Denver Botanic Gardens

10/22/2026

🎉 Big news! Our 2027 art exhibitions schedule is live! 🎉

❇️ The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art
February 20 – June 11, 2027
More than 100 Art Nouveau objects ranging from the late 1800s to 1927, including glass, works on paper, silver, furniture, brass, ceramics, jewelry, porcelain and books. Organized by the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.

❇️ The Book of Flowers: Paintings by Fatima Ronquillo
July 3 – November 28, 2027
Lush paintings in a style that combines Old Master techniques with a modern sensibility feature opulently dressed figures posed among plants and animals.

❇️ The Rugged Sublime: Mountains, Sun and Sea by J. M. W. Turner
July 10 – November 28, 2027
Engravings depict real locations, including many that are reminiscent of Colorado’s mountain landscapes. Turner (1785-1851) was an English painter, watercolorist and printmaker. Works on loan from the Muskegon Museum of Art.

❇️ Delita Martin: The Songkeepers
July 10, 2027 – January 9, 2028
Prints of the imagined island of Ebon, which is inhabited by Black women, are made with plant dyes and include botanical motifs that are informed by time she spent exploring the Gardens grounds collections.

❇️ Rafael López: Un Proceso Hermoso
December 11, 2027 – May 7, 2028
A collection of vibrant illustrations of plants, animals and landscapes that were included in children's books.

10/22/2026

10/21/2026

Trigger warning: BUGS! 🪰🤢  Test the pH of our pitcher plants with Vanessa the Nerdy Naturalist and see what’s inside! No bugs were harmed in the making of this video. We can’t really say the same about the pitcher plants... But hey, plants are gonna plant! 💚🍽️🫠

10/20/2026

🏵️💀💖 Come together as a community to honor ancestors and loved ones who have passed at Día de los Mu***os at Civic Center, presented by Denver Botanic Gardens.

Join us at Denver's Civic Center Park on Sat., Oct. 24 from noon - 7 p.m. for a free, family-friendly event celebrating the rich traditions of Día de los Mu***os with art, dance, food and community.

While you’re there, don’t miss the colorful calacas and catrinas sculptures created and designed by local artists on loan from Denver Botanic Gardens.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4e5ZCvZ

Activities:
- Large community ofrenda
- Community altars
- Art installations
- Music and dance
- Tianguis / marketplace
- Mexican and Latin American food
- Family-friendly activities
- Sunset procession
- And more!

The event is produced by Civic Center Conservancy and Manos Sagrados, led by Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo, in collaboration with Colorful Colorado Collaborations, Kalpulli Calli Tecpatl, and Ritual Cravt.

10/19/2026

BAT BLOOM ALERT🦇 🌿 You heard that right! Meet Tacca chantrieri, commonly known as the black bat flower.

A member of the yam family (Dioscoreaceae), this unusual plant stands out with its black flowers, batwing-shaped bracts, whisker-like bracteoles and mysterious pollination strategy.

🖤 Its lack of colorful flowers and a strong fragrance has left researchers puzzled.

🪰 Most seeds are believed to form through self-pollination. Researchers theorize that the plant may once have attracted pollinators with a foul odor or relied on a now-extinct pollinator.

🦇 Its large, modified leaves, called bracts, resemble bat wings and can span up to 12 inches across.

🐈‍⬛ Its dramatic, whisker-like bracteoles can grow 8 to 28 inches long.

🧲 A recent study hypothesized that the bracts' color patterns and the flickering motion of the bracteoles may mimic the movement of mammals that midges (the most common visitor to bat plants) typically feed on.

Researchers continue to explore the purpose of this flower's extraordinary features, but one thing is certain... this is a one-of-a-kind bloom!

This gothic beauty is on view inside the Orangery, where its bloom will last for the next several weeks. Just in time for spooky season! 👻 🖤

10/15/2026

Many hands make light work! 🔪 🎃 💪 Swipe through to watch our pumpkins transform into glowing works of art!

Glow at the Gardens™ features A TON* of freshly carved jack-o'-lanterns and larger-than-life pumpkin sculptures throughout the Gardens. And yes, we mean FRESH! 🎃✨

Our incredible team of volunteers and professional carvers has just TWO AND A HALF DAYS to carve the pumpkins and bring every display to life. Talk about a gourd deal of work! 😉

Glow at the Gardens™
🗓️ Thu-Sun, Oct. 15-18 & Wed-Sat, Oct. 21-24
🕟 5:30-9 p.m.
🎟️ Get your tickets: https://bit.ly/4iioQcG

*Please don't ask us exactly how many pumpkins. We don't have time to count! We have pumpkins to carve! 🤣🔪🎃

10/14/2026

Meet Denbo! 🤎 🍁 🍪 This little "Keebler elf" appears at the first sign of fall and hides again when the last leaf drops. 🍂

The good news? Fall color will last for a few more weeks in the Bill Hosokawa Bonsai Pavilion. But don't wait too long! Some leaves are already dropping fast, and the colors are changing by the day. Take heed! Denbo and his fall foliage won't stick around forever! 👀

Plant ID: 1. 𝘈𝘤𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘮 𝘴𝘴𝘱. 𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘢, Amur Maple. In training since 2015. 2. 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢, Fleshy Hawthorn. In training since 2016. 3. 𝘙𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘳. 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘢, Skunkbush sumac

10/10/2026

Pumpkin (the cat) Then ➡️ Now

Happy from Pumpkin, our working cat! Pumpkin Festival at Chatfield Farms is happening now, Saturday – Sunday, Oct. 10-11, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms.

⬇️ Everything you need to know ⬇️

Pick the perfect pumpkin from our 10-acre patch, find your way through the 8-acre Corn Maze, shop local craft and artisan booths, take a hayride, enjoy live music, food and b**r, carnival games and so much more!

- Advance tickets are recommended to secure your preferred date and entry time.
- Pumpkin prices range from $2-$15 depending on size and variety.
- Credit card or debit card payments ONLY for pumpkin sales.
- It is recommended to bring a wagon to transport pumpkins, a blanket or chairs to sit on and a bag to shop the vendors.
- Free pumpkin daycare is available while you enjoy the rest of the festival.
- You must purchase a Pumpkin Festival ticket to access the Corn Maze this weekend.

Secure your tickets: https://bit.ly/4i2fDoS

10/07/2026

🎵 "I ain't afraid of no ghosts." 🎵

The historic Waring House on the grounds of our York Street location was declared a Denver landmark in 1973. It received its unofficial haunted landmark designation by staff much, much earlier. 👻

We dare you to join us for "Ghosts in the Gardens," a self-guided tour that takes you through the first floor of Waring House (and other spots throughout the Gardens) where you'll hear first-hand staff accounts of real supernatural encounters! Get tickets 👉 https://bit.ly/4AGW5xH

Ghosts in the Gardens
🗓️ Oct. 9-10, 20, 28-31; Various Hours
🕰️ Arrival times vary by date

Photos courtesy of the Gardens' Helen Fowler Library archive.