More highlights from Denver

Kelly Grummons is a long-time cactiphyle and cactus breeder.  Kelly was a part of Timberline Gardens in Denver until it closed recently to make way for development.  For now, he’s running his mail order cactus nursery from his home.  Many of the cool opuntias in our garden came from Kelly. 

Kelly’s home garden

More cool plants

I don’t normally look at turf in a plantsman’s garden, but I was struck by his beautiful lawn….and without irrigation.  Several decades ago, this bermudagrass hybrid, Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon transvaalensis was discovered in a Denver garden, brought into the US over fifty years ago, by a worker stationed in Africa.  Recently introduced as DogTuff grass, it thrives, once established, without irrigation in the high mountain deserts of Denver.  Additionally, the spread rate is dramatically less than the more invasive bermudagrass of which most gardeners hate.  The hybrid is sterile, so must be planted from divisions.  Our friends at High Country Gardens are now offering this.

Another stop was a chance to visit the garden of garden writer/designer Rob Proctor.  I hadn’t been to Rob’s garden in 20 years, so I wondered whether it had been maintained at the same level as before.  The answer was a resounding YES!    Rob seemed to enjoy chatting with the attendees, who marveled at his handiwork. 

I stopped along our tour route to photograph this giant Russian sage, Pervoskia atriplicifolia…never seen one this large 5′ tall and 10′ wide.

Join the fun in 2018

1 thought on “More highlights from Denver”

  1. We are very blessed to have wonderful plantsmen—and plantswomen–in Denver and throughout the West. Hope your visit was great and that you were able to witness some nice clouds and sunsets.

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