The above image shows four giant cottonwood trees that are covered with well over 100,000 LED lights. They are part of this year’s NEW Trail of Lights at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield. LED lights are far more durable than incandescent lights, often lasting as much as ten times longer than traditional lights. And, because LED lights burn cooler they are safer to use and reduce the risk of fire. LED lights are also much more sustainable than traditional lights. The trees above use only 7 amps of energy - the amount of energy that typically is needed to brew a pot of coffee in your coffeemaker at home.

Trail of Lights opens December 3rd. Come visit us and discover the magic of Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield.

Why wait to get nostalgic? The Gatehouse will stand through this winter, but will then give way to the new Bonfils-Stanton Visitor Center.  While the weather is still friendly, I decided to capture our little building in a photo. And I was able to get all of our Visitor Services staff to be in front of the Gatehouse. 

Left to right: Megan, Janet, Jamie, Madelyn, Linda (in back), Ellen, Bonnie and me (Mary).

Sporting a lovely blue flower in the research greenhouse last week was the exotic species tropical waterlily, Nymphaea capensis. The plant was grown from seed and presented to the Gardens by Curator of Native Plants, Dan Johnson. Dan and C. McMaster collected the seed in the wild (Feb. 2006) in South Africa, locality of Swellendam, from waterlilies flowering in a large pond at the base of Swartberg Pass. We will be monitoring this special waterlily and anticipate displaying N. capensis in the outside pools in 2009.

During my current visit to Madagascar, I had the enviable opportunity to visit the unique spiny desert ecosystem, located in the south and southwestern part of the country. What amazing diversity! Hot though it may have been, I am sure glad I made the time to visit this unique forest, which is home to many of Madagascar’s endemic species.

The landscape is dominated by plants belonging to the family Didieraceae. Noteworthy are the Alluaudia that stand as tall sentinels of the forest. They remind me of the Saguaro cactus of the Sonoran Desert. Of the six species of Alluaudia in Madagascar, I was able to see four. Other interesting plants that I encountered were  Read more »

The brilliant yellow tropical waterlily Nymphaea ‘St. Louis Gold’ is lighting up the propagation greenhouse at Denver Botanic Gardens. Possibly the brightest yellow waterlily of all, ‘St. Louis Gold’ was hybridized by the legendary Dr. George H. Pring. With ample light and water temperatures above 70 degrees, tropical waterlilies can flower even during the winter months, adding fragrance and excitement to your home or greenhouse.

Hey, we won’t let a little thing like construction of a new parking structure and Bonfils-Stanton Visitor Center get in the way of providing Denver with the best holiday light display in the country. We just moved the event to Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield for the 2008 holiday season.

With the Colorado foothills as a backdrop, more than one million twinkling lights will illuminate the beauty of a charming forest path at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield.

A children’s play area - including a treehouse - will be included along the trail path. Tour a restored 1880s homestead that will be decorated in a charming Colorado country Christmas motif. Hot cocoa and other refreshments will be sold to ward off the chill during the walk through the Gardens’ trail. Holospex 3-D glasses, which have been very popular at the Gardens’ York Street location, will be available for just $1. Lots of free parking is available.

For the city-spirited, Blossoms of Light will return to Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street in 2009.

If you are a member of the Gardens, come on by on December 2nd for the FREE member preview.

Visit our Web site for more information on this historic event. You can also check out our Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Facebook page for more information. Become our friend today.

A. thaliana, the quintessential research plant

Every gardener visiting a nursery knows what they’re looking for based on a basic distinction: annuals or perennials. What if the categories weren’t so clear? Scientists have discovered that it is just two genes that determine whether a plant is annual or perennial.

The distinction between annuals and perennials is based on reproductive strategy. Generally, annuals tend to germinate, grow, and flower quickly to produce seeds that will be the carriers of DNA into the next generation - DNA is what it’s all about! Perennials, on the other hand, have a variety of life strategies. They usually survive from year to year, harboring their DNA all the while, often able to set seed and survive to bloom again.

Scientists at VIB- a non-profit scientific research organization, have discovered that Read more »

Start the holiday shopping season this weekend at the Denver Botanic Gardens Annual Holiday Sale. This holiday event offers a wide variety of products including painting, photography, pottery, candles, gourmet food, and other special handcrafted gifts from around the world. Denver Botanic Gardens’ Guild will be offering their popular assortment of vinegars, dried flowers and keepsakes. And new this year…choose from a beautiful array of holiday plants ranging from poinsettias to topiaries and wreaths. The Garden will also introduce a segment of Earth-friendly vendors that produce naturally-made, sustainable products for gift giving. Get hours and special parking information at Denver Botanic Gardens Web site.

Members - Don’t miss special member-only shopping hours this Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Members receive a 10% discount on all purchases.

Coffee belonging to the genus Coffea has 103 described species, of which 58 are native to Madagascar. Of these 58 species, many of them are endangered and my research focus is on looking at the genetic diversity of four different species and making recommendations for conservation management. Though these wild coffee species are not cultivated for commercial purposes, it is crucial to conserve the genetic diversity within this genus, with many implications for future breeding. Read more »

My much anticipated second trip to the island country of Madagascar has finally arrived. In Madagascar for my doctoral research, the exciting part is the exploration of the flora and fauna unique to this region. Madagascar is home to more than 10,000 species of plants, 80% of which are found nowhere else in the world.  

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