Posted November 8, 2011 by Tonya Kelly
Colorado has always been a great source of pride for me. I am a native of this beautiful state and find its natural environment therapeutic. Despite moving out of state for school or work, I often found myself returning to my home state. I knew I would eventually settle here as I envisioned my future. I had dreams of having a family; taking my children hiking on Mount Evans, exploring the banks of the great Grand Lake and camping in Rocky Mountain National Park. However, five years ago my dreams suffered a set-back when my daughter Marley was born with Down syndrome and developed pulmonary hypertension. As a result, her medical condition prevents us from traveling into the mountains and taking advantage of all Colorado has to offer.
Photo copyright Scott Dressel-Martin
It wasn’t until last year when I discovered the Mordecai Children’s Garden that I realized my dream wasn’t completely gone. In fact, my daughter is now able to discover and learn about Colorado’s native plants and landscape in an innovative way.
In a three acre urban setting, Marley can experience the feeling of being in the middle of large pine trees in Mist’ery Forest and explore life along Pipsqueak Pond. She can even hike the Fourteener Range all the way to Marmot Mountain! Although, we haven’t braved it yet, we are excited to participate in next year’s Cottonwood Campout, giving her the full experience of sleeping under the stars.
In addition to her being able to safely explore the Children’s Garden, staff and volunteers frequently provide activities that allow her to learn at her own pace, while being challenged by the other children playing in the garden.
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Posted October 18, 2011 by Jennifer Ramp Neale, Director of Research & Conservation
The changing of the seasons is marked in the Research & Conservation department not only by the fact that the days are getting noticeably shorter, but by the fact that we have all returned indoors for the year. The growing and collecting season has dwindled for our botanists and mycologists, and we are now busy processing and analyzing the fruits of our summer labors.
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Seed collection of Parachute penstemon
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It was certainly a rainy spring
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Intern Eliot Jackson collecting seed of a milkvetch
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Pam Regensberg collecting at the City of Fort Collins Soapstone Prairie Natural Area
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Earth tounges collected by volunteer Rosa-Lee Brace
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Searching for Brandegee’s buckwheat with volunteer Mo Ewing
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Posted September 23, 2011 by Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
As we look for ways to conserve our natural resources and create sustainable communities, Denver Botanic Gardens in partnership with Sterling Ranch has helped create low-water sustainable landscapes at their demonstration site at Allis Ranch in Douglas County. Sterling Ranch will be Colorado’s first rainwater harvesting community and this project will set a new standard for water conservation in Colorado.
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Posted September 7, 2011 by Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
Joe Tomocik
Denver Botanic Gardens today officially bid farewell to one of its long-time employees, Joe Tomocik, curator of aquatic collections. After serving the Gardens for 31 years, mere words in this blog will not capture the essence of Joe’s service to the Gardens. A whole book on Joe would be more like it! The establishment and success of Denver Botanic Gardens’ aquatic program and collections can be attributed to Joe’s hard work and dedication.
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Posted April 15, 2011 by Jennifer Ramp Neale, Director of Research & Conservation
Last week we were honored to co-host the Center for Plant Conservation Annual Meeting along with the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP) in Fort Collins. Conservation professionals from more than 20 botanic gardens, federal agencies, and organizations across the country gathered in Colorado for a four-day conference to celebrate our efforts to conserve our nation’s rarest plants.
The Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) is a consortium of botanic gardens dedicated to protecting our nation’s vanishing flora. Denver Botanic Gardens was one of the founding partners of the CPC 27 years ago (1984). We have been actively involved in seed collection and other conservation efforts in collaboration with the CPC ever since.
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Posted March 3, 2011 by Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator & Director of Outreach
Gary Davis and hibiscus (he's the one below)
Gary Davis is well known to members and staff of Denver Botanic Gardens–he was employed here for over a quarter century, overseeing the greenhouse collections for much of that time. He is as close to “native” to the Gardens as anyone, and the Colorado Cactus and Succulent Society is excited to have been the first to lure him back for a presentation on “Succulents in the City.” He has worked in the City Greenhouses and now with Denver Zoo, where he curates
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Posted February 6, 2011 by Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
As this popular trip offered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Reefs to Rockies returns this year, I am pleased to lead this trip again. Joining me are seven enthusiastic patrons of the Gardens and nature lovers. What is a trip without any travel glitches? Icy conditions in Houston, cancelled flights, delayed and missed flights….these were some of the few glitches we experienced, but everyone got to Morelia on time and with good humor. And so our first scheduled day of the trip starts without a hitch!
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Posted October 19, 2010 by Sarah Spearman, Education Sales Coordinator
As summer ends and fall arrives, the gardener’s focus changes from growing all those nutritious veggies to “What is that spider?! And how do I keep it out of my home?!” Most spiders live one to two years and many of them overwinter as eggs. They later develop into adult spiders and are usually full grown by summertime. With the cooler weather, adult spiders (especially males) search for shelter in the fall and sometimes migrate into your home.
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Posted in: At the Gardens, Education, Mordecai Children's Garden - Comments(4)