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Air Plants

Three different air plants on driftwood against a white background.

Fun Shapes and Easy Maintenance Air plants were popular in the 1970s when they hung in macrame plant hangers or were placed in terrariums, but the fad faded until a few years ago. Air plants made a comeback as more varieties began to fascinate us with unusual shapes and easy maintenance that fits our busy […]

Winter Plants

A small bird with a black cap and beige underside perches on a snow-dusted branch with red berries.

Now that leaves have fallen and summer plants have died or gone dormant, winter landscapes seem a bit dull compared to summer’s luscious greenery and fall’s brilliant foliage. While November makes us yearn for color, it’s the perfect time to identify garden areas that could use some winter interest. Spruce up drab areas by arranging […]

Growing Giant Vegetables

A large pumpkin on a pallet surrounded by smaller pumpkins, displayed on hay bales in an outdoor setting.

Gardeners everywhere look forward to fall harvest, but the most anxiously anticipated harvest might well be that of giant vegetable growers. The fruits of their labor far exceed the size of an ordinary gardener’s. Vegetables grown for competitions are truly gigantic — often weighing more than 1,000 pounds. One can hardly imagine the mounting excitement […]

Perfume Your Garden with Lilies

Close-up of vibrant orange lilies with prominent stamens and speckled petals, surrounded by green leaves.

Lilies are an aromatic garden favorite, but surprisingly, some plants with “lily” in their names are not actually lilies. Most notable are day lilies, canna lilies, peace lilies, water lilies, and lily-of-the-valley. These flowers don’t grow from large, scaly bulbs like true lilies belonging to the genus Lilium. The most popular true lily species include […]

NO TRESPASSING

Sign reads "No Trespassing" on a fence in front of a grassy landscape with trees, hills, and a river under a blue sky.

Here in the West, we tend to think of lakes, rivers, and streams as inherently public property, like sunshine or the air we breathe. Sadly, a significant portion of Colorado’s rivers and creeks have become inaccessible, closed off by barbed wire and “no trespassing” signs. Questions arise as to whether private landowners can truly prevent […]

That Text Can Wait: Save a Life by Avoiding Distractions While Driving

A man in a car is looking at his smartphone while sitting in the driver's seat. The dashboard and steering wheel are visible.

  By Jenna Hirsch, Director of Safety and Loss Control Some temptations are hard to resist. While driving, we typically hear that “ding” on our phone, alerting us to a text or call, and we sometimes feel the urgent need to check it. We know we shouldn’t, but we reason that we’ll make an exception […]

When Groundwork Is the Homework

A diverse group of people gardening in a greenhouse. Some are kneeling, tending to plants with tools and watering can, while one person is holding a garden hose.

Farm-To-School Programs Connect Kids With Food By Vicki Spencer, Master Gardener Over the past two decades, farm-to-school programs have exploded across the country. Originally, they were intended to support community-based farmers while introducing students to the importance of nutrition. Students from preschools to high schools were enthusiastic about the experiences, and their physical and mental […]

Ashley’s Book Nook

A person reading a book while lying on a colorful striped hammock during sunset.

Leaving Cleveland by Steven H. Begleiter Leaving Cleveland follows the story of aspiring photographer Sam Cohen as he navigates the highs and lows of the celebrity art world in New York City. Sam decides to leave his family business, move away from Cleveland, and make a name for himself in the big city. NYC in […]

Lovely Lavender

Hand gently touches lavender flowers in a sunlit field during sunset.

By Vicki Spencer, Master Gardener The first time I attended the Denver Botanic Gardens Lavender Festival at Chatfield Farms, I was amazed. As a volunteer at the well-established Denver Botanic Gardens, I was interested in seeing the development of an historic farm with quaint buildings and newly added gardens. My lavender-loving sister lives near the […]

Beware of Plants Toxic to Pets

A small dog tilts its head beside a potted plant on a wooden floor in a bright room with other plants in the background.

By Vicki Spencer, Master Gardener It’s a good thing I don’t have pets. Just about every plant inside my house is on the Animal Poison Control Center list of plants toxic to pets. Even though I don’t have to worry about toxicity now, that wasn’t always the case. As a child, I constantly adopted strays […]