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Slide Show: Mile High Gardening

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Swathes of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) at a downtown Denver park. Ornamental grasses really work in Denver’s dry, windy winter climate.

Swathes of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) at a downtown Denver park. Ornamental grasses really work in Denver’s dry, windy winter climate.

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Swathes of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) at a downtown Denver park. Ornamental grasses really work in Denver’s dry, windy winter climate.

Swathes of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) at a downtown Denver park. Ornamental grasses really work in Denver’s dry, windy winter climate.

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I had an opportunity to meet Panayoti’s friend and long-time former Denver Botanical Garden employee Sandy Snyder. Her garden brims with cold-hardy succulents, cacti, shrubby native oaks and Mahonia, and an intriguing array of cushion plants fro

I had an opportunity to meet Panayoti’s friend and long-time former Denver Botanical Garden employee Sandy Snyder. Her garden brims with cold-hardy succulents, cacti, shrubby native oaks and Mahonia, and an intriguing array of cushion plants fro

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I had an opportunity to meet Panayoti’s friend and long-time former Denver Botanical Garden employee Sandy Snyder. Her garden brims with cold-hardy succulents, cacti, shrubby native oaks and Mahonia, and an intriguing array of cushion plants fro

I had an opportunity to meet Panayoti’s friend and long-time former Denver Botanical Garden employee Sandy Snyder. Her garden brims with cold-hardy succulents, cacti, shrubby native oaks and Mahonia, and an intriguing array of cushion plants fro

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Sandy and Panayoti – long time friends and co-workers.

Sandy and Panayoti – long time friends and co-workers.

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Sandy and Panayoti – long time friends and co-workers.

Sandy and Panayoti – long time friends and co-workers.

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One of many gorgeous cold-hardy rock garden plants. I need a reminder on the name of this charming plant!

One of many gorgeous cold-hardy rock garden plants. I need a reminder on the name of this charming plant!

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One of many gorgeous cold-hardy rock garden plants. I need a reminder on the name of this charming plant!

One of many gorgeous cold-hardy rock garden plants. I need a reminder on the name of this charming plant!

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Sandy has an extraordinary lawn of buffalo grass – apparently a sheet of multi-colored species crocus and adorable, miniscule narcissus in spring. I caught the very tail end of the show but it was still beautiful!

Sandy has an extraordinary lawn of buffalo grass – apparently a sheet of multi-colored species crocus and adorable, miniscule narcissus in spring. I caught the very tail end of the show but it was still beautiful!

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Sandy has an extraordinary lawn of buffalo grass – apparently a sheet of multi-colored species crocus and adorable, miniscule narcissus in spring. I caught the very tail end of the show but it was still beautiful!

Sandy has an extraordinary lawn of buffalo grass – apparently a sheet of multi-colored species crocus and adorable, miniscule narcissus in spring. I caught the very tail end of the show but it was still beautiful!

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The crevice rock garden in Sandy Snyder’s front garden. In another couple of weeks, it should be bright with sub-alpine flowers.

The crevice rock garden in Sandy Snyder’s front garden. In another couple of weeks, it should be bright with sub-alpine flowers.

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The crevice rock garden in Sandy Snyder’s front garden. In another couple of weeks, it should be bright with sub-alpine flowers.

The crevice rock garden in Sandy Snyder’s front garden. In another couple of weeks, it should be bright with sub-alpine flowers.

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Early Pulsatilla flowers at the drought-tolerant public display gardens at Kendrick Lake

Early Pulsatilla flowers at the drought-tolerant public display gardens at Kendrick Lake

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Early Pulsatilla flowers at the drought-tolerant public display gardens at Kendrick Lake

Early Pulsatilla flowers at the drought-tolerant public display gardens at Kendrick Lake

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Gardens at Kendrick Lake – looking spare in late March, but soon to be engulfed in sheets of bright flowering bulbs, cushion plants, cactus blossoms and perennials.

Gardens at Kendrick Lake – looking spare in late March, but soon to be engulfed in sheets of bright flowering bulbs, cushion plants, cactus blossoms and perennials.

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Gardens at Kendrick Lake – looking spare in late March, but soon to be engulfed in sheets of bright flowering bulbs, cushion plants, cactus blossoms and perennials.

Gardens at Kendrick Lake – looking spare in late March, but soon to be engulfed in sheets of bright flowering bulbs, cushion plants, cactus blossoms and perennials.

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Acres of sinewy gravel beds, thickly planted with drought-tolerant plants, provide Denver residents with a spectacular palette of environmentally suitable plants.

Acres of sinewy gravel beds, thickly planted with drought-tolerant plants, provide Denver residents with a spectacular palette of environmentally suitable plants.

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Acres of sinewy gravel beds, thickly planted with drought-tolerant plants, provide Denver residents with a spectacular palette of environmentally suitable plants.

Acres of sinewy gravel beds, thickly planted with drought-tolerant plants, provide Denver residents with a spectacular palette of environmentally suitable plants.

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Love the handsome olive-green foliage on this Agave rupicola – a species that was unscathed by particularly brutal early and late frosts this past winter.

Love the handsome olive-green foliage on this Agave rupicola – a species that was unscathed by particularly brutal early and late frosts this past winter.

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Love the handsome olive-green foliage on this Agave rupicola – a species that was unscathed by particularly brutal early and late frosts this past winter.

Love the handsome olive-green foliage on this Agave rupicola – a species that was unscathed by particularly brutal early and late frosts this past winter.

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A gorgeous purple Opuntia cactus at Kendrick Lake gardens

A gorgeous purple Opuntia cactus at Kendrick Lake gardens

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A gorgeous purple Opuntia cactus at Kendrick Lake gardens

A gorgeous purple Opuntia cactus at Kendrick Lake gardens

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Chatfield houses the stock and propagation greenhouses for the Denver Botanical Gardens. Panayoti checks out trial plants here, including his recent collections from Kazakhstan.

Chatfield houses the stock and propagation greenhouses for the Denver Botanical Gardens. Panayoti checks out trial plants here, including his recent collections from Kazakhstan.

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Chatfield houses the stock and propagation greenhouses for the Denver Botanical Gardens. Panayoti checks out trial plants here, including his recent collections from Kazakhstan.

Chatfield houses the stock and propagation greenhouses for the Denver Botanical Gardens. Panayoti checks out trial plants here, including his recent collections from Kazakhstan.

I recently returned from a trip to Denver to spend time with family. And while the main reason for my trip was family-related, it soon became a joint horticultural mission (as my travels inevitably do). So my first phone call on arrival was to Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator and Outreach Director of the Denver Botanical Garden. And what started as a modest garden tour soon morphed into a fantastic plunge into a small but very interesting corner…