Landscaping With Colorado Native Plants Conference, 2018 -- We spent the day at the Denver Botanic Gardens, site of the Landscaping With Colorado Native Plants Conference.
What an amazing program and an amazing group of gardeners! Brian attended the "New to Natives" seminars, and I went to the "Knows a Bit" classes.
The loss of insects, especially pollinators, is a looming crisis for food production and wildlife survival. Gardeners can play a crucial role in averting this ecological crisis, and we deeply enjoyed spending the day with like-minded folks and learning even more methods to help. All of the handouts from the conference are available at the website for the conference above. The information is timely, scientific, and valuable to every gardener, homeowner, nursery owner, and landscaper.
Denver Botanic Gardens -- What a gorgeous setting for our busy conference! The 23-acre park contains a conservatory, a variety of theme gardens, and a sunken amphitheater which hosts various concerts in the summer. Brian went outside in shirt sleeves to grab some shots of the snowy day on a morning coffee break. Benches, trees, grasses, and lights all have a frosting of fresh snow.
Even the palm trees were decked out for winter.
The edge of the Boettcher Conservatory was iced up.
Winter wonderland.
The world's first Xeriscape Demonstration Garden was created at the Gardens in 1986.
Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator & Director of Outreach at the Gardens, was our keynote speaker. One of the world's best-know plant experts, Mr Kelaidis represents the Gardens in educational, professional and promotional endeavors as an expert in horticulture, science and art. He also acts as a liaison to botanical societies, professional horticulture organizations and green industry members. And he's an delightful speaker and author.
A Snowy Day at the Denver Botanic Gardens
A Great Gathering of People Ready to Learn
A Panel Discussion on Native Plants
A Snowy Bench in Winter Repose
Snow Bends a Bunch of Grass
A Pair of Palms in Winter
Skyline of the Boettcher Conservatory
Winter Dressing
Tropical Conservatory for Lunch: Brian used our lunch break to take lovely photos of the tropical conservatory.
He soon found a plant he speculated that Georgia O'Keeffe might have wanted to paint!
Around a bend in the walkway was the "Hear No Evil" orchid.
Soon came a calla lily standing at erect attention.
And following that, a riot of jungle fireworks.
Everywhere we looked, there was a jungle conglomeration.
Leaves become sculptures.
Some of the trees clearly preferred not to be climbed.
The pinkish winter light outside gave the conservatory dome and the plants inside a soft glow.
The conservatory even had two resident ducks, although they were tough to photograph in the dim light.
In the sleepy "after lunch" time, even the yellow orchids were yawning.
As the conference concluded, we stopped on our way to the car garage to admire more of the "Winter In the Arboretum" scenery.
The setting winter sun was a faint spotlight in the cloudy sky.
There was plenty of soft snow on sharp leaves.
And a long winter's path to a far exit.
A Night With Janis Joplin -- As I was browsing the internet for events in Denver, I happened across a one-time performance of the musical, A Night With Janis Joplin, Saturday night at the historic Paramount Theater just two blocks from our hotel. Postponed from an earlier date, the show was now on stage. We hadn't planned to go out after the all-day conference, but how could we pass this up? So I ordered tickets online, and we joined the lines at the theater for pickup.
We weren't allowed to take photos during the performance, although hundreds were videotaping with their cell phones. Even the set was artistry.
And the Paramount is a gorgeous building! It opened on August 29, 1930, and the inside is an example of "Zig Zag Art Deco" design. Wow!
The crowd was also fascinating -- older folk (we're 70, after all) with curly grey hair and tie-died tee shirts. The women were especially enthusiastic, dancing in the aisles to Joplin's music. We had great seats -- a few rows back from the stage. Our generation did have the best music!
Text by Louise. Photos by Brian. Text and photos copyright GoinMobyle, LLC, 2018.
Ferns Through a Leaf
"Blade Plant"
Georgia O'Keeffe Plant
The "Hear No Evil" Orchid
 at Attention&)
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum) at Attention
Some Jungle Fireworks
A Jungleiferous Conglomeration
When a Leaf is More Than a Leaf
The "I'd Prefer Not to be Climbed" Tree
A Palm and the Dome "Pinked" Under Soft Snow
Two Resident Ducks
Yellow Orchids Yawning After Lunch
Outside the Boettcher Conservatory
Snow on a Prickly Pear Cactus
Wan Sun on a Snowed Globe
Soft Snow on Sharp Leaves
Down a Snowy Path After the Conference
At the Paramount Theater For Janis Joplin
Part of the Janis Joplin Stage Set
Paramount Theater Art Deco Interior
The Night with Janis Joplin Stage