APGA Day 3

Today was another beautiful, sunny day in Denver, Colorado.  This was the third day of the American Public Garden Association (APGA) Conference and I enjoyed a half day of tours to local gardens and the afternoon educational sessions.  These images were from two of the homes which both had beautiful plantings and impressive budgets!  We couldn't take photos in one garden although the setting was beautiful around an enormous home.  I attended a presentation on plant labels in the garden and a talk on children's gardens.  Both sessions were worthwhile with some great discussion.  More sessions tomorrow and some fun time at the Denver Botanic Garden!

APGA Day 2

The American Public Garden Association (APGA) conference today was again filled with informative seminars, scenic tours and a reception.  The tours were quite nice.  The first garden (first 12 photos) was beautiful with an amazing personal touch seen throughout this interesting garden.  We also toured another home garden and the campus of the University of Denver which is also their arboretum.  We had a great luncheon presentation and reception later in the day.  I'm seeing past colleagues, friends and am networking with new contacts as well.  Looking forward to more sessions tomorrow and have enjoyed the perfect weather here in Denver.

 woolly thyme walk at the second home garden as was the neat alcove with blue bench seen directly below

 University of Denver (above and below)

Betty Ford Alpine Garden Trip

Today was absolutely enjoyable with the weather being near-perfect with plenty of sunshine and blue skies.  The 2.5 hour bus trip to Vail, CO wasn't overwhelming as the surrounding scenery was so beautiful.  Upon arrival, we had snacks and a warm welcome from the staff of the Betty Ford Alpine Garden.  The garden was spectacular with plenty of time provided for us to explore.  We had a blast doing so and we found the city of Vail to be very beautiful with lots of flowers.  All of these photos were from today.

Plans & Preparations

 

Above is a wonderful hummingbird photograph taken at the garden and shared by Santos M.  Santos has captured so many great hummingbird photos (and general garden shots too!) and we appreciate his talent and willingness to share.  The orange plant is one of the annual million bells (Calibrachoa) in a hanging basket in the English cottage garden.  Oddly enough, I didn't even venture in to the gardens today.  I had a long trip this morning for a sizeable plant donation for the gardens and came back to prepare all the lists and maps for next week while I'm away at the American Public Garden Association (APGA) conference in Denver next week.  Our team of staff and volunteers is quite self-supporting while I'm gone but I do suggest some priorities as we'll need to catch up with planting and not let the weeds get too far ahead of us!  Below are more recent plant photos from the gardens.

 

yellow fumitory (Corydalis lutea) - perennial

'June Fever' plantain lily (Hosta) - perennial

'Hair' ornamental onion (Allium) - fall planted bulb

Mediterranean bells (Nectaroscordum siculum var. bulgaricum) just getting ready to open in to a cluster of dangling bells

variegated English elm (Ulmus procera 'Variegata')

The day started out rainy but ended up being quite sunny and sticky by the afternoon.  Big John (half day), Terry and Janice held down the fort with grounds activities like mowing, tidying up for weddings and general gardening tasks.  Shirley and Kay were in for weeding and we saw Don and Pearl tidying up their garden space.  Mary and Roy also came in to help weed in the Jungle Garden.  Both Dr. Gredler and Bill O. were in for their mowing rounds.  Ron K. weeded the woodland walk garden and planted another 30 or so perennials in that beautiful space.  Mary Ann G. was in to help Janice in the Thomas Jefferson Collection and Maury F. ran some errands for us this morning.  There were certainly many others that stopped by during the course of the day. Nice shot above of blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens 'Sapphire') with golden meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria 'Aurea') in the background.  Below are more recent shots from the gardens.

'Dipt in Wine' coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) - annual

'Cherry Tomato' plantain lily (Hosta) - perennial

'Diane's Gold' false forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) - perennial

'Saturn' coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides)

This is what is causing us so much grief in the gardens! While the "cotton" has mostly drifted down from the mature, female cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trees, there is still more to come and the germination is widespread and rampant everywhere!  UGH!