Posted September 5, 2009 by Ellen Hertzman, Manager of Volunteer Experience
When you visit this week, here are a few things to see:
A Touch of the Tropics: Though we think of hibiscus as a tropical or house plant, a number of hardy varieties make a splash this time of year. Hibiscus moscheutos has nearly dinner-plate size flowers in reds, pinks, and white. Check out the pink-streaked version along Shady Lane, which features a beautiful reddish leaf as well. The lovely Rose of Sharon bushes that bloom in lavenders, whites, and pinks all over town in late summer are also a hibiscus: Hibiscus syriacus.
Happy to be Dry: Sprays of tiny lavender flowers characterize the Sea Lavender, seen in the Water-Smart Garden as well as in the Perennial Walk. Not a lavender at all, these plants are similar to Statice, in that they are dry to the touch.
Likewise, check out the brilliantly colored Strawflowers,
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Posted April 18, 2009 by Matt Cole, Director of Education
A street tree shows signs of spring under the snow.
The weekend’s snow and slush is a perfect reminder that all the work we gardeners do, the plants work every day, in the same place, no matter the conditions. I spotted this maple streetside in a Denver neighborhood and thought “The new leaves look so green under the white snow.” I returned with my camera as evening was falling and discovered something quite different!
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Posted May 2, 2008 by Cindy Newlander, Associate Director of Horticulture
This past couple of weeks while wandering the Gardens and around Denver it seems that there is another fantastic scent greeting my nose around every corner. The cool spring seems to have slowed down the early blooming shrubs and now we have a profusion of flowers that are lasting longer than usual with the cooler temperatures that keep hitting every week (usually with a few snow flakes) helping to keep the flowers lingering.
At the Gardens, lilacs are just starting to bloom, with their sweet scent wafting throughout the Lilac Garden. And while we’re in the Lilac Garden, you cannot forget to kneel down and
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Posted April 15, 2008 by Matt Cole, Director of Education
I can’t imagine most people who find this page won’t have already discovered our home page has a new look. But it does, and so I want to say congratulations to everyone who brought it together!
One of my favorite features is the what’s blooming link which features a few, special chosen plants. As much as I also notice whats in bloom, these listings are really well-crafted and chosen to show you what’s happening. In particular, I can’t believe I nearly missed the snake’s head fritillary (at the top of the page)! At one time, this was one of my favorite plants because it came up reliably at at time of year when I had no idea what else would show. Also, almost no one else knew it and I got to share.
If memory serves me, Fritillaria meleagris is also known as “leper lily,” possibly because the “checkered” and mottled appearance of the flowers reminded medieval Europeans of leprosy symptoms or possibly because lepers wore bells about the same size and shape to warn healthy citizens away.
Posted April 4, 2008 by Matt Cole, Director of Education
I am indebted to Nick Snakenberg for turning me onto this plant about to bloom. See the slowly fattening buds? Nick wrote:
“Our Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) is in bud and should be blooming sometime in the next week or two. Why are we so excited? Because it’s about time!!! We’ve watered and fertilized and pruned and nurtured for over nine years and are only now being rewarded with flowers. Also, it’s one of the most amazing flowers you’ll ever see…”"Our specimen is the large vine covering the mezzanine above your head immediately after entering the conservatory doors from the lobby. The best spot to view the flowers may be from the mezzanine itself, just to the south of the Dart Frog display.”
So when I finally got to see it, I realized how extrordinarily hard to photograph it was. You’ll have to come see it yourselves!
Posted March 21, 2008 by Matt Cole, Director of Education
When I wrote that bulbs have a tough life, I was looking at only one side of the story. They have a wonderful life! Just look at the exuberant Iris and Crocus and how they add color and exuberance to the early spring landscape. They were under the snow earlier this week, but they really shook it off and kept going.
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Posted March 3, 2008 by Matt Cole, Director of Education
The life of a bulb is a tough one. For the bulk of the year, the plant lives underground and dormant, enduring until it’s time to shine. These Iris just get themselves up and going and Sunday’s snow put the brakes on. Nonetheless, winter will end and more and more bulbs and flowers will take advantage of warming spring to make their entry into life above ground.
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