A Day in Denver

I visited Granite Imports today to pick out a slab of cararra marble for our bathroom vanities.  After finding a very nice piece of marble, we were close enough to the Denver Botanic Gardens to pop in for a visit.  I have been meaning to pay them a visit since we got to Boulder two years ago, but after visiting the High Line garden in NYC and fell in love with Piet Oudolf's gardens there, I was more motivated than ever.  I want to consider a planting plan for our new back yard that is in the spirit of Oudolf's gardens--natural, a little chaotic, heavy on  perennials.  I purchased a membership so that I can visit the plants that I like in every season to see how they change and  are reborn.  His philosophy on planting is to choose plants that look good after their flowers have died away, picking plants for their structural and color relationships and emphasizing plant architecture over showy flowers.  So, with four boys in tow and 90+ degree heat, we walked through the many wonderful garden spaces.  The boys found one sprinkler to cool off in and I snapped many photos of gorgeous plants.  The best thing about doing research at a botanic center is that nearly every plant is well marked.  It will be a wonderful resource for future gardening endeavors.