Early July (the second to be exact) is not usually peak season for rock gardens. They forgot to tell the horticultural gods down at Denver Botanic Gardens' Chatfield Farms! This 750 acre extravaganza grows exponentially from year to year: a few years ago they created this wonderful rock work and planted some mighty nice plants. The soft orange you see knitting the garden together is an orange mutation or hybrid of Penstemon pinifolius discovered and propagated by Mike Bone. He's been lobbying to include this in Plant Select--and I think he has merit in doing this!
Another view with the soft tangerine clouds here and there--
A closer look!
And closer still: a wonderful shade of orange, don't you agree?
The extensive meadows around the Visitor's center are wonderful every day of the year: right now they're a dream of Erigeron philadelphicus and Echinacea paradoxa. And a good deal more...
Some Salvia photobombing here...I believe it's S. pachyphylla.
The natural borders vary and stretch on forever. Here Gaillardia and Callirhoe are dancing with the stars. Wait-a-minute: that's a TV program, isn't it?
Two forms of Eriogonum umbellatum: 'Shasta Yellow' on the left and 'Kannah Creek' on the right.
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| And Chlindropuntia "whipplei" 'Snow Leopard' in bloom. I think it is a new species--forgot the new name. |
A demure, slightly more conventional container is nonetheless welcome!
A few years ago the amazing staff at Chatfield added a complex of an acre or more of gardens next to the parking lot: these are more traditional beds--with plants in compact drifts rather than intermingling a la Lauren.These beds are fabulous right now!
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| A tall coral form of Penstemon barbatus |
White forms of Clematis integrifolia 'Mongolian Bells': my faves!
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| I'm sure they obtained this as Penstemon linarioides 'Silverton' which it isn't But close! |
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| Monardella macrantha 'Marion Sampson' |
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| Salvia engelmannii--not exactly in peak boom.. |
The labyrinth. As a lineal descendant of Daedalus I have more than casual interest in these...
That Salvia engelmannii again!
And the Clematis again...I guess I am pretty predictable after all!
A sneak preview of the Lavender field:L budding up...I have a hunch these will be stunning in two weeks for the 2nd Annual Lavender festival! Free admission that day--worth going any day.
That Monarda is stunning. I had no idea thete was a rock garden version like this.
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