The sun is shining, the Rocky Mountain snow is months away, and Denver Botanic Gardens is offering a fresh lineup of summer programs at both its city and Chatfield Farms locations.
Music sets the tone for the season. The Summer Concert series continues this month at UMB Bank Amphitheatre with performances beginning at 6:30 p.m. Highlights include Judy Collins with special guest Chatham County Line on July 24 and The Mavericks with the Hogslop String Band on July 27. In addition, Evenings al Fresco takes place on select Mondays and Wednesdays through August in partnership with Swallow Hill Music. From 4:30–8:30 p.m., visitors can wander the gardens while local musicians and ensembles perform throughout the grounds.
The musical offerings extend into August with Garden of Sound: An Evening with Nathan Hall on Aug. 4, 6–7 p.m. Hall’s electronic soundscapes, composed during his Land Line artist residency at Denver Botanic Gardens, bring a fresh auditory perspective to the garden experience.
© Scott Dressel-Martin – Courtesy of Denver Botanical Gardens
On Aug. 6, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., the Water Garden Society presents the Water Blossom Celebration. The event features docent-led tours of the water gardens, plant giveaways, and demonstrations on container and water gardening techniques.
The Mushroom Fair, hosted by the Colorado Mycological Society on Aug. 14, highlights the many roles fungi play in science, medicine, health, art, nutrition and culinary traditions. Attendees can explore the ecological importance of fungi and learn about their practical and cultural uses.
Through Sept. 11, The Contour of Feeling exhibition showcases large-scale cedar sculptures and selected works on paper by artist Ursula von Rydingsvard. Events tied to the exhibition include a curator conversation on Aug. 18 from 9:30–10:15 a.m., followed by a screening of the film Ursula von Rydingsvard: Into Her Own from 4–5:30 p.m.
For those interested in floral arts, an Ikebana workshop on Aug. 20 from 1–3 p.m. focuses on the Japanese contemplative practice of flower arranging. The session covers key principles such as asymmetry, open space and depth, inspired by the teachings of Sofu Teshigahara from 1927.