Posted January 17, 2012 by Featured Instructor
Urban beekeeping has been all the buzz, lately. And for as many people that keep bees, there are that many reasons WHY people keep bees.
One of the most important reasons to keep bees is for pollination. Bee pollination is needed for the production of an estimated one-third of the food crops grown in developed countries. When it comes to fruit, the number of bees visiting a plant affects the size, uniformity and amount of fruit it produces. Bee pollination also has an impact on other foods we eat, such as meat
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Posted January 12, 2012 by Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator & Director of Outreach
Who doesn’t love blue in flowers? Do our gardens ever have enough blue? Well…
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Posted January 10, 2012 by John Murgel, Gardener
While taking advantage of the warm daytime temperatures in recent weeks to get some pruning in, I was hailed from the pathway nearby.
“Do you ever worry about seeds coming up early during warm spells like this?”
In a word, “no.” But why not?
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Posted January 9, 2012 by April Miller, Head Librarian
Join us for the spring session of Literature of the Land, a book club series hosted by the Helen Fowler Library. We delve into literature related to the land and to nature, discussing topics that may range from environmental issues to 
the culture of food and drink, from the American dust bowl to the cinnamon trees of Southeast Asia.
This spring we’ll focus on the influences of nature in certain Japanese traditions and cuisines. Discussing the culture of tea, the aesthetic of wabi-sabi in art and philosophy, and the story of sushi (from its origins to its presence in America today), we’ll touch on several aspects of Japanese tradition and thought.
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Posted December 22, 2011 by Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator & Director of Outreach
The dictionary definition of a botanic garden is “a garden for
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Posted December 13, 2011 by Julie Casault, Gardener
Growing vegetables can be one of the most gratifying gardening experiences. It is amazing to watch seeds, bulbs, and small plants grow to become a productive food harvest. For children, this can be the first exposure to horticulture and a very educational experience in nutrition, health and science.
The space outside of the Morrison Center, previously the Sensory Garden, was left undeveloped during construction of the Mordecai Children’s Garden during fall 2010. The original plan for this space was to add six simple vegetable beds. With 1,000 square feet of space, it became a challenge to create something that would be impactful.
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Posted December 8, 2011 by Doris Boardman, Web Technology Manager
Santa's chair in the Grand Court
Time to visit Santa!
Today we are featuring the display that is currently in place at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center (CCSC) in the Grand Court. Denver Botanic Gardens’ horticulturist Blake Burger designs and installs these displays, and provides daily care to all of the beautiful plantings.
This year the CCSC Grand Court has a North Pole theme, complete with Santa and an ice castle. Blake says, “Instead of using red poinsettias, I wanted to change up the color a bit to match the blue and white palate of the holiday display. This display will be set up until the day after Christmas.”
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Posted December 5, 2011 by Marisa Eisenstein, Manager of Annual Giving
The following posts were created by dedicated and passionate volunteers and staff of Denver Botanic Gardens. Please enjoy reading their stories and experiences about why the Gardens holds a special place in their hearts.
MIRACLE PLANT HOLDS A RICH HISTORY
By Nick Snakenberg
Tucked away in the southwest corner of the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory, Aframomum melegueta is a rather unassuming plant. Most visitors are distracted by the showier bananas and papayas growing nearby, but this member of the ginger family has a story that may outshine its subtle appearance.
Aframomum melegueta, also known as Grains of Paradise, is a native of lowland areas of tropical West Africa. Before the spice roads from the Mid-East introduced a broader range of cooking spices, Aframomum was a staple for cooking, often being used as we now use black pepper. While its popularity as a spice has faded, there has been a recent resurgence in its use, not only in cooking, but as a flavoring in beer. In addition to its culinary uses, Aframomum is also locally known for its medicinal properties, being used to treat inflammations and infections. It also just happens to be a major component in the diet of the Western Lowland Gorilla.
When horticulturists at the Denver Zoo learned that we were growing Aframomum at Denver Botanic Gardens, they were anxious to get their hands on some. It seems that captive gorillas often suffer from an unexplained heart condition and by adding more plants from their native habitats, especially Aframomum melegueta, the condition seems to go away. We gladly shared plants with the Denver Zoo, but our sharing didn’t stop there.
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