A mountain haven

About a half hour west of the Denver metro area there is a remarkable home and garden at over 8000' where it's always cool and pleasant and there is a remarkable collection of plants, sculptures and spectacular monumental rocks from China that would be the envy of any botanic garden. I shared some images from a visit we made there almost exactly four years ago--you might be intrigued to compare and contrast. We are fortunate to have been invited here for wonderful lunches over the years and have watched this garden evolve and flourish. I can't resist sharing a few pictures from a week or so ago...I hope you enjoy them a fraction as much as we did. They really don't need a commentary!

Proctor/Macke tour de force!

I have featured Rob Proctor and David Macke's garden before in this blog, but on a horribly sunny day: I drop by frequently, and have masses of pictures, and really ought to do right by this amazing garden--but at least you can get a taste of it this week. I dropped in again, middle of the day (blazing sun) but the clouds came over and I dashed around and got a few pictures...

Of course, it's a lush, "English" seeming garden--but filled with drought tolerant perennials and shrubs (some spectacular specimens)--a real tour-de-force: check in at Tagawa's and you can get tickets for a tour in a few weeks (they do it every year to support the Animal Shelters). A visit here is always a delight!

These pictures don't really need a commentary: the garden is just outrageous! Just come on the tour!

Chatfield Farm...early July

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.

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!

I'm sure they obtained this as Penstemon linarioides 'Silverton' which it isn't But close!

Monardella macrantha 'Marion Sampson'

Does this really need a caption?

The same species...

Salvia engelmannii--not exactly in peak boom..

A plant I really love! Hope they get seed!

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.