Growing Forward

Denver Botanic Gardens is a fertile ground for sensory pleasures and visionary projects.

Photography by Denver Botanic Gardens/Scott Dressel-Martin

Good To Know

Native plants typically are better suited to local climates than other selections. They often tolerate drought and require less water.

After a visit to Denver Botanic Gardens, two principles will stay with you: Gardening and conservation go hand in hand, and everybody should have access to gardens. This Denver destination, which includes a primary downtown location as well as three satellite gardens, was an early adopter of eco-friendly practices such as using native plants to reduce water requirements.

The gardens also provide access for visitors with special needs, including those in wheelchairs. Focusing on regional identity, several spaces display drought-tolerant native plants that thrive in the West. The Sensory Garden, a must-see space, allows visitors of all abilities to participate in horticultural therapy. Make sure you check out the Denver Botanic Gardens the next time you're in the Mile High City, or include some of their ideas in your own landscape. Learn more at BotanicGardens.org.

"Having something for all the senses allows everyone to experience a garden."

Senses heighten in the Romantic Gardens, which include water features and aromatic plants.
The Cloud Forest Tree exhibit is a living sculpture with cork bark, which supports the growth of orchids and other tropical forest plants.
The Mile High Garden demonstrates sustainable gardening practices for semiarid regions.
Replicating the physiology of a flat-topped mesa, the Dryland Mesa garden grows native cacti, yucca, and other xeric plants; it requires no supplementary watering except during extreme drought.
An acclaimed example of rock gardening, the Rock Alpine Garden displays color from bulbs in spring and alpine plants in summer.
A pool filled with water lilies in the Monet Garden reflects some of the Impressionist painter's most famous works.

Delight the Senses

Use these tips to create your own sensory garden.

Sight: The visual impact of your garden depends on more than plant colors and patterns. Also pay attention to the play of light and shade, and consider how the sun hits your garden at different times of day.
Scent: If you have room for a path or bench, place plants with pleasing aromas nearby. Top picks include lavender, rose, hyacinth, sage, and lemon balm.
Sound: Whether you have space for a small fountain or an in-ground pond with a waterfall, moving water is a must. And ornamental grasses will produce a soothing rustling sound when they sway in the breeze.
Taste: Edible plants such as herbs, veggies, and fruit trees can add a satisfying dimension to your garden. Opt for organic fertilizers around your edibles.
Touch: Running your hands or your bare feet over fuzzy leaves and soft grass is a treat for your senses. For example, lamb’s ears are velvety soft to the touch.

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Growing Forward

Denver Botanic Gardens is a fertile ground for sensory pleasures and visionary projects.

Good To Know

Delight the Senses

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