Gardens for the West
These cultivated gardens present the very best of design and gardening technique, from the informal Prairie Garden beds around the Earl J. Sinnamon Center to the formal ranks of the Lavender Garden.
Chatfield Farms Location
Completely unirrigated and showcasing beautiful Opuntia and Cylindropuntia hybrids from plantsmen Kelly Grummons of Cold Hardy Cactus, the High Plains Cactus Garden is a colorful addition to the Plant Select® Demonstration Garden hillside. Companion plants that can handle no irrigation are placed between cactus varieties for an additional show. Visit in June for the best cactus blooms.
There are 25 varieties and over 2,000 lavender plants under cultivation in rows in the 1.5 acre garden to demonstrate growing lavender as a crop. Several more varieties of lavender are grown as ornamental plants within nearby perennial beds. Included are a rock garden, labyrinth, pergola, stone patio and retaining wall.
This garden displays low-water plants introduced by Plant Select, a collaborative program among the Gardens, Colorado State University and Colorado’s Green Industry. Each plant went through a rigorous process to determine its suitability for the High Plains-Intermountain Region.
The Rock Garden utilizes rocks, boulders and gravel to mimic mountainous habitats for alpine plants. The Labyrinth Garden features low-grow xeric groundcovers laid out in a maze-like design. Located directly behind the Welcome Center, the Crevice Garden features vertically placed boulders and small rocks to create slanted planting areas with good drainage and microclimates for alpine plants from across the world.
These lush native plant gardens around the Earl J. Sinnamon Center demonstrate what is possible when gardening with native plants. Designed by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden, it features beds with different growing conditions, including the Rain Garden, Moist Meadow, North Slope and Dry Prairie.
Designed by Lauren Springer and Scott Ogden in 2012, Water-Smart Avenue exhibits a collection of xeric plants from across North America and other regions of the world. This garden is a representation of the low-water gardening style that can be achieved in Colorado without sacrificing beauty and design principles.
The new addition of the Robert & Judi Newman Welcome Center, built in spring 2025, includes low-water showcase gardens. This also includes a rain garden adjacent to the building where runoff is filtered by plants native to North America.