I love the fact that the current eat local movement has been making people look at what they eat and consider the health and environmental consequences of their food.
A friend sent me an article which made me stop and think about the changes I have made to my diet. Are they based on fact? Is eating local really the best choice?
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My garden has begun to provide my dinner nightly, and soon I will be going crazy trying to bottle, freeze, dry or eat everything it gives me. Eating locally is easy this time of year! If your own garden is not providing, then a dozen Farmer’s Markets are available with Colorado-grown vegetables, fruits, meat, honey, cheese, and more.
There is a lot of talk these days about the benefits of eating locally.
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With a multitude of exquisite apricot-colored flowers, Nymphaea ‘Stan Skinger’ (hybridizer: Florida Aquatic Nurseries) is a super Rocky Mountain Legacy Collection (RMLC) tropical waterlily, displayed dramatically in the Romantic Gardens pool. The gorgeous, egg-shaped mottled leaves darken in Denver’s semi-arid mile-high climate.
Nelumbo ‘Perry’s Giant Sunburst’ with charming creamy-yellow flowers is the main attraction in the Monet Garden pool. It is near the north entrance to the Japanese Garden amongst a mix of classical hardy waterlilies. ‘Perry’s Giant Sunburst’ was hybridized by lotus king Perry D. Slocum.
I have aloe envy.
I recently saw the diversity of plants that thrive in the Souther California climate. The aloes they have there are incredible. More than any other plant (and there are lot of plants), I wish I could walk among the aloes on a regular basis. Just look at them!
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This Thursday night, Denver Botanic Gardens is hosting an independent film screening of the movie The Real Dirt on Farmer John. Acompanying this event will be a “Local Food Open House” featuring local farmers, farmer’s markets, co-ops, bakers, community gardening organizations and more. (if you’re coming, please pre-register! We’re expecting a full house).
A couple of our participants represent farms that raise grass-fed beef. What does this have to do with plants and botanic gardens? Grazing has co-evolved along with grasslands to produce an ecosystem that is totally dependent on the specific relationship between grazing animals and plants for its vitality, health and diversity. Farms, with their substantial acreages, can also play an important role in sequestering atmospheric carbon and thus mitigating the effects of global warming. The following essay by Sara Puharich of The Farm at Sunrise Ranch explains this in greater detail.
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The Gardens’ summer exhibit, “Urban Nature,” not only brings in references to the City through street murals and horticultural practices, it also challenges us to notice the little things around us. Humans, nature, and urban living collide regularly – it’s up to us to take notice.
Early this spring I was mesmerized by plants breaking through concrete and black top at a gas station. Unwanted? Maybe. A beautiful point of contrast? Definitely.
Here is another guest blog post from our friend and colleague, Elizabeth Bublitz, at Paw-Friendly Landscapes. If you are enjoying her posts, don’t forget to check out her Pet-Friendly Landscapes class this coming September, where you can get all your questions answered in a fun, practical evening program.
Hot Dog!!!!
Boy is it July! It is so hot these days with very little rain. It’s hard to believe my last blog was about too much moisture, now it’s taken a 180 degree turn (literally!) and I want to address dogs and gardens in heat stress. As a Colorado native, I should be use to these extremes, but I’m always in disbelief.
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