Magnolias in Bloom

I’ve been a bit obsessed with botanical gardens since I was a child growing up in Japan. If I recall, Okinawa had two such gardens and they were majestic, opulent, lush, verdant paradises. However, that was 30 years ago, so I don’t quite remember if there were actually 2 or if my school just visited twice for field trips. When I lived in Florida, I visited Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile and was blown away by the fragrances that assailed my senses on the old plantation grounds. Now I live in Denver, where we have 2 separate gardens with 4 locations.

Over Christmas, I went with my best friend and husband to see the lights at the gardens within walking distance of my home. It was quite beautiful, though I look forward to seeing the spectacle of flowers to come.

Yesterday, I decided to finally see what is in bloom at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Here’s a sampling of what I saw:

One of the most important plants in the world: chocolate
The other most important plant in the world: coffee
Art installation
More art
Orchids
More orchids
I loved being in the tropical conservancy. It reminded me of home.

Bees hard at work

Barrel cactus: my husband’s nemesis (he had a run-in in Vegas)
Magnolia
Insect hotel for solitary bees
Never be afraid to swim against the current

I was a bit envious of the lovely old homes that back up to the gardens in Cheesman Park.

It was a really peaceful day, even though much of the garden is still dormant for the winter. In the next few weeks or months, the roses and peonies will bloom and the trees will again bear green leaves. I can’t wait to go back.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.