Denver Botanic Gardens

About

Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the most visited cultural institutions in Colorado and consistently ranks among the top botanical gardens in the United States. The flagship York Street campus in the Capitol Hill neighborhood covers 24 acres and holds more than 45,000 plants from over 5,500 taxa, organized into more than 40 distinct garden rooms. Founded in 1951 and formally opened in its current location in 1959, the gardens have grown into a world-class scientific and educational institution while remaining deeply connected to the Denver community. The collection is organized around themes of climate, geography, and culture. The Romantic Gardens present classic European-style arrangements of roses and perennials. The Japanese Garden offers a tranquil contemplative landscape. The Rock Alpine Garden is one of the finest alpine rock gardens in North America, featuring plants from high-altitude ecosystems around the globe. The Gates Montane Garden, located at the Chatfield Farms satellite campus, simulates the foothills plant communities of the Colorado Front Range. The Mordecai Children's Garden provides outdoor play-based learning for young visitors. Denver Botanic Gardens conducts active research in plant conservation, with particular focus on Colorado native plant species and the challenges of growing plants in high-altitude, semi-arid conditions. The research programs have led to the development of drought-tolerant cultivars now used across the Mountain West. The gardens also hosts Chatfield Farms, a historic working farm property that offers u-pick pumpkins, seasonal events, and education programs. Education programs include school field trips, homeschool programs, summer camps, plant science workshops, and the Boerner Botanical Gardens plant science competition. The gardens' summer concert series and seasonal events draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

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