When I first visited Denver Botanic Gardens, probably 95% of the plantings consisted entirely of annuals planted in late May (or well into June) and yanked out gleefully with the first hint of frost. In 1974 I visited in early September, and an unusually early frost had turned almost all the annuals black. Not inspiring! Gradually, more permanent, perennial plants of trees, shrubs and perennials have swallowed up most of the space. Of course, annuals are tucked into all manner of borders and containers...but there has remained a single bastion of annual plantings, which is experiencing its first full year of glory under the baton of Bridget Blomquist--one of the more recent staff at the Gardens--who has impressed me with the dramatic color combinations she's used and the lavish texture of annuals. Right now, these gardens are full of visitors all day long--it was hard to get these relatively people free pictures! This garden is a super counterpoint to the complex and varied gardens featuring mostly perennials around it. Another reason why working at Denver Botanic Gardens has been so rewarding for so long for me: one never gets bored here!
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