Still, we had a good time and got to see cool plants everywhere! We were lucky to spend some time with Mike Kintgen and see some of his favorite plants at DBG.  I didn’t take enough pictures, but I would like to share a few with you.

Chihuly exhibit at DBG

You need to go the botanic gardens this year for all sorts of reasons. You can see plants there that you will not see anywhere else in Colorado. The garden designs are inspiring. The plants are fascinating. And the Chihuly exhibit just adds to the experience.  The exhibit lasts until November, so you still have time.  Go!

A really red Agastache aurantiaca hybrid in Bob Nold’s garden.

I’ve been obsessed with agastaches for over 20 years. This one is really different! The color is a red without orange….not like anything I’ve ever seen.  Bob’s garden was beautiful and filled with amazing plants, but the only picture I took was this one.  My excuse, if I can offer one, is that I was sick.  I didn’t get any pictures of the cyclamen that are so pretty this time of year, or the huge Cercocarpus ledifolius in his front yard that is the most spectacular specimen of this species I’ve ever seen.

The next three pictures are of the crowd at the chapter fund raiser. It was held at Marcia and Randy Tatroe’s garden. If you like native plants or alpine plants, or cactus and succulents, you need to get to know this group.  If I lived closer to Denver I’d go to all their events. Panayoti, in his charming and humorous way , helped sell the plants, pointing out the stars in each category. There were eriogonums in bloom that I couldn’t resist.  I came home with a flat full of new and different stuff to try here.  It’s so much fun to hang around with plant geeks.  Here’s the link to the chapter website:  http://www.rmcnargs.org/index.php/events

After the sale we got a chance to walk around Marcia’s garden.  It’s good to see a garden in mid-September–you start to notice all the things you missed when it was at its blooming height in spring or early summer.  Foliage and structure are revealed.

I don’t usually like these star patterned petunias, but there was something about this one that caught me.

Little bulbs popped up here and there. Delightful.

I came away from Denver with lots of great plants, and now it’s back to work.  I’ve been reminded that even a short trip can give you new energy and inspiration.

There’s a great display of pelargoniums, and I wanted one of each! We call them geraniums, but the true name is pelargonium. I want to start a movement to call them Pellies, the way the British do.  They call the scented geraniums “Smelly Pellies,” and who can resist that?

Outside, the Japanese Garden was beautiful and serene. There’s a place to meditate in an alcove by the tea house.  The evergreens looked so soft and fresh, with their new spring growth.

There are two Green Roof gardens, one above the cafe in the main building, and another, the Children’s Garden, is over the parking garage.  It’s amazing what can be grown on a rooftop, in 6″ to 18″ of soil!

It was great to get away for a couple of days and be inspired at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Now it’s back to work. We have way too much to do before we open here May 1!