Capetown: Garden city of South Africa

If there were a beauty contest for cities, Capetown would surely be in the final cut, and anyone visiting this week would give Capetown the crown, The weather changes as quickly as New England this time of year. We have had torrential rain, crystal clear calm days with aquamarine skies, overcast and contemplative weather, and blustery sun–all in the last four days. Springtime in Capetown is captivating in all this weather. And the flowers! Protea in a multitude of species and genera are everywhere:
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South Africa – Formal Gardens and an Amaryllid

Clivia miniata

These first two pictures depict a formal garden planted in a neighborhood park not far from the United States ambassador’s residence in Pretoria. Never have I seen such meticulously clipped plants in such brilliant, contrasting colors! South Africa was first colonized by Europeans creating a garden to provision ships, and people have come here to garden ever since.

More commonly (as in the third picture) you find gardens featuring
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Ah, Africa!

I worried — why leave North America at the height of late summer, with the veggies overflowing in the garden, the leaves turning…the answer is Africa in springtime. What a glorious time to be here and get a second spring in the same year. Temperatures in Johannesburg and Pretoria were perfect, the days sunny, and flowers overflowing.
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Award-Winning Work at the Gardens

On Thursday night, September 18th, Denver Botanic Gardens was presented with two top-category awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for the development and design of Denver Botanic Gardens’ 2007 Annual Report and the “Inside the Gardens” bi-monthly newsletter. Lyn Berry-Helmlinger, the Gardens’ Communications Editor, is responsible for writing, editing and coordinating both publications. Scott Dressel-Martin, the Gardens’ contracted photographer, contributed the award-winning photography for each. Both Lyn and Scott are examples of why Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the top botanic gardens in the world. The success of any organization depends on the people that work there. Both Lyn and Scott are the talented and committed individuals whose contributions are allowing Denver Botanic Gardens to continue to Flourish! Congratulations!

Beauty or Beast?

Orbea longidens

There are many weird plants out there but succulents have more than their fair share. This Orbea longidens flower is a great example to remind us that though we find many flowers beautiful, they evolved to attract specific pollinators rather than for our pleasure.

Visit this plant in the Succulent House (located in the Rock Alpine Garden) but don’t get too close.
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Leaves of Grass: Autumnal bounty

Is it a coincidence that Walt Whitman named his revolutionary collection of poetry “Leaves of Grass”? Grass is the dominant vegetation in our region, and ornamental grasses have revolutionized horticulture across America in recent decades. If I had to pick a favorite grass, right now
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Wildflower extravaganza right now!

Highway 76 in Sept.

We feel we must go to Arizona or California in the spring or to the tundra in July to see masses of wildflowers…fiddlesticks!
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The call of the compost heap…

I was once jokingly asked by a co-worker in a previous career if I was going to answer ‘the call of the compost heap’ and quit my job to garden full time. It seems that this turned out to be closer to the truth than I thought at the time.

Do you compost your kitchen and garden waste at home? If you do you are already aware of the reduction in waste going to the landfill that that causes. Varying sources estimate that 30-40% of waste going to the landfill is compostable.
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