Following Denver’s Rose Trail

Posted June 13, 2011 by Featured Instructor

With the month of June comes the perfect climate for thousands of varieties of roses, from Hybrid Teas to fragrant old garden roses.  Colorado provides the perfect conditions for these flowers to flourish.  This Saturday (June 18, 2011), take some time to relax and smell the roses by joining Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver Rose Society for an unforgettable tour of the most exquisite roses and rose gardens Denver has to offer.

The tour, beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding at 1 p.m., will cover three locations and four notable gardens. Starting at Denver Botanic Gardens, we will explore the beautiful May Bonfils-Stanton Memorial rose garden, a unique landscape with close to 175 different varieties of roses along with other heirloom flowers such as Clematis and Delphinium. Then we will carpool to the War Memorial Rose Garden in Littleton where Larry Hurd (a horticulturist with South Suburban Parks) will share with us the history of the garden and what it represents. Here we will also enjoy our BYO snack lunches in the garden’s gazebo while taking in the view of over 1,800 roses with 100 varieties.

Our third and final stop will take us to the historic Bow Mar neighborhood also located in Littleton where we will have the opportunity to view two private gardens, both over 40 years old. The first garden we will view is owned by Ann Johns. Ann started her garden in 1958 and since then it has evolved into a beautiful array of roses including Hybrid Teas, Talisman, and Crimson Glory. The second garden we will view belongs to Diane Felsman, who has been featured in Sunset Magazine and the book “Magical Gardens Denver Region” by Maureen Jabour. In 1967, Diane took what was a deserted, sloping backyard and turned  it into what it is now, an oasis of perennials, including many Floribunda and Shrub roses.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see several of Denver’s hidden treasures and expand your knowledge on the many varities of roses that Colorado has to offer.  Register for Following Denver’s Rose Trail tour online or by calling 720-865-3580.

Guest Blogger: Amanda Burns (Education Marketing Intern)

Amanda Burns is a Colorado native and marketing student at the University of Denver. After graduation she hopes to continue working for non-profit organizations, such as Denver Botanic Gardens, that work towards the preservation of the environment.

As the Gardens’ education marketing intern, Amanda will be assisting the Gardens this summer with promoting our adult education classes.