The Denver Botanic Gardens, both indoor and outdoor experience in botany and more.
ALL PROGRAM PRICES INCLUDE ADMISSION TO THE GARDENS, EXCLUDING OFFSITE EVENTS
Full calendar: www.botanicgardens.org
SUMMER HOURS
York St.: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., beginning May 13
Chatfield Farms: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
SCFD FREE DAY
June 5: York St. and Chatfield Farms
YORK ST. EVENTS (1007 York St., Denver, CO 80206)
Summer Concert Series
June 11: Violent Femmes; June 22: Mary Chapin Carpenter; June 25: Milk Carton Kids; June 27: Chris Botti
SPECIAL NOTES
— Mordecai Children’s Garden is NOW OPEN.
YORK STREET EVENTS (1007 York Street, Denver, 80206)
Literature of the Land: The Sixth Extinction
Wednesday, May 2, 7-8:30 p.m.
$5
The spring book club theme is climate change and the final book is “The Sixth Extinction” by Elizabeth Kolbert. Over the last half-billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. In prose that is at once frank, entertaining and deeply informed, The New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert tells us why and how human beings have altered life on the planet in a way no species has before.
Spring Plant Sale Preview Party
Thursday, May 10, 4-8 8 p.m.
$45
Get early access to the best selection of Spring Plant Sale offerings while enjoying appetizers, wine and beer. Comfortable attire is recommended. Members receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own wagons, carts or boxes.
Spring Plant Sale
Friday-Saturday, May 11-12
Free admission to the Gardens and Sale
Fifteen plant divisions feature quality flora and are staffed by horticulture staff and volunteers who can answer your plant questions and offer excellent advice. This year’s divisions are aquatics, annuals, container garden in a bag, fruits/berries/veggies, grown at the gardens, hanging baskets, herbs, houseplants, mixed succulents, perennials, Plant Select®, rock alpine, roses, summer bulbs and water-smart. Members receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own wagons, carts or boxes.
EXHIBITS
Naturally Artificial: Works by Jason DeMarte
Through May 20, 2018
Opening reception: February 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Artist talk: 6:30
Jason DeMarte’s digital large-scale photographs juxtapose idyllic natural landscapes with the visual gluttony of consumerism. Representing the natural world through completely unnatural elements, his works combine images of plants and animals with discordant artificial elements and processed foods.
Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
April 28 – September 23, 2018
Brightly colored metal sculptures created within the pixelated aesthetic of “Pac-Man” and other 8-bit vintage video games are presented throughout the Gardens. This is the largest outdoor solo exhibition for the artist and features several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes. Pixelated explores the relationships between the natural world and the artificial world of digital media. Whiting says, “Gardens are in their own way virtual spaces—carefully created environments. The contrast of the sculptures’ geometric and manmade materials can seem at odds with the gardens, but they are connected in the dialogue about the re-presentation of nature.”
Docent Tour- Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
May 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
May 12, 26, 6-7 p.m.
$14, $12 member, $10 student
Stroll the Gardens with a knowledgeable docent to learn about the surprising intersections between 8-bit pixel graphics, minimalist sculpture, the natural world and the artificial world of digital media. See several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes.
Curator Conversations- Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
Thursday, May 17, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
$17, $15 member, $13 student
Enjoy a unique opportunity to view the exhibition with the insight of a curator and learn about the development of the exhibit and the surprising intersections between 8-bit pixel graphics and minimalist sculpture. Explore the relationship between the natural world, the artificial world of digital media and see several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes.
CHATFIELD FARMS (8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Rd, Littleton, 80128)
SPARK!
Tuesday, May 1, 10 a.m. – noon
Free, registration required
In partnership with the Colorado chapter of the SPARK! Alzheimer’s Association, Denver Botanic Gardens offers an opportunity for participants with mild memory loss to enjoy hands-on garden-related projects. The SPARK program integrates the participants’ multiple senses to inspire creativity and engagement.
PLAINS CONSERVATION CENTER (21901 E Hampden Ave, Aurora, 80013)
Photographing the Not-So-Plain Plains
Friday, May 4, 8-11 a.m.
$47, $42 member
The Gardens’ photographer, Scott Dressel-Martin, helps participants see the beauty of the plains through the camera lens. Photograph the places, spaces, plants, people (and maybe an animal or two) at Plains Conservation Center. Dressel-Martin offers tips and tricks while moving throughout the plains landscape.
Grow an Heirloom Kitchen Garden
Thursday, May 10, 6-7:30 p.m.
$22, $20 member
When plains settlers planted their kitchen gardens, they used the seeds they brought across the miles. As precious commodities, these seeds were transported tucked safely into shirt pockets or sewn into the hems of skirts. Once planted, grown and harvested, the fruits, vegetables and herbs provided a welcome taste of home. Thanks to diligent seed savers, today’s vegetable gardeners can still plant old favorites that have history in every bite. This class turns back time to help gardeners gain a new appreciation for the flavors, colors, textures and imperfections that make heirloom vegetables worth growing. Learn which heirloom vegetables to plant, how to manage the kitchen garden and how to save seeds to pass along to others.
Renewal in Nature
Saturday, May 12, 9 am. – noon
$34, $30 member
Humans are designed for deep relationships with nature, and such relationships create a foundation from which health and learning flows. Come immerse yourself in the expansive beauty of the Colorado prairie landscape while exploring the depth of your connection to this local environment. Guided sensory practices, nature connection activities, games and explorations in perception serve to quiet the mind and inspire a greater sense of belonging and knowledge of place. Plan to leave more relaxed, vital and connected than when you arrived.
Foraged Pantry: Field to Table
Saturday, May 19, 10 a.m. – noon
$32, $30 member
Foraging is a hot topic, but few aspiring foragers can make the leap from the field to the kitchen. In this hands-on workshop, participants go on a wild edible plant walk to identify and harvest ingredients then return to the Gardens to prepare and cook their foraged finds. The class is led by Wendy Petty, a food writer and wild edible plants enthusiast with six years of experience as a foraging instructor at the Center for Integrative Botanical Studies, the Laughing Coyote Project and the award-winning series Weedy Wednesday at the Broomfield Grange.
CHILDREN AND FAMILY PROGRAMS
Seedlings
Tues-Wed: 3-6 years old, 9:30 & 11 a.m. Thu: 24-36 mo. old, 9:30 & 10:45 a.m. Fri: 18-24 mo. old, 9:30 & 10:45 a.m.
$11 for 18-36 months old, $9 member; $13 for 3-6 years old, $11 member
Seedlings classes offer a fun, hands-on way for young children to explore the plant world while developing an understanding and appreciation for plants. Seedlings programs are offered for three different age groups and are modified to fit the developmental needs of each group. Week of May 1: A Rainbow of Wildflowers; May 8: Garden Art; May 15: Inch by Inch; May 22: Life in the Pond; May 29: The Plants in your Pizza
Family Maker Workshop: Birth Flower LED Lanterns
Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. – noon and 2-4 p.m.
$15 per person, please register all family members
Classes are designed for families with children ages 5-10.
Floriography (the language of flowers) meets technology during this fun-filled family workshop. Did you know you have a birth flower? Flowers have had symbolic associations since ancient times. These cultural references have evolved throughout history and the “Language of Flowers” rose to prominence during the Victorian Era. Illuminate the secrets of your birth month flower while designing an LED paper lantern. Enjoy creating and making with family and friends while working with our visiting STEAM artists, Monica & Tyler Aiello. Explore circuits and electronics, learn to solder, play with LEDs and discover together. No electronics experience necessary.
ADULT TOURS AND CLASSES
Battling the Japanese Beetle
Tuesday, May 1, 6:30-8 p.m.
$31, $26 member
The Japanese beetle – found in many Front Range areas – is moving to new communities. This unwelcome beetle is concerning home owners with serious damage to plants. Instructor Betty Cahill takes the class through the management options for the Japanese beetle during its adult and larval stages. She provides tips on how to protect your favorite plants, including a plant list that Japanese beetles prefer and mostly avoid.
Workshop: Brewing Herbal Kefir
Thursday, May 3, 1-3 p.m.
$55, $50 member
Learn how to ferment gut-healing and caffeine-free herbal water kefir. Understand the difference between kombucha and kefir and why kefir is a great choice for improving gut health. Explore herb and fruit pairings, how brews and garden benefit each other, and how to safely age the brews for flavor complexity. Also discuss how to keep the culture alive while taking a break from brewing. Sip on bubbly herbal kefir blends and take home a starter culture.
Crops in Pots
Thursday, May 3, 6-8:30 p.m.
$37, $32 member
This class is great for apartment, condo and patio home dwellers who are short on outdoor space. Learn about the bounty of vegetable and herb container garden options. It is possible to grow vegetables without a plot of soil. Learn about good container culture, soil, light, water, organic fertilizers, pesticides, frost protection, along with the best sized containers and how to create vertical support. You can even learn how to create mixed containers of vegetables, flowers and herbs.
Blueberries for Colorado Gardens
Friday, May 4 or May 19, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
$68, $62 member
Horticulture consultant Joel A. Reich has cracked the code to growing blueberries on the Front Range. Learn how to successfully cultivate a variety of blueberry cultivars. Topics include why blueberries typically do not perform well in our region, practical methods for overcoming these challenges, irrigation and fertilizer recommendations, cultivar recommendations, protection from pests and the natural history of blueberries. In the hands-on portion of the workshop, participants plant and install (including peat bales, drip irrigation and fertilizer injector) blueberry bushes.
Workshop: Rain Barrels at Home
Saturday, May 5, 1-3 p.m. or 3:30-5:30 p.m.
$47, $41 member
Local water harvesting and permaculture expert Avery Ellis leads this workshop that explores essential rainwater harvesting techniques. Learn how to install a rain barrel on your property, how to calculate the system’s proper size, discuss current Colorado rainwater laws, explore passive irrigation strategies and subsurface drains, and get hands-on experience. With the growing season upon us, this is a perfect opportunity to transform water use in your landscape.
Treat Yourself Tuesday: Front Range Archeological Tour at Cherokee Ranch and Castle (OFFSITE)
Tuesday, May 15, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
$45, $40 member
Learn about the history of the Front Range area from a short lecture and a hike to visit rehistoric archaeological sites. Learn about the Native American tribes that lived in this area, how their life-ways and subsistence changed through time, and how they adapted to climate change in the past. By visiting the archaeological sites, you can learn how archaeologists identify them and about the research that is being conducted by the Cherokee Ranch Science Institute.
Seven Principles of Water-Smart Gardening
Tuesday, May 15, 6-8 p.m.
$62, $55 member
Gardening remains high and dry in the Rocky Mountain region! Water-Smart Gardening is an environmentally friendly way to create a beautiful home landscape that will thrive under low water conditions. Join this class to learn the principles of Water-Smart Gardening and some of the many plants that you can incorporate into your yard.
Wednesday Hikes with the Gardens: Wild Urban Edibles (OFFSITE)
Wednesday, May 23, 9 a.m. – noon
$40, $35 member
Take a mid-week break to explore all that our beautiful state of Colorado has to offer with guided hikes. Open your eyes and palate to the edible diversity in your yard and neighborhood. Enjoy an interactive and fact-filled walk at Kendrick Lake Park (9351 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood) to learn basic plant identification, foraging styles and responsible gathering principles. This knowledge is also useful in the backcountry, and fosters a deeper connection to your local ecology.
Workshop: Old Becomes New: Macramé Plant Holder
Thursday, May 24, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
$69, $64 member
Macramé is all the rage in home décor. Learn several fundamental knotting techniques to create a customizable plant hanger. Use these knots in the future to craft wall hangings or other plant hanger designs. A plant, container and all materials to fashion your plant hanger are included. The class is led by Amie Phillips, a Denver-based fiber artist.
Lecture: Mid-century Garden Design for the Home
Thursday, May 31, 6:30-8 p.m.
$20, $15 member
6 p.m. Social hour and tasting hosted by Slow Food Denver (included in price); 6:30 p.m. Program and lecture; 8 p.m. Book signing by author. In her recently published book, “Mid-century Modern Landscape,” Ethne Clarke offers a fresh guide for those seeking bold approaches to redefine their outdoor space or wishing to learn more about the history of mid-century modern aesthetics. During this lecture, she explores the origins of residential mid-century modern garden design for the home, revealing how designers blurred the divisions between indoors and outdoors, thus creating gardens that were for living, a style that went on to inspire contemporary gardens around the world.
HEALTH & WELLNESS CLASSES
Evening Kundalini Yoga
Mondays, 6-7:30 p.m.
$10, $8 member
Kundalini yoga focuses on awakening energy and unlocking our inner potential through breathing techniques, movements, stretching, meditation and mantra. This ancient and sacred practice is the oldest form of yoga and is an effective way to recharge and heal the body. Takes place indoors in the Morrison Center.
Sunrise Vinyasa Yoga at the Gardens
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Through May 15- 7:30-8:30 a.m.; May 17 through fall – 8-9 a.m.
$12, $10 member
Practicing vinyasa yoga can improve posture, flexibility and endurance. Takes place indoors in the Morrison Center.
Evening Vinyasa Yoga
Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m.
$10, $8 member
Vinyasa yoga weaves beautiful movement with challenging postures and breathing. Takes place indoors in the Morrison Center.
Guided Sitting Meditation: Being Present
Thursday, May 17, 6-7 p.m.
$18, $15 member
In a world of distractions and competing demands, a meditation practice focusing on the present moment enhances respite and repose. Join us as we explore the powerful benefits of practicing mindfulness with our breath and steps amid the serenity of the Gardens.
Vinyasa, Violins and Vino
Thursday, May 24, 6-8:30 p.m.
$18
Yoga with a twist. Enjoy vinyasa yoga, live violin music and a picnic! Relax in nature as Blake Burger, certified yoga instructor and Gardens’ horticulturist, leads an hour-long class in the Gardens. Conclude the evening with a bring-your-own-picnic and music performance. BYOB wine and beer is permitted.
Morning Hatha Yoga
Wednesday May 16, 23, 30, 8-9 a.m.
$12, $10 member
Morning Hatha Yoga is an all-levels practice, open to everyone! Come unwind through gentle movement, stretching, pranayama and guided meditation. This class holds space to allow the student to gain strength and flexibility at their own pace with an emphasis on safety and alignment.
JUNE EVENTS AT THE DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, June 23-24 10 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
$35, $30 member
For centuries, the tea ceremony has been considered the epitome of Japanese life, based on harmony, respect, purity, tranquility and elegant simplicity. Come experience the real thing – a traditional ceremony inside our authentic Japanese Tea House in the Japanese Garden. Each ceremony is held in the Japanese Garden’s Ella Mullen Weckbaugh Tea House.
Summertime Tea in the Gardens
Saturday, June 16, 30, 10-11:30 a.m.
$42, $38 member
Denver Botanic Gardens and Denver Tea Room present a beautiful morning of tea tasting and education in the serene Woodland Mosaic Gardens’ solarium. Margo Seymour, pastry chef, tea sommelier, and owner of The Denver Tea Room, will present a traditional British afternoon tea service with a nod to the various cultures that also enjoy the practice of taking tea. Guests will sample sandwiches from England, desserts from France and Scotland, and teas from Sri Lanka. Join us in the solarium, with fine china and linens, to learn about the tea process, the difference between “high tea” and “low tea”, as well as the many ways tea is served around the world.
Denver Rose Society Show
Saturday, June 30, 1-5 p.m.
This year’s Denver Rose Show theme is “Around the World in 80 Roses,” in Mitchell Hall. View and vote for your favorite rose. Fun for all ages and included with Gardens’ admission.
EXHIBITS
Naturally Artificial: Works by Jason DeMarte
Through May 20, 2018
Jason DeMarte’s digital large-scale photographs juxtapose idyllic natural landscapes with the visual gluttony of consumerism. Representing the natural world through completely unnatural elements, his works combine images of plants and animals with discordant artificial elements and processed foods.
Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
April 28 – September 23, 2018
Brightly colored metal sculptures created within the pixelated aesthetic of “Pac-Man” and other 8-bit vintage video games are presented throughout the Gardens. This is the largest outdoor solo exhibition for the artist and features several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes. Pixelated explores the relationships between the natural world and the artificial world of digital media.
Docent Tour- Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
June1, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 29, 30, 9:30-10:30 a.m.; June 9, 23, 6-7 p.m.
$14, $12 member, $10 student
Stroll the Gardens with a knowledgeable docent and learn about the surprising intersections between 8-bit pixel graphics and minimalist sculpture. Explore the relationship between the natural world and the artificial world of digital media, and see several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes.
Artist Talk with Mike Whiting
Wednesday, June 6, 6:30-8 p.m.
$25, $20 member
Experience the exhibition through the artist’s eyes. Mike Whiting shares his inspirations and creative process that goes into creating his sculptures. The California-based artist received his BFA from Brigham Young University and his MFA from Pratt Institute in New York. He has been the subject of solo gallery and museum exhibitions and part of group exhibitions throughout the U.S.
Curator Conversations- Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
Thursday, June 14, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
$17, $15 member, $13 student
Enjoy a unique opportunity to view the exhibition with the insight of a curator and learn about the development of the exhibit and the surprising intersections between 8-bit pixel graphics and minimalist sculpture. Explore the relationship between the natural world and the artificial world of digital media, and see several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes.
CHATFIELD FARMS (8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton, CO 80128)
Butterflies at Chatfield
Late May – late September, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., last entry 3:15 p.m.
$4 adult/child, $2 member adult/child
This seasonal habitat is home to hundreds of native butterflies, such as swallowtails, monarchs, mourning cloaks and painted ladies. There are more than 50 native plant species in this garden. The rest of the plants (about 20 species) were chosen for the nectar production for butterfly food and are not native species in Colorado.
SPARK!
Tuesday June 5, 10 a.m. – noon
Free, registration required
In partnership with the Colorado chapter of the SPARK! Alzheimer’s Association, Denver Botanic Gardens offers an opportunity for participants with mild memory loss to enjoy hands-on garden related projects. The SPARK program integrates the participants’ multiple senses to inspire creativity and engagement.
Tour: Dye Gardens at Chatfield Farms
Saturday, June 23, 9-10 a.m.
$15, $12 member
Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms has a dye garden full of plants that give color to natural fibers. Spend the morning touring the dye garden, learning about dye plants and how to use them for color.
Workshop: All-Natural Skin Care
Saturday, June 23, 1-3 p.m.
$68, $63 member
See how easy and inexpensive it is to make natural cleansers, toners, exfoliants, masks, creams, serums, moisturizers and more that contain far more nutrients and anti-oxidants for your skin than anything commercially available without chemicals. Take home an extensive handout and two items made in class to enjoy!
PLAINS CONSERVATION CENTER (21901 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora, CO 80013)
Prairie Wildlife Adventure
Saturday, June 2 and 30, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
$27, $25 member
Explore prairie plants and wildlife at Plains Conservation Center with Denver Botanic Gardens instructors. Don’t forget your cameras as photo opportunities abound on the Center’s 1,100 acres of natural prairie. In dry weather, participants ride in wagons onto the prairie. If that is not possible, the group hikes on the prairie. Feel free to bring snowshoes on snowy days. We finish the expedition with snacks and drinks.
Desperate Homestead Housewives
Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
$32, $30 member
Enjoy a girls’ day out on the prairie. Dress up in prairie aprons and bonnets (borrow ours or bring your own) and spend time at the Sod Homestead. Cook lunch on the wood burning stove to eat together and learn how to make a quilting square and other homestead crafts. If there is inclement weather, the group will walk to the homestead rather than taking the wagon.
CHILDREN AND FAMILY PROGRAMS
Seedlings
Tues-Wed: 3-6 years old, 9:30 & 11 a.m. Thu: 24-36 months old, 9:30 & 10:45 a.m.Fri: 18-24 months old, 9:30 & 10:45 a.m.
$11 for 18-36 months old, $9 member; $13 for 3-6 years old, $11 member
Seedlings classes offer a fun, hands-on way for young children to explore the plant world while developing an understanding and appreciation for plants. Seedlings programs are offered for three different age groups and are modified to fit the developmental needs of each group. Week of June 1: Plants in your Pizza; June 5: Sunflowers Galore; June 12: Pick a Salad; June 19: Pollination Exploration; June 26: Homemade Lemonade.
York St. Summer Camp: Trowels and Travels
Monday – Friday, June 11-15, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$270, $250 member
Explore plants, art and food from around the globe during this fun week of discovery.
Chatfield Farms Summer Camp: Farms, Fables and Fairy Tales
Monday – Friday, June 11-15, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$270, $250 member
Join us for a week on the farm to dig in the dirt, meet farm animals and connect with nature while exploring the art and science of storytelling. From magic beans to talking trees, learn about connections to plants and wildlife in our favorite stories, fables and fairy tales.
Family Workshop: The Salsa Garden
Saturday, June 16, 2-3:30 p.m. and 5:30-7 p.m.
$17 child, $15 member child, $12 adult, $10 member adult
Explore fresh ingredients growing in Mordecai Children’s Garden Chipotle Home Harvest Garden and make a special salsa treat from scratch. Each child plants a container garden that includes ingredients to make delicious treats at home. Family Workshops at Denver Botanic Gardens are a great way for families to spend time together while discovering the beauty, diversity and importance of plants. Workshops offer families a hands-on opportunity to learn about the science and enchantment behind the plants in our everyday lives, create tasty treats from scratch and explore the natural world. Classes are designed for families with children ages 5-10.
Chatfield Farms Summer Camp: Nocturnal Nature
Monday-Friday, June 18-22, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$270, $250 member
Join us for a week on the farm to dig in the dirt, meet farm animals and connect with nature while learning about the daily rhythms outside of the city. Discover the exciting world of plants and animals that live in the dark. Explore nature trails and make crafts while learning about nocturnal and underground wildlife at Chatfield Farms.
Family Fun Night: Stories and S’mores
Saturday, June 23, 5:30-8 p.m.
$8 adult or child, $6 member adult or child, children 2 and under are free.
Say goodbye to spring and celebrate the start of summer! Make s’mores, explore and play in Mordecai Children’s Garden and engage the creative and curious side with nature-themed activities. Special guest storyteller Cliff Davidson will join us and share family friendly stories. Family Fun Nights are a unique opportunity to explore the Children’s Garden after-hours. Families are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy in the Children’s Garden.
ADULT TOURS AND CLASSES
Workshop: The New Practice of Growing Hemp
Friday, June 1 or 15, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
$55, $52 member
The horticultural aspects of this exciting crop are the focus. The various medical and health benefits are not covered. Discussion topics include the origins and uses of hemp, hemp versus marijuana, fiber/seed crop versus CBD crop, recommended varieties for CBD production, identification and management of pests and diseases and Colorado Department of Agriculture oversight. The hands-on portion covers instruction on how to take vegetative cuttings (‘clones’), with the opportunity to prepare actual cuttings. Per CDA regulations, real hemp plants are not used during the hands-on portion, rather, other common plants that can be cloned in exactly the same fashion are used. After-care instructions and the opportunity to observe actual hemp flowers are included.
Workshop: The Tropical Nature of Terrariums
Thursday, June 7, 10 a.m. – noon or 1-3 p.m.
$69, $64 member
Discover a unique way to grow tropical plants. Nicholas Giaquinto, conservatory horticulturist, discusses how to brighten the home with tropical plants on a tour through the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory. Participants then design and plant a terrarium to take home.
Workshop: All About Air Plants
Friday, June 8, 10-11:30 a.m. or 1-2:30 p.m.
$52, $46 member
Learn about the history, care and needs of the air plant (Tillandsia) from Gardens’ horticulturist Scott Preusser. Work on a creative art project with air plants in glass container and take home a masterpiece.
Workshop: Garden to Glass – Summer Drinks and Tapas
Friday, June 8, 6-8:30 p.m.
$65, $60 member
Learn how to make the most of your summertime libations. Participants learn to make refreshing aqua frescas, extraordinary elixirs, and sensational syrups made from fruits and herbs from the garden and summer markets. Become your own mixologist and dazzle your family and guests with custom crafted cocktails and delicious thirst quenchers. Create delicious tapas to go along with drinks. Add some sparkle to those summer gatherings! Handout with recipes, drink samples and tapas included.
Tour: A Walk Through Thyme
Sunday, June 10, 3-4 p.m.
$14, $12 member, $10 student
Step back in time with plant stories that take you on a voyage from early life on the plains of North America to today. From common household herbs to grasses and favorite garden bulbs, plants are central to our lives and this is an opportunity to let them walk you through history. This is a one-hour tour led by docents.
Tour: Midsummer Nights
June 19, 21, 24, 29, 30, 6-7:15 p.m.
$14, $12 member, $10 student
In Elizabethan times in England, midsummer’s eve (also known as the summer solstice) was a night to revel. This tour celebrates the long days of summer by focusing on the edible, medicinal and mischievous properties of the plants that played important roles in Shakespeare’s works. Guided by quotes from his plays, expect to hear about the life and times of Elizabethan England and of plants such as love-in-idleness, tickle-my-fancy, gillyvor and heartsease. This is a 75-minute docent-led tour.
HEALTH & WELLNESS CLASSES
Evening Kundalini Yoga
Mondays, 6-7:30 p.m.
$10, $8 member
Kundalini yoga focuses on awakening energy and unlocking our inner potential through breathing techniques, movements, stretching, meditation and mantra. This ancient and sacred practice is the oldest form of yoga and is an effective way to recharge and heal the body. Takes place outdoors in Mordecai Children’s Garden.
Sunrise Vinyasa Yoga at the Gardens
Tuesdays and Thursdays. 8-9 a.m.
$12, $10 member
Practicing vinyasa yoga can improve posture, flexibility and endurance. Takes place outdoors.
Sip and Stroll
Thursday, June 7, 6:30-8 p.m.
$15, $10 member
Denver Botanic Gardens horticulturalist and herbalist Blake Burger leads a walking tour of the gardens featuring medicinal plants. Pour a glass of your favorite summer drink and reconnect with nature as we take a beautiful summer stroll! This informative and practical tour showcases a few of the many medicinal plants growing throughout the Gardens. Learn about the healing connection between humans and plants and how to turn garden grown plants into medicine right in your own home.
Bilingual Yoga
Saturday, June 9, 8-9 a.m.
$10
This level 1-2 vinyasa class is led in English and Spanish. Practicing vinyasa yoga can improve posture, flexibility and endurance. Takes place outdoors.
The Art of Japanese Self-Reflection
Tuesday, June 13, 6-7:30 p.m.
$18, $15 member
This class explores Naikan, the Japanese practice of ‘looking inside.’ Experience this self-reflection practice as we sit in the Japanese Garden and learn to deepen our connection with the world. Explore practical ways to become more aware of blessings that often go unseen even when in plain view.
Vinyasa, Violins and Vino
Thursday, June 21, 6-8:30 p.m.
$18
Yoga with a twist. Enjoy vinyasa yoga, live violin music and a picnic! Relax in nature as Blake Burger, certified yoga instructor and Gardens horticulturist, leads an hour-long class in the Gardens. Conclude the evening with a bring-your-own picnic and music performance. BYOB wine and beer is permitted.
Morning Hatha Yoga
Wednesday, June 13, 20, 27, 8-9 a.m.
$12, $10 member
Morning Hatha Yoga is an all-levels practice, open to everyone! Come unwind through gentle movement, stretching, pranayama and guided meditation. This class holds space to allow the student to gain strength and flexibility at their own pace with an emphasis on safety and alignment.
Art Installations at the Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver Botanic Gardens’ York Street location presents a diverse series of art exhibitions that are included with Gardens’ admission.
All, excluding Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting, are presented in Gates Court Gallery.
Naturally Artificial: Works by Jason DeMarte
February 21 – May 20, 2018
Opening Reception: Feb. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Artist Talk: 6:30 p.m.
Representing the natural world through completely unnatural elements, DeMarte’s works combine images of plants and animals with discordant artificial elements and processed foods. The synthetic world his creatures inhabit combines romanticized depictions of nature with the hyper-perfection of modern consumerist imagery. DeMarte’s works explore the manipulation of truth in today’s processed culture. This exhibit is organized in collaboration with RULE Gallery, Denver.
Image credit: Jason DeMarte, Corn Syrup Summer, 2015, pigment ink print.
Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
April 28 – September 23, 2018
SAVE THE DATE: Press Preview, April 27, 10 a.m.
Brightly-colored metal sculptures created within the pixelated aesthetic of “Pac-Man” and other 8-bit vintage video games are presented throughout the Gardens. This is the largest outdoor solo exhibition for the artist and features several new works created to complement and contrast the Gardens’ landscapes. Pixelated explores the relationships between the natural world and the artificial world of digital media. Whiting says, “Gardens are in their own way virtual spaces—carefully created environments. The contrast of the sculptures’ geometric and manmade materials can seem at odds with the gardens, but they are connected in the dialogue about the re-presentation of nature.”
Image credit: Mike Whiting, Buck, 2007, automotive paint and steel, 77”H x 55”W x 16”D. © Mike Whiting. Photo: Wes Magyar.
Cyberscapes by Serenity Forge
May 30 – August 5, 2018
Reception: May 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Artist Talk: 6:30 p.m.
Experience landscapes both familiar and strange in the virtual worlds published and developed by Boulder-based video game production studio Serenity Forge. Through the colors of the autumnal countryside to the desolation of parched Martian-like deserts, the dream-like vistas of games are designed for meaningful experience. Drawing from games including “Lifeless Planet,” “The King’s Bird” and “Once Upon a Coma,” Cyberscapes explores the power of places that tell stories.
Image credit: Still image from “Once Upon a Coma,” 2018, published by Serenity Forge, developed by Thomas Brush and Serenity Forge.
Invisible Links: Botanical Art and Illustration
August 15 – November 4, 2018
Reception: August 19, 1-3 p.m.
Denver Botanic Gardens’ School of Botanical Art & Illustration presents its annual juried exhibition highlighting students’ best achievements in a variety of media. These works build upon a well-established tradition of portraying plants for scientific documentation and the representation of the beauty of the natural world. Invisible Links explores the complex and often hidden interdependent relationships between plants and other organisms. From pollinators to parasites, experience the invisible influence plants wield over the lives of other creatures.
Image credit: Randy Raak, Bee-line, 2013, ink and watercolor on scratchboard.
