Royal pageantry in the garden

Iris 'Starwoman'

Iris 'Batik'

Tall bearded iris are always grand. This year
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Coming into their own…

Christmas rose (Helleborus niger)

The Return of the High-Altitude Gardener

At long last the High-Altitude Gardener has returned to the Denver Botanic Gardens Web site. This searchable online database features some of the favorite plants of the Gardens’ horticulture staff that are also some of the best plants to grow in this region.

The search interface allows users to type a plants common or scientific name or to select from one or more of ten categories to find plants. 
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The Wisdom of Mutual Discovery

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." ~William Shakespeare

Ambassador Jan here! Wanna know a little secret of mine? I actually do not know the names of ALL the plants at Denver Botanic Gardens. That’s right. I’ll give you a minute to get over the shock….

Fact is, there are about 14,500 taxa (differently named species and/or cultivars) at the Gardens. Furthermore, about 3,000 plants are accessioned (acquired for the collections) each year —they may not necessarily be brand-new-to-DBG taxa, though some are.
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Seen-Again Trees

It’s true landscape architects speak about a concept called “borrowed views.”  You don’t own the bucolic pasture, the fabulous waterfront, or the mountain range to your west, but you can see it from your window.  You’re “borrowing” that view to add to your own space.  But when I say “seen-again” plant, I mean taking a fresh look at what seemed to be known.
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Neighborhoods in Bloom

I want to express my appreciation for the neighborhoods all around Denver for making the effort to grow plants well and to grow great plants.  Some credit undoubtedly goes to the city, but a lot should be generously poured over all the home owners and residents who take the time to make their block and their neighborhood a little bit better. What sparked this little epiphany of mine was that I spent more time downtown than usual lately.  
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Snowdrop Blooming in the Rock Alpine Garden

A native of Turkey and the Balkans, Galanthus elwesii (giant snowdrop) is found throughout these countries and into Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, eastern Serbia and Montenegro on into the Southern Ukraine.  It differs from the common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis in its galucous leaves and more eastern distribution.  It is traditionally one of the first flowers to open outside at Denver Botanic Gardens each year and often opens by mid-January. Right now it is about 2″ tall but as the month progresses it will reach about 5-6 inches.
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