As the new year begins, Denver Botanic Gardens is wrapping up its mega-popular Blossoms of Lights at York Street and Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms, but there is a full year ahead of exhibitions, events, and classes that groups can enjoy. Or book a private event in one of the York Street location’s beautiful indoor or outdoor spaces and guests have complimentary access to the gardens all day.
Classes & Workshops
There is a full range of great classes and workshops to fit a wide variety of interests at Denver Botanic Gardens. “Groups are welcome to sign up for classes, but many have a capacity of 20 or less,” says Associate Director of CommunicationsErin Bird. “We can create special workshop experiences for private events. We don’t have a formal program of these offerings, but the events staff can work with our education team for custom ideas.”
For groups that want to learn more about gardening, check out Growing Food at High Altitudes or the three-part Beginning Rocky Mountain Gardening course. In a slightly different twist, Invitation to Ikebana on Feb. 25 is all about expressing respect and appreciation toward nature through the arrangement of plants. Participants receive hands-on instruction to put together an arrangement to take home.
Preserving Citrus: Marmalade is sure to please the foodies on your team as they learn about the different types, uses, and history of marmalade and take home at least one jar of handmade marmalade preserves. Those who embrace the arts will savor learning how to press flowers, enjoying nature with fountain pens, and exploring monotype. Or plug into the Flower Happy Hour on Feb. 23 where participants learn how to design a floral arrangement built around seasonal blooms.
On the wellness front, there are various yoga classes all year long as well as guided meditation on Feb. 28 that is part of a series.
Other Happenings
Schedule a gathering at the gardens from Jan. 12-Feb. 20 and admire hundreds of exotic blooms, including rare orchids from the gardens’ collection, during the Orchid Showcase.
There also are various exhibitions including “Taking Root” (through Feb. 5) that features Sammy Seung-min Lee’s exploration of the immigrant experience through cast paper sculptures of food and flora. Contemporary artist Melanie Yazzie weaves together nature and narrative in multi-layered prints, paintings, and sculptures in “Peace Walking,” on display through May 29. Upcoming is “Renewal” (Feb. 26-June 8) that showcases works by Tamara Kostianovsky, who repurposes fabrics to build textile sculptures of tree stumps and tropical birds with flora. Kostianovsky’s sculptures contemplate loss and the power of hope.
About the Gardens
Founded in 1951, Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the top botanical gardens in the United States and a pioneer in water conservation. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the attraction’s living collections range from the tropics to the tundra and showcase plants that thrive in Colorado’s semi-arid climate.
The garden’s main York Street location is a 24-acre urban oasis that offers a wide range of unique garden experiences for all ages as well as education and plant conservation research programs. Additional sites on the Front Range include the Mount Goliath high-altitude garden and interpretive site on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway and Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, which is a 700-acre native plant refuge with an active farm in Jefferson County. Denver Botanic Gardens also manages programming at Plains Conservation Center in Aurora.
Photos courtesy Denver Botanic Gardens © Scott Dressel-Martin
