Durango residents again immersed themselves in the natural beauty of plant life.
Arnicas, leprechaun southernwoods, beardtongues, lavenders, red snap dragons, just to name a few – each one lively and meant to handle Southwest Colorado’s winds and higher elevation in their own right.
Even the bees wanted in on the action Saturday, and their human counterparts in turn learned something about bees and how to garden within their environment.
That is what made the Durango Botanic Gardens’ 11th annual “Gardens on Tour” event special.
“It’s the ability to grow beautiful environments and learning how to do that,” said Kathy Ballew, chairwoman of the garden tour committee. “ … We’re also seeing more and more native plants, which is important. And people are learning about those.”
The Durango Botanic Gardens showcased its plants in front of and behind the Durango Public Library, as well as at Durango Hot Springs and eight private homes in town.
One of those private homes, on Eastlawn Avenue in northwest Durango, featured plants that were knee- and waist-high, brimming with pretty colors.
And the recent rainfall also helped out greatly.
“The rain has just made everything gorgeous,” Ballew said. “(Friday) night when I was going around putting signs out for the directions, the gardens that I stopped at were just amazing … You get a good rain, and that just perks everything up.”
She said the tour provides an “aesthetic” experience for one to enjoy the gardens.
The tour, which raises money to go toward education services in town, taught patrons not only about the various plants, but also how bees, butterflies and birds pollinate flowers.
Ballew said people will learn how to maintain their garden working with their surroundings.
mhollinshead@durangoherald.com
