplation of our past year, the structure of our lives and our hopes for the future. It is in this mindset that I think the winter garden is a perfect place to look at the trees around us laid bare while considering our own life paths. During summer trees are filled with leaves and blooms which, while beautiful, obscure the scaffolding and support that hold these massive organisms together. I enjoy spending a few minutes staring at a single tree from a distance, following the branching and imagining how each massive branch was formed when it was only a slender twig. Come along with me.</p> June’s PlantAsia</h2> Begin at the southwest corner of the Dwarf Conifer Collection and look east down the path toward the moon gate in June’s PlantAsia. A Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus</em>) towers next to the moon gate. This tree has what I would call a “wiggly” growth pattern, weaving back and forth. I love the movement of this tree. Its irregularities are offset by the more precisely growing SKYLINE® thornless honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos</em> f. inermis ‘</em>Skycole’</em>) rising out of PlantAsia just to the left. Stop and spend several moments to stare and tune your eyes to the subtleties of this season’s color and texture, notice how the red hues from the honeylocust contrast with the slate grey of the coffee tree. To the right, see how the soft, feathery, beige-colored dormant Siberian larch (Larix sibirica</em> ‘Conica’), a unique deciduous conifer, plays off the courser textures of the other two trees.</p> Turn around and immediately in front of you to the left of the path is a green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica</em>). Ash trees have opposite branching, which means that two branches emerge at the same point on a stem, on opposite sides of it. You can easily see the forked branching pattern represented all the way from the tiny new growth down to the largest branches. Notice also how this tree’s branches arch downward and then flex up at the tips. This movement is caused by a ballet of opposing forces acting out over time and becoming solidified into the tree’s form as branches thicken. New growth tips arch skyward to receive more light. Over time as new growth becomes old, gravity pulls the increasingly heavy branches downward. The effect is beautiful: A form shaped by time, the tree’s genetic plan and the chaos of environmental factors.</p> South African Plaza</h2> Walk down the steps and into South African Plaza, stopping in the middle of the plaza to look north to the three stately Ohio buckeyes (Aesculus glabra</em>) at the crossroad. Like the ash, these trees also have opposite branching, though you might have to look more closely to see it. I love how these trees flex their upper branches outward, like if you put your arms straight upward and bent your wrists out. Do that now and imagine staying there for the many years that it took for those shapes to form, season by season.</p> Rock Alpine Garden</h2> Walk to the Rock Alpine Garden and down the main path. Immediately upon entering the garden you’ll see a small tree to the left of the path, the curly willow (Salix matsudana</em> ‘Snake’). If the Kentucky coffee tree is a wiggly growth tree, this one is comically so. Its contortions look like a wooden representation of the movements of fire. Smile at the absurdity of this tree. Walk down the main path and look left across the garden and to the weeping birch (Betula pendula</em>). The stark contrast of colors and shapes on this tree are incredible. Bone-white bark against red-hued tips, large stick-straight branches paired with arching, finely textured new growth trailing down toward the ground.</p> Gates Montane Garden </h2> As you leave the Rock Alpine Garden and enter the densely wooded Gates Montane Garden you will see an icon of the Rocky Mountains: the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides</em>). The branching pattern of an aspen is alternate, meaning one branch emerges at a single point on a stem, and then further on another emerges on the other side of the stem. You can see this easily at the new tip growth, though you will probably struggle to see that pattern lower down into the older growth. The patterns laid down at the tip growth points are quickly muddled as the tree regularly drops lower branches that do not receive enough light. The branch dropping is an adaptation that allows the tree to conserve energy as older branches become more shaded by new growth higher up. Many aspens have no branches off the main trunk at all until fairly high up on the tree. Aspen bark varies in color from creamy white to soft grey and pale green and has characteristic black spots where past limbs have dropped off. Aspen bark quickly heals after being damaged, leaving a black scar behind that contrasts strongly with the white bark.</p> Winter is an excellent time to be quiet and introspective. Much like the trees, the shapes of our lives are laid open during periods of quiet. At this point in the year we can look at where we came from and to where we are going. We must examine the objects, behaviors and emotions that we are clinging to, and like the aspen, decide which we must shed in order to walk forward into spring. Now continue to walk through the Gardens and beyond, with your gaze inward and upward.</p>
At the Gardens we have a large collection of tropical plants that live in the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory and in our plant collections greenhouses. Much of this collection could suitably be considered houseplants. </p> Houseplants can be as beneficial as they are visually appealing. Growing plants in your home can improve mood, reduce fatigue, lower stress, and increase oxygen and humidity in the air. </p> </picture> </div> </article> A</em>nthurium </em>'Pink Champion' flamingo flower</span></span></span></span></span></p> When choosing plants for your living space, pay attention to the conditions in your home: sun exposure (which changes quite drastically over the course of the year), average temperature of the living space, amount of space you can dedicate to your plants, what pets might be exposed to the plants. </p> Because of the vast array of houseplants available, it is best to grow what will do well in your conditions. Eight hours of direct light is considered full sun. Plants that will be happy with six or more hours of sun include cacti and succulents, croton (Codiaeum variegatum)</em>, Dracaena</em>, palms, cycads, Hibiscus</em> or Strelitzia</em>. Some plants that do well in medium light (three to six hours of sun) are orchids, Pilea</em>, gesneriads, African violet and Begonia</em>. Finally, plants that do well in low light are Spathiphyllum</em>, ferns, Dieffenbachia</em>, ivy, Philodendron, Calathea</em> and Anthurium</em>. </p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Begonia coccinea</em> 'Pink Shasta' angel wing begonia</p> Now for some general care tips for successfully growing houseplants:</p> In general, don’t overwater – this is (in my opinion) the most important and the hardest thing I ever learned. Roots breathe oxygen and if soil is constantly saturated, roots will rot, and the plant will die. Obviously, some plants need more water than others but a good general schedule for most is saturated for a day or so, two to three days of medium dryness and a day or two on the drier side. It’s okay for plants to begin to wilt so long as they don’t get crispy. </li> For potting and placing your plants, be sure not to overpot them too much, i.e. gradually move them into the next appropriate size. Also be sure to rotate plants that receive light from only one side. </li> From time to time your plants may get bugs on them. It happens to everyone, and the closer you pay attention to your plants the less frequent and extensive the outbreaks will be. I like to remove dead leaves and examine the entire plant for bugs on a regular basis. </li> </ul> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Phalaenopsis </em>hybrid - moth orchid </span></span></span></p> You will get out of houseplants what you put into them. Plants can often be overlooked in the home, but they do need attention and care. If at first, you are not successful, keep trying! I’ve certainly killed my share of plants and will kill more in the future. </p> A version of this blog post and photos first appeared as an article in Life on Capitol Hill, November 2020.</em></p>
Summer is officially underway. The cast of spring-blooming flowers we so eagerly awaited has been replaced by a rowdy and colorful mid-season crowd, who are having their day in the sun. And, while the initial excitement of the gardening season has not faded for many of us, reality has set in: weeds have proliferated alongside our beloved landscaping plants. Perhaps we were out of town for a couple of days, shifted our focus to a project other than our yards or needed a respite from the soaring 90°F temperatures. Meanwhile, weeds jumped at the opportunity, marched up and down sidewalk cracks and fence lines, colonized the darkest and most clay-heavy corners of our yards, and scrambled brazenly up desirable plants with their tendrils. </p> Some of these weeds are annuals or biennials that are easily addressed in an après-dinner weed-pulling session, accompanied with a beverage and snippets of conversations with friendly passersby. Pleasant enough. However, there’s that suite of more problematic weeds, perennials that reproduce vegetatively, creating clones of themselves until their radius expands. These are the weeds we pull repeatedly, only to become overwhelmed when they return with an exponential vengeance. One such weed is Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense</em>). </p> Identifying Canada Thistle</strong> A colony-forming species, Canada thistle emerges in the spring, punctuating yards (and other disturbed sites) with rosettes of leaves. Leaves are spiny lobed and from 4 to 8 inches long, mostly smooth and green above and white-woolly below. Around the time spring transitions to summer, a flower head emerges with one to five small pink to purple (rarely white) flowers. Fun fact: This species is dioecious, meaning individual plants have either female or male flowers. At maturity, Canada thistle stands 3 to 5 feet tall. What you don’t see is most of the plant—an extensive creeping root system that penetrates the soil to depths of 6 to 15 feet. </p> Since its arrival to North America several hundred years ago, Canada thistle has spread throughout much of Canada and the United States and is considered a noxious weed (list B) in Colorado. It aggressively competes with native plants, reduces crop productivity by vying for essential resources such as space, nutrients, light and water, is unpalatable to livestock and, if left to its own devices, can form monocultures in our yards. These are all compelling reasons to manage this species, but where to begin? </p> Research suggests that a combination of approaches works best for managing Canada thistle. Below are several suggestions: </strong></p> Mow frequently or cut back</strong> the rosettes with clippers </strong>from when the plant emerges in the spring through summertime. This will prevent flower formation and will also stress the plant by reducing carbohydrate storage in roots. </p> Glyphosate:</strong> From late summer up until the first hard freeze, spot treat by applying glyphosate to Canada thistle leaves using a paintbrush. The herbicide will be translocated to the underground parts of the plant, ultimately bringing about its demise. </p> Plant regionally appropriate plants:</strong> Once your yard’s thistle population is under control, plant regionally appropriate plants including a diversity of natives and Plant Select® plants. These require fewer inputs, including less fertilizer and water. Where bare ground remains, apply mulch. Covering bare ground with plants and mulch will make your yard less prone to future weed infestations. </p> Puccinia punctiformis</em>, a rust fungus that is host-specific and pathogenic to Cirsium arvense, shows great promise in managing Canada thistle populations.</strong> This biocontrol is currently being evaluated in Colorado for appropriate application timing and best methods. To learn more or to order, visit the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Request-A-Bug</a> page.</p> Although Canada thistle is one of the more challenging weeds to manage, the good news is that with a multi-pronged approach over the course of several seasons, it is entirely possible to eradicate this weed from our yards. </p>
The Gardens' mission is to connect people with plants. The actions we take in pursuit of that mission are guided by our core values, one of which remains especially relevant today: diversity. We have an incredible and obvious diversity among our plant collections, but we also strive for a diversity in the people we are connecting with those plants.</p> Unfortunately, contributions from members of minority groups often lack visibility. In an effort to raise the voices of those struggling to be heard, we are highlighting some contributions that POC have made (and continue to make) in fields related to botany and horticulture in a new monthly series.</p> Below are just two examples of African Americans whose work with plants and/or the environment has improved the lives of others.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> James Still, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution</p> From the Past:</h2> James Still (1812-1885), Herbalist</p> James Still was born to two former slaves. By the time he turned 18, he was working as an indentured servant and learning about medicine from nearby Native Americans. After being released, race discrimination kept him from entering medical school. Nevertheless, he jump-started his medical career by developing a cough balm from his own plants that quickly sold out. He continued to treat patients in the New Jersey area using “folk remedies” based on the medicinal properties of plants. In 1871, his son became one of the first Black graduates (with honors!) of Harvard Medical School.</p> Explore more!</h3> James Still published an autobiography in 1877, “Early Recollections and Life of Dr. James Still,” and it has been reprinted numerous times since. Our library may be closed, but we encourage you to support Black-owned bookstores</a> if you would like to purchase this title.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Finney, Carolyn. "Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors." Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2014.</p> Active Today:</h2> Carolyn Finney, EnvironmentalistDr. Carolyn Finney began an acting career before changing course and focusing on cultural geography. A backpacking trip around the world – a portion of which was spent in Nepal – inspired her to earn a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. before returning to Nepal as a Fulbright Fellow to study the impact of modernity on Nepalese women and their environment. As a professor in higher education and through her role on multiple advisory boards nationwide, she continues to raise awareness about how privilege influences environmental policies and action.</p> Explore more!</h3> Dr. Finney has contributed much to the conversation around inclusivity and the environment. You can read her article in The Atlantic, “Five Ways to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive.”</a> Dr. Finney’s first monograph, “Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors,” was published in 2014 by UNC Press and is available as an eBook for patrons of the Helen Fowler Library</a>.</p> </p> </p>
In late 2019, 15 trees from Denver Botanic Gardens’ York Street collections were nominated for Colorado Champion Tree status. This month we received the certificates for nine trees that are now recognized as the largest of their type in the state of Colorado. The trees are scored based upon a combination of overall height, canopy spread and the circumference of the trunk. The Colorado Tree Coalition administrates this program and with these new additions, we now have more than 40 champion trees at York Street.</p> These are the newly recognized champions and the garden where each is growing: • Abies grandis </em>(grand fir) – Rock Alpine Garden • Larix sibirica ‘Conica’</em> (Siberian larch) – Birds and Bees Walk • Picea glauca ‘Pendula’</em> (weeping white spruce) – Rock Alpine Garden • Picea koraiensis </em>(Korean spruce) – June’s PlantAsia • Picea omorika </em>(Serbian spruce) – Romantic Garden • Picea orientalis</em> (Oriental spruce) – Japanese Garden • Quercus turbinella</em> (shrub live oak) – Steppe Garden • Thuja plicata</em> (western red cedar) – Rock Alpine Garden • Tilia japonica</em> (Japanese linden) – Japanese Garden</p> These trees, and the previously named champions, can be viewed through this Gardens Navigator tour</a></p> Labels with the proclamation of their champion status will be added in the coming months. I hope you can come see these champions in person and appreciate their beauty in the Gardens.</p> Photos by Ann Frazier.</p>
As we approach the heat of summer, shade becomes an invaluable resource for rest, relaxation and refuge from the intense Colorado sunshine. Denver Botanic Gardens has several shade gardens at York Street that offer quiet and serene spots to stop and sit, snack or read a book.</p> Under the canopy of trees that are beginning to leaf out, late spring blooming bulbs and summer perennials are freshly emerging from the soil and providing a glimmer of much needed joy to us all. As you enter the Gardens, take a stroll through Shady Lane</strong> where you will find a dazzling array of shade perennials lining the main pathways. Hosta</em>, Lamium</em> (spotted dead nettle) and Galium odoratum</em> (sweet woodruff) greet you as you meander through this garden.</li> Continue through to Oak Grove</strong> to find an impressive assortment of ferns and a sea of Brunnera macrophylla</em> (Siberian bugloss) with its distinct bright blue flowers all protected by a full canopy of oak trees overhead.</li> Crossing to the south end of the Gardens, cool off in Woodland Mosaic</strong>, another great shady spot ideal for rest and contemplation. Here is a dense canopy of established shade trees including Quercus bicolor</em> (swamp white oak), Quercus</em> gambelii</em> (Gambel oak), Sorbus aucuparia</em> ‘Fastigiata’ (common mountain ash) and Populus tremuloides</em> (quaking aspen).</li> Beneath the canopy lies a wide variety of shade-loving perennials, including Matteuccea strutheopteris</em> (ostrich fern), Ligularia </em>‘Little Rocket’ (leopard plant) and Kerria japonica</em> ‘Pleniflora’ (Japanese rose).</li> In the Woodland Mosaic garden, you can find toads hopping through the fresh foliage keeping moist under the tree canopy. In the background, you can hear the gentle splashing of water from the fountain near the Science Pyramid and the rustling of leaves and branches in the warm summer wind. Dappled sunlight dances through the tree canopy. The immersive mixture of sights, sounds and smells inevitably brings serenity and peace to everyone who approaches this garden.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> Visit Denver Botanic Gardens and experience these incredible shade gardens for yourself!</p>
As Denver Botanic Gardens opens its doors to welcome its visitors back, I have received so many heartwarming messages about how the Gardens’ spaces bring joy to people. It truly makes me happy to be part of a team that has been constantly working to make the Gardens a safe space for all. Gardening has now become a hobby for many, including myself, as a bountiful harvest of vegetables and the sweet scent of flowers from the backyard garden usher in peace and positivity. Amid these stressful and anxious times, I am thankful for garden spaces around me that provide a safe environment to refresh my mind after being in my apartment all day.</p> Gardens have long been considered places of healing and solace. Blooming flowers, chirping birds and trees swaying to the tune of the breeze offer a calm moment for reflection in such rapidly changing times. In the Exhibitions, Art and Learning Engagement Department, we recognize the transformative role that gardens play in all our lives. So, in honor of Denver Botanic Gardens’ School of Botanical Art and Illustration’s (SBAI) 40th anniversary, we are presenting a special juried exhibition titled Garden & Haven: Botanical Art and Illustration. </em>The exhibition features artworks by graduates and students of the SBAI program responding to the idea of gardens as centers of refuge.</p> As I sit at home and look at the works illustrating the artists’ favorite flowers, fruits, vegetables, birds, insects and even different gardens within the Gardens, I am reminded of my own cherished memories in the natural world. I think back to those evening strolls when pretty blossoms by the sidewalks made me happy. Just like me, I hope that when you see the artworks, you will pause, relax and recollect the times when being in nature brought you sheer happiness.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p> Randy Raak, Spring Snow at Denver Botanic Gardens, </em>casein, 2020.</p> </p>
Over a year ago, the Helen Fowler Library temporarily closed its doors to the public in preparation for its move to the new Freyer – Newman Center. We packed up our collections, moved them offsite and got to work on preparing for the new space. And now, even as the Gardens gradually and carefully re-opens, we'll be waiting just a little bit longer to open the library.</p> However, that does not mean our community has to wait to access our collections – there are still ways to enjoy our very special library from home. Anyone can go to our library catalog</a> where we have curated several searches. In the Special Searches</a> tile below the search bar you will find eBook links to kids’ books and cookbooks. Several horticultural magazines with free access are listed, as well as some of our rare books, where digitized copies are hosted with the Biodiversity Heritage Library</a>.</p> We continue to host our nature-centric seasonal book club</a> (online for this spring) and we’ll soon have info on the website about our now virtual summer reading program! While our print resources are currently limited, we still welcome our patrons and community to reach out to the library with inquiries and, if you are a member, to register for eBook access. You can contact the librarians at library@botanicgardens.org</a>.</p> We look forward to seeing everyone when the new library does open. But, for now, we hope to see you in the digital realm. Enjoy, and happy reading!</p>
2020 promises to be a summer like no other. With an entirely new landscape, everyone is asking new questions and creating new solutions. Perhaps your company is asking how you can best care for your employees who have been through intense stress over the recent weeks and months. The impetus to stimulate new inspiration, cultivate growth and provide a place and space for healing is needed now more than ever before. </p> With the Stay at Home Order lifted, everyone is eager to get outdoors, enjoy the summer sunshine and take a deep breath of mile-high air. As I watch people return to York Street, it is pure joy to see shoulders relax and smiling eyes appear over everyone’s masks as they stroll through the gorgeous, diverse gardens. </p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> </p> Your company can provide this opportunity for your employees and clients. Denver Botanic Gardens’ Corporate Memberships</a> offer a timely, practical solution for companies seeking to take care of their employees’ wellness and entertain clients, all while making a positive contribution to the community and supporting best practices in taking care of our world. </p> Beyond the tangible and valuable benefits and perks of membership, our corporate partners</a> support the Gardens because their values align with ours: diversity, sustainability, relevance and transformation. These values guide our work as we connect people through plants to positively impact our communities and, ultimately, change the world. Whether that’s providing a respite for employees, supporting a program for veterans</a>, or bringing fresh food to Denver’s food insecure areas,</a> the Gardens enables companies to “do good” while taking good care of their people. </p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> </p> With a corporate membership, up to six people a day have free access the Gardens. Don’t forget that you may also enjoy food and beverages — as well as free Wi-Fi — at the Hive Garden Bistro</a>. Providing the opportunity to visit the Gardens is particularly useful to employees with children, who are without summer camps and other activities to keep them busy. </p> To learn more about corporate memberships, please reach out to me</a>. I’d love to listen to your needs, field your questions and share how Denver Botanic Gardens might just provide “the natural” solution! </p> In the upcoming months, the corporate partnerships team will be blogging about how companies with a corporate membership</a> benefit from a partnership with Denver Botanic Gardens, one of Denver’s most unique, multifaceted, community-impacting cultural organizations. </p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> </p>
