Admission to the colorful Hudson Gardens Events Center in Littleton is free. Geese swim among blooming water lilies in a pond near the gardens' Monet Place on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. (Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post)
The arid western landscape isn't exactly conducive to colorful blooms, so there may be a little bit of magic in the soil at these botanical destinations. All the spots listed below are free and open to the public. We've included current opening hours for your reference, but we encourage you to check the details online before visiting to ensure they haven't changed.
Hudson Gardens and Events Center
Hours: Gardens open daily from sunrise to sunset. Welcome Center open daily from 9am to 4pm.
Where: 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton; hudsongardens.org
This first garden is just a short ride from Denver via the South Platte River and Mary Carter Greenway Trail, so you don't have to go far. If you're coming by bike (highly recommended), start with a coffee at Nixon Coffee House, located at the northeast entrance to Hudson Gardens. The main garden entrance is off Santa Fe Drive, and unless there's an event going on, there's ample free parking in one of several lots in front of the welcome center and gift shop.
Owned and operated by South Suburban Parks and Recreation, Hudson Gardens features 30 acres of exhibition gardens, as well as rolling paths, open spaces, water features, and plenty of quiet nooks. There's plenty to see and discover, including a lily pond, a rose garden, a native Colorado garden, vegetable and herb patches, and the Bob Pond Water Garden, which showcases the diversity of aquatic plants on Earth. All of these spaces are accessible from the only paved path around the property. If you're bringing kids, don't miss the adorable “Hobbit Hole” play area in front of Turtle Pond. Near the big red barn is a beehive with 20 hives owned by a local beekeeper. Several times a season (check online for details), guests can stop by the beehive and take a free beekeeping class. Other on-site activities include public art exhibits, painting sessions, and guided meditations.
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Opening hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Education Center open daily from 10am to 4pm.
Location: 522 S. Frontage Road E, Vail; bettyfordalpinegardens.org
A 10-minute walk east from the Vail Village parking lot will take you to the highest botanical garden in North America, named after the former First Lady (yes, she loved gardening). At 8,200 feet above sea level, Ford Park features 3,000 species of alpine plants in four zones: the Mountain Perennial Garden, the Alpine Rock Garden, the Mountain Meditation Garden and a charming children's garden with edible plants and a market playhouse. During your late summer visit, be sure to check out the variety of flowers, including succulents, colorful poppies, edelweiss (Colorado's state flower), blue columbines and the special hybrid Betty Ford daylily.
At the edge of the gardens, adjacent to the Ford Park playground, is the Education Center, which features permanent information panels and rotating exhibits. Learn about hardy plants that thrive in alpine environments, then tour the Alpine House, a state-of-the-art greenhouse that recreates a cool mountain environment and is home to more than 200 rare bulbs and green plants from around the world. Opposite the main garden entrance, the Schoolhouse Museum & Gift Shop offers seasonal snacks and ice cream. Admission is free, but a $20 donation is requested for those who can afford it.
John Denver Sanctuary
Opening hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk
Location: 470 Rio Grande Place, Aspen; aspenchamber.org
Just past downtown Aspen's shopping district and behind Rio Grande Park, you'll find a charming riverside memorial to the popular 1970s singer-songwriter. It's hard to believe this man-made wetland was once an industrial site. After John Denver's death, landscapers placed hundreds of rocks throughout the preserve and planted native trees along with shrubs. The effort created a rich landscape that provides a haven for nature lovers while also cleaning up about 30 percent of the city's stormwater runoff.
Within the sanctuary, you'll find the region's largest perennial flower garden, planted near the Song Garden, where John Denver lyrics are carved into rock. Flowers typically bloom by early June and continue to adorn the landscape all summer long.
Rocky Mountain Botanical Gardens in Lyons is Boulder County's first botanical garden. (Jamie Seabrass/Special to The Denver Post) Rocky Mountain Botanical Gardens
Opening hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk, except during heavy snowfall
Where: Near the intersection of 4th and Prospect Streets in Lyons; rmbg.org
Boulder County's first botanical garden has quite a history. In 2013, the St. Vrain River reached what the National Weather Service calls “biblical” levels, causing water levels to rise to more than 20 times normal flood levels. This devastating event left residents stranded for days and damaged roads, sewer systems, and numerous homes. Something positive came from this devastation when the City of Lyons purchased the floodplain and allowed volunteers to plant a mid-sized demonstration garden dreamed up by resident Garima Fairfax.
Rocky Mountain Botanical Garden is a tranquil space to learn about drought-tolerant horticulture and plants that thrive in local riparian zones, marshes, and mountaintops. From the main garden entrance, follow a meandering, looping crushed stone path through a series of fascinating “demonstration gardens” divided into five major Colorado ecosystems. As you wander, enjoy the colors and scents of the grounds' plants, including dwarf wild indigo, prairie verbena, golden smoke, firewheel, and purple aster. The garden is also a great place to observe butterflies, native birds, and other wildlife. Public classes are offered throughout the year. Find more information online.
The Yampa River Botanical Gardens features 60 gardens with a variety of themes. (Courtesy of Yampa River Botanical Gardens) Yampa River Botanical Gardens
Opening hours: From early May until heavy snowfall, open seasonally from dawn to dusk
Location: 1000 Pamela Lane, Steamboat Springs; yampariverbotanicpark.org
Walk or bike to this 6-acre former horse farm via the paved Yampa River Core Trail, or enter through the large iron gates just past the Emerald Park playground. Follow the property's main path through a series of 60 individual gardens with different themes, many of which are accessible from side trails that jut out from the central loop.
Most guests spend 45 minutes to an hour walking beneath the canopy of mature aspen and spruce trees to enjoy the colorful flowers that are especially striking in the summer. Himalayan lilies are in full bloom right now; these eye-catching perennials will delight visitors who aren't familiar with this Asian flora. Keep an eye out for blue Himalayan poppies and the state flower, the blue columbine, which blooms among colorful peonies. This natives garden is a bit wild, but that's the point; it was planted as an educational center showcasing the important plants of the region.
Other attractions include medicinal herbs, spring bulbs, and a rock garden. The children's garden with an enchanting fairy village is a hit with young nature lovers. Free concerts are held on Wednesday mornings through August 21. On Fridays and Sundays, free guided walking tours depart from the main entrance at 10 a.m. Only ADA service animals are allowed in the Yampa River Botanical Gardens.
There are three more gardens worth the drive.
Red Hills Desert Gardens
Opening hours: Daily from 6am to 10pm
Location: 375 E. Red Hills Pkwy., St. George, Utah; redhillsdesertgarden.comredhillsdesertgarden.com
Set against a panoramic backdrop of Utah's red rock mountains, Red Hills Desert Garden is a beautiful place to learn about the native plants that not only survive but thrive in the driest land in the U.S. The Washington County Water Department owns and operates this vibrant desert conservation garden (the first in Utah) with the goal of demonstrating to visitors just how amazing a water-efficient landscape can be.
With a 6,400-foot loop of walking trails, Red Hills Desert Garden is also home to rare and endangered fish species. A 1,150-foot river features a replica canyon, giving visitors the thrill of walking through a unique natural formation. The site's native plants bloom at different times, so there's no bad time to explore the 5,000 species of plants, ranging from colorful succulents and wildflowers to hardy shrubs and desert-adapted trees. Interpretive plaques provide information for home gardeners, while excavations have uncovered 200 million-year-old prehistoric dinosaur footprints and real fossils that will fascinate paleontology enthusiasts of all ages. The gardens host a variety of seasonal events, including a fall scarecrow walk and holiday lights. Dogs are welcome, along with their owners.
Wardmead Historic District
Opening hours: Open daily from 8am to sunset
Location: 124 NW Fillmore St., Topeka; parks.snco.us
The seven-hour drive from Denver to Topeka isn't known for its beautiful scenery, but there's plenty to admire when you arrive in the Kansas capital. Park in the lot off NW Clay Street and take a stroll through history in Old Prairie Town. The 1800s village is part of a six-acre historic site that also includes the Ward Mead Mansion and Ward Mead Botanical Gardens, both National Historic Landmarks.
Grab a milkshake at Potwin Drug Store and head through the village to the 2.5-acre Botanical Gardens. Potwin Drug Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm. Shaded, paved paths lead you through several different sections, including the National Exhibition Garden of Hostas and Daylilies and the National Conifer Reference Garden. Interpretive signs make it easy to learn as you go. There are arbors, gazebos, bridges, sculptures, and other nice touches, including a monarch butterfly trail station and April tulips. During “Tulip Time,” 100,000 tulips bloom throughout the Topeka area, 20,000 of which are grown in Ward Mead Park.
The Midwest is known for its value, and Topeka is home to two free botanical gardens, including Ted Ensley Gardens (3650 SE W. Edge Road), which boasts more than 37 acres of blooming flowers on the west side of Lake Shawnee.
Bajada Nature Trail
Opening hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset
Location: 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale; mcdowellsonoran.org
For an up-close look at desert life, head to the Bajada Nature Trail at the Gateway Trailhead in the southern part of Scottsdale's vast McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This trail offers hikers more than 225 miles of beautiful trails through the rugged Sonoran Desert. A bajada is the area between a steep mountain slope and a flat valley floor. This special geological zone is known for its deep, loose soil that can support a variety of plant communities. And when it comes to rich biodiversity, the Bajada Nature Trail certainly doesn't disappoint.
Although this site is not a cultivated garden like the others, it still deserves to be on this list. City planners built a nature trail into the existing desert, running a wide, figure-eight shaped path through naturally occurring native plants, so even guests who can't hike the challenging desert terrain can experience the natural beauty of the area. A series of interactive interpretive panels educate visitors about Arizona's plants. Cacti are plentiful, including cholla, saguaro, and barrel cacti, just to name a few. Native trees, such as palo verde, are also plentiful, as are shrubs such as creosote bush and bar sage.
Jamie Seiblers is a freelance reporter for The Denver Post, a Littleton-based author, mother and outdoorsman.
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