Outdoors Bloom and Fruit Tour at Denver Botanic Gardens (2024)

Baptisia australis (Blue False Indigo)

blue-purple blooms on native shrub

Chionanthus retusus (Chinese Fringetree)

small white flowers on ornamental tree

Iris 'Dollface' (Iris)

Nearly 1000 different iris varieties grow at York Street and Chatfield Farms and bloom between late April and mid-June. Take a close look at the patterns and colors on the flowers here in WaterSmart and in when you see them in other gardens. Smell the ones that are near the pathways.

Roads Water-Smart Garden (Garden Features)

The Water-Smart Garden is spectacular through the seasons. Enjoy the new path which provides more views of the plants in this garden. Many early blooming bulbs are planted throughout this garden alongside herbaceous perennials and shrubs.

Echinocereus × roetteri (Hybrid Hedgehog Cactus)

red-orange flowering cactus

Beehive (Garden Features)

Look up at the wall near the Conservatory to see the beehives. Can you see honeybees flying in and out?

Steppe Garden (Garden Features)

The Central Asian steppe is the native land for many of our most-loved spring-blooming bulbs. Visit the Steppe Garden and discover many species tulips, iris, fritillaria and other familiar plants that create early color in our gardens.

Paeonia suffruticosa (Tree Peony)

large white flowers on one of the many peonies that bloom in June's Plant Asia in May

Clematis integrifolia (Solitary Clematis)

herbaceous form (non-vining) of Clematis with dark purple flowers

Rosa spinosissima (Scotch Rose)

an early-blooming species rose bush that was propagated from seed that was collected in Kazakhstan

Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgewood Blue' (Lilac)

smell the flowers on the lilacs in this area; there are many different varieties growing on the adjacent hillsides of the Ann Montague Iris Garden; see if you can find ones with different flower colors or leaf colors

Convolvulus assyricus

if this plant reminds you of the bindweed that plagues many home gardens that is because it is in the same genus as bindweed; this plant is much better behaved in the Rock Alpine Garden!

Acanthus hirsutus ssp. syriacus (Syrian Bear's Breeches)

the purple and white spikes on bear's breeches are always fun to see in bloom; they last for many weeks in the garden

Rock Alpine Garden (Garden Features)

The Rock Alpine Garden has thousands of different plant varieties growing on about one acre. This areas bursts into color in late spring with plants from many steppe and alpine areas around the world. In the late summer and fall it transforms with brightly colored fruit, golden flowers of the aster family, and the brilliant blues only found in gentians.

Picea abies 'Pusch' (Norway Spruce)

this small evergreen is over 20 years old; look for the bright red cones forming

Iris 'Polynesian Honey' (Iris)

this iris is bright mustard yellow with darker orange on the falls (the cascading petals0

Laura Smith Porter Plains Garden (Garden Features)

The Plains Garden was burned on February 21st. Visit in the coming months and watch the plants emerge from the ash. Controlled burns are conducted approximately every 3 years and helps suppress weeds, remove the biomass of the many grass species, and provide nutrients to the deep rooted plants that were dormant when burned.

Malus ioensis var. texana (Texas Crabapple)

a native apple variety with perfume scented flowers

Xanthoceras sorbifolium 'Psgan' CLEAR CREEK® (Golden Horn Tree)

this large shrub/small tree is covered with white flowers with orange-veined centers

Nexus Garden (Garden Features)

The Nexus Garden will be in full bloom in late May through early June as many of the different varieties of prickly pear and other cacti flower amongst the tapestry of groundcovers like ice plant.

Viburnum lentago (Nannyberry Viburnum)

medium-sized shrub with large "snowballs" of white flower clusters

Cornus controversa 'June Snow-JFS' June Snow™ (Giant Dogwood)

small tree that will soon be in full bloom

Colorado (Garden Features)

Euphorbia epithymoides (Cushion Spurge)

golden flowers on early blooming herbaceous perennial

Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii (Caerulea Group) (Suksdorf's Large Camas)

bulb that produces tall spikes of blue flowers

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' (Smoke Tree)

bright red-purple leaves on this large shrub; look for the flowers that are forming and will soon be the "smoke" that gives this plant its common name