The heat of June could be eclipsed by even more oven-like temperatures in July. But the Gardens will still beckon your visit. This month’s tour will help you find the coolest spots to hang out while enjoying some of July’s highlights in the Gardens. These shady spots feature benches where you can enjoy surrounding gardens, little known vistas and even a waterfall.</p> Shady Lane</a> – shade is in the name! This main path that runs from east to west when entering the Gardens can be found just beyond the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory’s dome and the entry plaza to Marnie’s Pavilion. Along the wide walkway lined with mature crabapples on the south side and younger ones to the north, look for secondary paths with benches. Here you can be bathed in shade by the Austrian pines (Pinus nigra</em>) behind you and the many varieties of fruiting crabapples in front, all while you sneak views of the perennials on the sunny side of the walkway and the Orangery plantings beyond. Several brightly colored lilies (Lilium</em> cultivars) can be seen blooming in July.</li> The next oasis is nestled in the back of Oak Grove</a>. Follow the mulch path from the rounded patio area and you will find several benches and chairs in the proximity of two spectacular trees: the fernleaf European beech (Fagus sylvatica </em>var. heterophylla </em>‘Aspleniifolia’)</a> and the Colorado state champion bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum</em>)</a>. The grey trunks of beech trees always remind me of an elephant’s stout leg, and the lacy leaves of this cultivar are likewise charming. The maple, tied for the largest of its kind in Colorado, is also a native tree species in Colorado.</li> Next head toward the western edge of the Gardens, perhaps first grabbing a cold drink at the Hive Garden Bistro or taking in the beauty of the brightly colored waterlilies in the Monet Pool along the way. The Gates Montane Garden</a> is always a favorite place to visit on a hot day as nearly the entire walkway is cast in shadow throughout the long days of early summer. This was the first garden established after the founding of the Gardens in its present-day location at York Street. Ponderosa pines and aspens are just some of the trees you can see in this native centric garden focused on Colorado’s montane environment. Benches along the main path offer respite, but for more adventurous visitors, the uphill loop on the east will bring you to a bench where you can hear rushing water and glimpse a waterfall that plunges to the pond below, as well as take in beautiful views of the Laura Smith Porter Plains Garden as the swaths of native grasses are hitting their stride in summer.</li> More shady spots can be found along the southern boundary of the Gardens. The first one you’ll encounter is a curved wooden bench on the west side of the moongate entry into June’s PlantAsia. Sitting under a majestic Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus</em>)</a> during a morning visit, you’ll be able to view the multiple colors of daylilies blooming in the Ann Montague Iris and Daylily Garden while staying in the shadows. Walk through the moongate and around the southern path of PlantAsia’s steppe-inspired area and you’ll find some stone steps leading to a mysterious chapel-like passage of bamboo</a> with a bench tucked just in the right spot to enjoy cool breezes that slip through the green and golden leafy poles.</li> The next garden east of PlantAsia is Woodland Mosaic. As the name suggests, you will find several shady spots to linger under the trees here. A rounded metal seating area overlooks a grand swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor</em>)</a> as well as the solarium, which also has seating near it as well as on the deck to the south.</li> </ul> Hopefully these tips will help you find a new enchanting spot to cool off during your next summertime visit to the Gardens. Do you have a different favorite shady spot?</p>
The boom of colors and blooms that reign down at Denver Botanic Gardens this time of year is astounding. From the first gardens you see as you walk through the front gate – such as Roads Water-Smart Garden – to one of the last, our world-famous Rock Alpine Garden, the blooms never disappoint. These blooms are ensured year after year with the help of seed collecting. Often these seeds are grown over the winter in the greenhouses and planted once again the next spring for more awesome blooms. </p> You can practice seed-collecting as well in your home garden. Not only can it provide an opportunity to preserve your garden flowers, perennials and annuals alike, seed harvesting lends a way to share your lovely favorites with friends, family and neighbors. </p> </picture> </div> </article> Seed from Winecups (Callirhoe Involucrata</em>) at natural seed dispersal. Photo: Brooke Palmer</p> Finding the right time to harvest </h4> As the flowers fade, the fruits and seeds begin to form. Collecting at the right time can be tricky, because if you harvest the seeds and fruits too early you risk collecting underdeveloped seeds that will not be able to germinate later. You may find yourself playing “I spy some seeds” all summer long to harvest at the right time, especially since not all plants bloom and go to seed at the same time. There are plenty of exceptions, but a trick I like to do for most plants is to look for old flower heads or fruits to be brown and dry. If the seeds begin to fall off the plant at a natural dispersal state, they are indeed ready to go! </p> How to collect </h4> Once you get to this stage, the collecting itself is easy. Make sure you have some paper or cloth bags on hand for collecting; this will ensure your seeds stay nice and dry when you get to point of storing them. For this reason, avoid plastic bags. I love repurposing paper bags from restaurants and grocery stores just for collecting seeds. When you see seeds that are ready to harvest, you can either snip the dried fruits right into the bags or hand-pluck them if there are not too many. Don’t forget to write down what you have collected as you go.</p> Storing your seeds </h4> At this point you want to make sure your seeds are dried down and cleaned before storing them for the winter. Seed cleaning is a topic for a different day, but for most seeds you want to clean them from their fruits and chaff (other dried up flower parts) and store in paper bags or envelopes. They should be stowed in a dark, cool room or closet until you are ready to plant in the fall or spring. </p> </picture> </div> </article> A flowerhead of Pincushion flower (Scabiosa graminifolia var. compacta)</em>, ready to be harvested. Photo: Brooke Palmer</p> If you know where to look, seed harvesting can be a great way to insure you have the same lovely flowers year after year, and a hidden joy in your regular garden care. </p>
This summer, perhaps and with fingers crossed, we can take a deep breath and just relax a bit. The past decade, by which I mean the last 12 months, have been grueling. At all four of our locations, the Gardens is primed to offer more than quiet healing experiences, which have been critical to countless, and let loose true joy. </p> Joy is back this summer as spring rain and snow have prepped a parched land for a verdant eruption of life. Joy is back in the form of children cavorting in Mordecai Children’s Garden and rolling down the slopes of the UMB Bank Amphitheater. </p> The amount of birdsong is enthralling, as is the return of butterflies and bees.</p> It is going to take some time for many to feel fully comfortable, and we all get it. The cloud of menace has weighed heavily on us all. That’s why we can all help everyone we encounter by demonstrating simple respect, giving people some space whenever they need it. It is something I see every day as groups wander, some with masks on, others without. We are living in a time of miracles, and few could have predicted during the dark days of shutdowns that we would be emerging into such better days now. Thank goodness for scientists and the medical community for shepherding our rebound.</p> Thanks too for the donors, volunteers and members who keep Denver Botanic Gardens vital and vibrant. You have seen us through a challenge, and we are all awash in gratitude.</p> Two words in our mission statement</a> really stand out – delight and enlightenment. With four sites, deep levels of research and dynamic, inspiring programs, the enlightenment part is constant. And now, we aim to delight all people we attract with a reopened</a> Mordecai Children’s Garden, Science Pyramid and Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory. We are thrilled by the response to the new art galleries in the Freyer – Newman Center where visitors can also take in a documentary movie in the Sturm Family Auditorium. Classes are back. The new Helen Fowler Library is finally open.</p> And events</a> like Evenings al Fresco and Lavender Festival will provide plenty of fun times.</p> Deep breath. Big smiles. We are ready for a summer of joy.</p> Onward. </p>
As we begin the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration</a>, we are doing our part to help restore our creek and meadow habitats at Chatfield Farms</a> and work to develop better practices for restoration. Our riparian restoration project started in 2016. Onsite beavers are restoring part of the property and we are mimicking their work on areas where they aren’t active. We have successfully restored three historical oxbows (creek meanders) to their original flow and have seen ducks and other waterfowl taking advantage of this expanded habitat. We have planted 2,725 willow stakes throughout the creek restoration area. We continue to conduct annual monitoring along the creek to track the progress of this project.</p> </picture> </div> </article> Creek restoration site at Chatfield Farms</em></p> This year has been a wet one along the front range, and we have seen some impressive gains on this project. Not only are our three in-stream structures still functioning, but we are starting to see continued improvement of riparian habitats in both the restoration and active beaver areas. </p> </picture> </div> </article> Beaver habitat at Chatfield Farms</em></p> While we have been working on the restoration of Deer Creek and its riparian habitats, we have also been working in small and big ways to restore the hundreds of acres of grassland habitat at Chatfield Farms. Some of this work has been ongoing by Chatfield staff for many years, working to clear non-native grass areas with burning and spraying followed by seeding with different mixes of native grasses and forbs.</p> </picture> </div> </article> Grassland restoration site at Chatfield Farms</em></p> We also started a partnership with external colleagues in 2018 to expand our grassland restoration work. These researchers are testing different management treatments (e.g., tilling and herbicide intensity), seed mixtures and seed treatments to better understand the most efficient ways to get rid of non-native grasses (in our case, mostly smooth brome, Bromus inermis</em>), help with seed establishment and create a diverse plant community. It is definitely a challenge to work with difficult soils and dry conditions but a challenge we are hoping to overcome through partnerships that bring together a diverse range of knowledge and experience.</p> </picture> </div> </article> Grassland restoration site at Chatfield Farms</em></p> We have been fortunate to have four graduate students and several undergraduate and high school students working with us on these projects. These students have been exploring a range of research topics including the impact native plant competition has on an invasive grass, the role of seed source in the performance of restoration species, riparian plant community response to restoration and the impact of grassland restoration methods on pollinator habitat. In addition, we are working with the Bureau of Land Management to expand our research on federal lands. As part of the Chatfield Master Development Plan, we hope to continue to expand our restoration work, continuing to not only improve habitats we manage but also serve as a demonstration site for restoration methods at a larger scale. </p>
For many, the term flower farmer is a new one – but for the last 10 years the “slow flowers” movement of producing American grown flowers has been gaining momentum and market share in the flower industry. I am a flower farmer – and that means that I grow flowers the same way we grow vegetables or other crops in rows, with the same methods. </p> Traditionally, 80% of all flowers purchased in the United States are imported from countries that use harsh chemicals and cheap labor to get perfect stems into your grocery store – with a rather large carbon footprint. Many flower farmers across the country are producing flowers without chemicals, grown and sold locally. Chatfield Farms offers a flower share through our CSA</a> to bring a regenerative approach to your bouquet sourcing. </p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> Because we endeavor to reduce tillage of our soil and not to use herbicides or chemical fertilizers (that reduce field work time), our flower and vegetable production can be labor-intensive and strenuous. When we think about regenerative agriculture, we normally equate practices that are gentle and helpful to our ecosystem; but we should also think about our farmers and physical labor as another input. If we can reduce the amount of inputs going into each crop being produced, we save time, money and physical stress on each farmer. </p> Enter in flower production with perennials and native varieties. Most flower operations heavily depend on succession plantings of annuals for lots of blooms all season long (myself included). But annuals are time and resource intensive, often leaving the farmer to plant literally thousands of transplants every spring and mid-summer to produce an adequate supply. Perennials bloom every year without much work, except for annual pruning and fertilizing. Native plants assist native pollinators to access vital nectar and habitat – as well as increasing the overall health of the farm ecosystem. </p> </picture> </div> </article> </p> This year I am trialing a new approach to my cut flower operation by introducing several native perennials that I hope over time will replace a few annual non-native crops. I am trialing several species recommended by Grace Johnson, our Plant Select</a> expert, including Phlox paniculate, Penstemon cobaea, Baptisia alba, Linum lewisii </em>and Physostegia virginiana</em>, among several others this season, to see how they do in a row-crop setting, integrated into the annual production. </p> If I can get these varieties to bloom several times after being sheered, then perhaps they will become formal members of my bouquet repertoire. This will save me hours spent seeding, transplanting and then removing hundreds of annuals at the end of each season. Regenerative systems benefit the earth first, but they also benefit the life of the farmer and their workload. At the end of the day, the farmer needs to start regenerating their own system, and that is what we hope to see happen with our shifting awareness of regenerative agriculture. </p>
Queer /kwir/</p> differing in some way from what is usual or normal</li> of, relating to, or being a person whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual and/or whose gender identity is not cisgender</li> </ol> Those who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community have long been labelled as being abnormal or queer. While many of us have since claimed the term and use it with pride, it still carries the weight of a history of being outcast and labelled as ‘unnatural.’ Isn’t it strange, though, that nature doesn’t seem to be at all concerned with what we as humans find natural or not?</p> There are hundreds of documented cases of homosexual behavior in animals. Hermaphroditic animals are plenty as are transsexual animals. And just last year at the Denver Zoo, a Komodo dragon</a> laid a clutch of eggs resulting in two baby dragons all on her own through an asexual reproduction process known as parthenogenesis. All these occurrences might be considered unnatural by certain human values.</p> </picture> </div> </article> Bonobos, commonly known to exhibit homosexual behavior. Source</a> </p> Plants also have a variety of sexual forms and states. A single plant can have both male and female sexual organs, while other plant varieties have separate plants that hold each type of sexual organ. Some plants reproduce sexually through pollination while others reproduce asexually through vegetative propagation, fragmentation, or spore formation. In 2019 it was discovered that Solanum plastisexum</em>, a species of bush tomato, exhibits “breeding system fluidity,” or sexual fluidity: at times the same plant might exhibit only characteristics of the female reproductive system and at others will have only the male reproductive system. What a weird and beautiful plant.</p> </picture> </div> </div> </article> McDonnell AJ, Wetreich HB, Cantley JT, Jobson P, Martine CT (2019) Solanum plastisexum</em>, an enigmatic new bush tomato from the Australian Monsoon Tropics exhibiting breeding system fluidity. PhytoKeys 124: 39-55. Source</a> </p> “Nature” has often been used as the justification for the ostracism and animosity hurled at those in the Queer community. Queer ecology, a fairly recent ideology, attempts to break the understanding of nature that humanity has created, and instead allow nature to just be what it is. Stemming from Queer Theory which challenges the notion that heterosexual desire is “normal,” Queer ecology is about “letting go of the idea of what is natural and acknowledging the diversity of the natural world.” “Natural” is a completely human defined term, and so long as we continue to view nature through our limited understanding of what it should be, it’s likely we will never fully understand it.</p> </picture> </div> </article> Denver Botanic Gardens participating in Pride, 2019.</p> The queerness of humanity and the natural world outside of us provides a beautiful backdrop of diversity. Perhaps we should embrace the Queer.</p> Learn More!</h4> The Helen Fowler Library has many books on environmental justice and topics like Queer ecology. The collection is always growing!</p> "The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World" by Andrea Wulf contains ideas about the interconnectedness of nature similar to Queer Ecology.</p> </p> More Resources</h4> Nothing more queer than nature</a> | Brigitte Baptiste | TEDxRiodelaPlata</li> Queering Botanical Science: A Recap</a></li> How to Queer Ecology: One Goose at a Time</a></li> Feminist and Queer Ecology Reading List</a></li> </ul> </p>
