A new rock garden (and succulent) nursery! Desert Blooms

Justin and Christen Ruiz

I have become a HUGE FAN of this incredible couple, who took this selfie in one of four huge greenhouses they soon FILLED with rock garden and succulent (and yes, some non-cannabis grass too) treasures... They are the proprietors of Desert Blooms--the most exciting new kid on the block of North American rare plant nurseries...[do click on the highlighted link to see their informative and beautiful website]

Random selection of gems

I snapped this picture of a randome assemblage of their plants: all PERFECTLY grown, all choice and special plants, most sold no where else in the Metro Denver area. Or further than that!

View from afar

Here's their amazing site (alas, not open to the public). 

Lots of treasures

Remember that big empty greenhouse in the first picture: this is what it looked like a few months later!

Arenaria alfacarensis

A fantastic cushion plant from Southern Spain. They grow it (and everything else) to perfection!

Rosularia muratdagensis

I have a long and even personal connection to this plant (a story I shall save for another blog post): what a treat to see this rare Turkish gem grown by them...

More goodies

Everywhere you look, more awesome plants!

And more: I can't speak for all botanic gardeners, but many of us are frustrated nursery peeps: we can't imagine how they grow so much, so well, keep tabs on them and get them sold: we botanic gardeners have it easy by comparison!

Delosperma x 'Red Mountain Flame'

Of course they had lots of my favorite Delo. I guess they're all my favorites...but I can't resist the vermillion of this one! David Salman's greatest hybrid.

They grow indoor succulents too...

Dog Tough Grass

And the Ruiz's host the primary production of what has to be the most underappreciated and most promising turf grass ever.

Just LOOK at how robust things grow for them!

I want them all!

Who else sells white flowered Zauschneria ("California fuchsia")?

Wouldn't you like to have a batch of these for your garden? Well, you CAN: they sell mail order! Just click here: https://desertbloomsplants.com/

 I took this less than a year from their first selfie shot: those greenhouses are HOPPING! They sell at many venues so you'll have a chance to meet them for sure: two o the most thoughtful, talented and and wonderful people I've ever known. Desert Blooms!

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?

Tenterhooks

Asphodeline damascena

Photographed last night. Today, at 11:09 AM it's snowing like mad although the temperature is supposedly only 36F. Go figure...that's Colorado.

 A.I. when I Google the word "tenterhooks" tells me that ""On tenterhooks" means being in a state of nervous suspense or anxious anticipation, derived from 14th-century textile manufacturing where wet cloth was stretched on hooks—known as tenterhooks—to dry without shrinking. Pronounced /ˈtɛntərˌhʊks/, the phrase describes being stretched tight with worry, often used as "waiting on tenterhooks". 

Fritillaria pontica and daphne friends

So I'm on tenterhooks: various weather sites have predicted low temps tonight from 30F down to 24F.

The cacti will probably be fine (lots are budded already and some blooming)

Salvia absconditifolia

And the salvias are toughies..

Paeonia rockii

This has been blooming for days--so it's not too bad for it--but peonies all over town are budded.

Tulipa batalinii

Lots of tulips still blooming around town: they aren't too sensitive to frost, but snow can knock 'em down....

Arenaria stellata

This sandwort will probably like the cold.

Penstemon nitidus

This is from the Northern Great Plains--it won't be fazed.

Veronica 'Waterperry'

Well, now that I think of it--probably 90% of the plants I grow will do fine even if we drop to 24F. It's the tropicals I put out a few weeks ago that won't be too happy...I should know by now...

South African Springtime! NOW is the time to plan for it...

Superbloom, Namaqualand (September, 2024)

 Okay, Okay--it's actually early AUTUMN right now in South Africa, but South African plants that would be blooming in their Springtime are blooming right now in Denver!

Ruschia pulvinaris

For instance, this stunning ice plant is in full bloom right now on the Watersmart Garden at Denver Botanic Gardens. To see bloom like this you have to go to South Africa in late August and September, which is precisely when Denver Botanic Gardens' has a trip planned this coming season: check out the details on the webpage here: Cape Floral Region Safari.

Argyroderma fissum

Here are a few more examples of the thousands of floral gems that will be found on this trip--if you sign up! 

Crassula columnaris

Gazania leiopoda

Don't be like this desert Tortoise! Click on DBG's Travel page and check out this and the other fantastic chances to see Nature at her most lavish and beautiful!