Denver Botanic Gardens

I never would've imagined loving a botanical garden so much! Coming from Maine I must admit that I did visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens several times and thought it was a fabulous place, but there's something about strolling through the city and then walking into this wonderworld filled with amazing plants, flowers, fountains and art pieces right in the heart of it. Not only are the original gardens beautiful, but there is a separate space just for the Children's Garden which is amazing! The first time that I went I missed a lot of it because I didn't realize how big it really is. The nice things about the Denver Botanical Gardens is that there are trees everywhere, so you are constantly surrounded by green which helps to hide some of the city view and also the crowds at times. I also liked how the Children's Gardens are so spread out that you can spread yourself out from the crowd as needed. 

I keep mentioning the crowd because yes, there seems to always be a good crowd, even when we started going in late April. But I can't complain because it is that nice that its worth venturing to over and over and finding places to play away from the most crowded spots, and come on now, this is Denver, I'm guessing I'll never go to a hot spot thats not crowded. There is a fee, but I am a lucky enough nanny to have had my charge's family buy a yearly membership so that we can go whenever we please! Check their website, too, as they offer free days every now and then (just remember that these days are even more crowded). 

There is so much to see and do and everything is so beautiful that I couldn't help myself but to take tons of pictures to share. However, the pictures don't even do justice- you must see it for yourself!

Entering the Children's Gardens

Wide pathways through a field of various flowers and plants.
Signs saying to 'look' and 'touch' are abundant.

Leave the entryway and large field to go up the small slope to Pika's Peak and a bouncy bridge,
or go under the bridge to the stream, teepees, and the lower level with a pond and picnicking area. 

So much fun on the bridge! It's actually quite entertaining watching
him explore the bridge now that he is beginning to walk on his own. 

View from the top of the bridge area overlooking the entryway (left) and large field.
Main garden to the right see picture below. Pretty nice view if I don't say so myself, lucky little shits...

Josephine intersects the parking garage (where the Children's Gardens are located on the top) and the main garden, which you can see the entry to in the left center of the picture.

Still on Pika's Peak overlooking another area to explore that includes rocks and tiny cave.
Also a nice picnicking area on the left there. 

  

The stream! Every child loves this small stream that they can splash in.There are also logs and other natural items that they can manipulate in the water (and all over the garden, too).

And although it is a fabulous spot, as you can see it fills up easily and can get pretty crowded. Plan accordingly (I usually give him about 10-15 minutes in the steam and then carry him away to where he can't see it and he gets happily busy doing other things). 

Exploring a basket of pinecones in a teepee. The sign says "Buzz like a bee",
and there are three insect vest-costumes to play with if you're into that. 

Little science spurts can be found all over. I'm sure that the more we visit the
more we'll stop to explore these little things that my young guy passes right by now (yet he is still very busy!).

Touching small purple flowers (the moment before I start saying "be gentle!")

Stream and entryway up to the right, following the path to the left to the pond and picnic area below. 

Beautiful pond! So many plants, flowers, insects, rock sculptures and more to see down here.

A small playhouse and a fountain to watch right next to a covered picnic area (to the right).

After several visits I realized that if I wore out my little guy and gave him food right at the end of our Children's Gardens visit I could cruise through the main gardens and have some some-what downtime for myself. On this day we watched a man setting up for the Chihuly Exhibit coming mid-June. This is a hand blown glass sculpture that this man is very carefully putting together. I can't wait to go back and see the rest of this amazing exhibit!