Crime pays, gardens don't.

I apologize for "borrowing" Joey Santore's tagline--but it seems appropriate. And I think Joey would approve. What if I were to tell you that a little over a quarter century ago (during our LAST big drought) Denver Botanic Gardens created a remarkable formal garden in the heart of downtown. A lot of money was spent (in the millions) to create a garden consisting in large part of native plants grown in creative (and very successful) fashion. That it attained some notoreity, matured and is now destined for...what? I don't know for sure, but it don't look good. It's been locked the last few times I drove by. Methinks it's doomed!

The place I'm talking about is Centennial Park, which I sort of took leave of years ago. If you clicked on that highlighted link you'll see the only post I've done about a pretty remarkable garden. It is mind-boggling to me that it appears to be oh the chopping block--apparently Denver doesn't have enough hideous apartment houses yet. Or some other atrocity. There's a large neighborhood built up nearby that ought to relish these acres of elegant plantings. Who needs green space anyway?

It's been a year or so since I visited: apparently there are a lot of weeds and things are "getting out of control".  Looking through the locked gates (rather pitifully) it looked pretty good to me. If Denver can spend millions and millions on Sports venues, surely they can hire a few more park workers to clean up the weeds. I can't believe there aren't volunteers who'd love to work here: a burgeoning neighborhood nearby could dote on this beautiful open space!

Honestly, the hedges of Cerocarpus ledifolius and fernbush have gone from strength to strength---thriving on neglect! Denver Water ought to consider using this park as a showcase of plants that thrive on low water!

From the glory days when succulents thrived in the parterres...

Again, from the glory days: bulbs love this garden!

When the tulips were over, Zinnia grandiflora took off: this is what great gardening is like, friend. This garden is truly off the charts.

I notice the lady tulip (Tulipa clusiana) is still in the garden. The dry winter stunted it this year, but in a normal winter it would be bacjk.

There were fantastic displays in this garden over the years...

The hundreds (thousands?) of huge clumps of Iris bucharica throughout Centennial were just dazzling. They're still there, though rabbits nibble the flowers now. I know no where else (except maybe Uzbekistan) with junos like this!

Had to revisit that mass or red tulips. Just wow!

The buffalo grass was an inspiration: especially when Crocus speciosus bloomed in October...

Spring, summer, fall, winter--this garden inspires at all times of year. It is so sad that Wellington Webb's dream of a beautiful garden to greet visitors from Denver as they drive downtown over the Speer Viaduct is clouded. Do we really need more crappy buildings downtown? 

City beautification has a tinge of gentrification about it, I suppose. But coming back from Florence this week--a city full of beautiful gardens and great architecture--I realize that City uglification is not a good scheme for Denver to pursue if we want tourism to thrive. Or for our citizens to thrive.

To destroy a magnificent showcase of low water gardening in a year of severe drought is the ultimate irony. But looking at what's going on in Washington D.C., stupidity is par for the course right now. Why should we choose a wiser path?