Durango Botanic Gardens is hosting its 13th presentation of Gardens on Tour on Saturday with 350 people registered and more than 400 people expected to participate.
Every year, private residents open up their gardens for participants to observe, learn and glean ideas for their gardens. On Saturday, five residential gardens will be included on the tour in addition to Durango Hot Springs, which has participated for several years.
Bill LeMaire, Durango Botanic Gardens board of directors president, said host gardens usually reflect a theme or demonstrate landscaping features the botanic gardens is trying to drive.
“Right now we’re interested in people who have adopted their landscape to more water wise landscaping and plants,” he said.
He said drought has remained a consistent and prominent theme over the past several years.
Durango Hot Springs spokesman James Graven said drought is a particularly prevalent theme for the hot springs this year.
The resort boasts 250 plant species, many of which are intended to attract pollinators.
“On a drought year like this, they’ve got to really be wise about how they keep that going without disrupting that limited water supply,” he said.
One might think a hot spring wouldn’t struggle so much with water supply, but the mineralized water can’t be used for the garden, Graven said.
He said Durango Hot Springs has conserved water by using a drip irrigation system instead of a spray system to keep moisture in the soil. It has also planted more drought-tolerant species.
LeMaire said Durango Hot Springs is accredited as a wildlife habitat.
“Sometimes, themes are about things all gardeners encounter,” he said about Gardens on Tour.
For example, he said a couple moved from a higher elevation to a lower elevation and had to adapt their gardening philosophy. In another example, construction at another residence rendered the garden space a blank slate and the owners had figure out how to make the space inviting.
“One thing I’ve always said about the gardens on tour is if you just drive by these houses ordinarily, the front yard might not be impressive,” he said. “But sometimes you get into the backyard, you’re like, ‘Wow, they’ve created their own oasis or sanctuary.’”
LeMaire said Gardens on Tour is a fundraiser for Durango Botanic Gardens, but more than that, it’s a way to demonstrate landscaping and gardening styles and to encourage people to make their yards accommodating to birds and other pollinators.
People will receive the locations of the private residential gardens upon registering for the tour. Online registration for Gardens on Tour closes Thursday. In person registration is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday outside the Durango Public Library at 1900 East Third Ave.
The Durango Botanic Gardens is also hosting a tour of the botanic gardens at the library, including a new community venue garden in the works, on Friday, LeMaire said.
cburney@durangoherald.com
