Cody: my sweet Wyoming home! [a special opportunity to check it out!]

One of many dazzling routes out of Cody, Wyoming

 FIRST of all, that's not the Beartooth in the distance at all: it's Pilot Peak. You can spy the real  Beartooth in a previous blog I wrote...(the turnoff to get there is just to the right around the bend from this picture above).  I shall come clean and let you know, rather than my usual "information packed" blog posts that you're used to (although I promise some pretty good dope herein as well!) this is a shameless piece of promotion for a trip planned for this July led by none other than Mike Bone, Associate Director of Horticulture at Denver Botanic Garden--and Curator of Steppe Collections to boot. Mike and I have led tours to Cody many times, most recently last summer....

A freshly sprinkled Mike Bone in his native Propagation habitat

I am lucky to work with over 300 dedicated and talented staff--and Mike has been exceptional among them (I have sung his praises in an entire blog post devoted to him.) Mike is in Lesotho (for the 3rd or 4th time I believe) as I type this--he has been the most devoted plant explorer on our staff: I would go with this man anywhere: he has extraordinary skills of organization, logistics--and fantastic knowledge gained from his long tenure in our Green Industry and worldwide plant travels. He is also a people person: anyone who meets him will be won over by him. He and at least one other of my colleagues will lead this trip.

Primula pauciflora (I prefer Dodecatheon watsonii!)

Of course, as a flower lover, the floral displays in the Bighorns, Beartooth and Absoroka mountains of Yellowstone National Park are second to none. Each day of this tour will bring a whole new suite of plants, and let's not even talk about the scenery! (I have many blog posts about this area--check THIS one out to get a taste.)

I have conducted at least a dozen tours to this area for the North American Rock Garden Society, Denver Botanic Gardens, our local chapter of NARGS and for the Ratzeputz gang--an International group of keen Plantsmen. And I've botanized here on my own at least that many times. I believe this is the premier destination for anyone to really get to know the best of the Rocky Mountains.

The Retreat Center which provides home base for the trip is elegant and impeccable--and the food delicious. The views of the Cody Valley from the Center are stunning

View of Cody from the TAC Retreat Center at sunset

My recommendation? Just do it! Registration will open in the next week or so, but Click here to let Mike know you're interested n coming