Late Season Garden Tours

Historically, Denver Botanic Gardens has hosted tours of private gardens in spring and early summer. That’s when most gardens boast the largest number of perennials in bloom, and late-flowering trees and shrubs can make a mighty impact.

But once the summer heat lets up, many gardens experience a “second spring” in late summer—when early autumn flowers combine with summer’s bounty to create striking sweeps of color at garden-savvy homes.
This year, the Gardens has teamed up with the Garden Conservancy, which hosts garden tours across the country, to showcase three outstanding—and very different—gardens close to home. The tour takes place Saturday, Sept. 13. Sign up so you don’t miss them! What better way to spend a late-season weekend?

Bosler House

This historical home has been brought to fresh life by owners Jan and Steve Davis, who have lovingly restored the striking Victorian-era house and surrounded it with lush gardens. Visitors will find lavish borders and a stunning potager.

Gatehouse Garden

Tim Morgan and Laura Menzer have created a “secret garden”—and a pretty substantial one—in a quiet southeast Denver neighborhood. Morgan, a passionate lifelong gardener, propagates many of his plants in a greenhouse on the property.

A newly completed back patio frames a stunning view of the large island bed, which features multiple borders, rock gardens and arbors overflowing with treasures. The entire perimeter of the backyard is filled with plants, including a bog garden, more rock gardens and choice trees. This is truly a garden for all seasons.

Kelly Grummons’ Garden

Kelly Grummons is one of the most highly regarded horticulturists in the Rocky Mountain region. His home garden is a showcase of a rich lifetime of gardening—including, of course, his beloved succulents (he is, after all, Mr. Cold Hardy Cactus).

Many stock plants can be found in and around several greenhouses on the property, but the real stars this time of year are the island beds south of his home, filled with late-summer annuals, flaming red Zauschneria and remarkable containers featuring succulents. Visitors will also discover gems like rhododendrons in the shady garden. The more you explore, the more you’ll marvel. 

Denver Botanic Gardens and the Garden Conservancy have partnered for three years to showcase the finest gardens of the Front Range. This is the final weekend of this year’s program—but expect a dozen or more gardens on tour in 2026.