Who was the best, most inspiring or thought-provoking speaker you’ve seen recently? I’m sure a couple of people stand out above the noise for each of you. We have the honor of hosting such a speaker next week. On Tuesday, April 1^st at 7 pm, Rick Darke is promising us a provocative, edgy (his word) view on urban ecology - the human landscape.

Both Panayoti Kelaidis, our Senior Curator and Director of Outreach, and I heard Rick talk at ProGreen, and although it was 7:30 in the morning and the topic was supposed to be “Grasses,” we found ourselves engrossed. Rick combines the intellect and wit of Michael Pollan with the plant-driven perspective of your favorite traveling horticulturists. His thoughts on what defines a livable landscape have never been more relevant. Rick’s photography is phenomenal; this talk is likely to be a visual and intellectual journey to remember. 

Quoting Panayoti:

“I think Rick Darke is far and away the greatest mind and finest artist in American horticulture today. I have heard him speak three times in the last year or so, and each time I have been more deeply impressed with the breadth and depth of his artistic talent and his intellectual prowess. He is a giant talent who has a fascinating story to reveal. You must not miss this.
 
“He is launching Denver Botanic Gardens’ exhibit of the year, entitled ‘Urban Nature’, and I think the talk and the exhibit will be landmark events. Rick has stunning credentials: he was curator of collections at Longwood Gardens for many years, creating some of their finest exhibits. The rather constricting climate of Longwood at that time (happily no longer: that is another great story to tell) led him to launch his own career as author, lecturer and designer.
 
“His books are all now classics (impeccably written, stunningly photographed and designed with great content): check out his website to get a better taste for what he’s up to: www.rickdarke.com.
 
“And his talks are a revelation as how horticulture provides the essential tool that humanizes and might ultimately save a world that is careening through technological and mechanistic excess. Rick’s understanding of cultural landscapes, and their ability to relate to young people, to those in urban environments, has given me great hope and new tools in my day to day work. Harriett MacMillan (gardening guru at Echter’s), who heard Rick’s incredible talk at Progreen last January, made a similar plea at a recent Plant Select Propagation committee meeting.”

The April Fool’s joke is on you, folks, if you miss this event. It is the launch of our single biggest program of the year – Urban Nature – and we hope to kick it off in style with Rick Darke. Be there or be square!

The program is entitled In Your Face: Ethics and Urban Ecology and costs $18 for members, $21 for non-members, and $10 for students. Call Meghan at 720-865-3580 to register…she’s waiting anxiously to hear from you.