Panayoti Kelaidis, Denver, CO

Panayoti, senior curator and the director of outreach at Denver Botanic Gardens, has lectured in twelve countries and 150 cities and serves as a spokesman for Denver Botanic Gardens as well as for Denver’s extensive regional green industry. He began his current high-altitude garden in 1994; since then, almost every square inch has been reworked. It contains more than 6,000 kinds of plants, from giant trees to tiny alpine cushions, and is home to the widest spectrum of biodiversity one can shoehorn into a half acre. It sits on a hill and has magnificent views of the Front Range mountains, from Pikes Peak to north of Longs Peak. Panayoti has been an Open Days garden host several times and has served as ambassador for Denver Open Days. In conjunction with Garden Conservancy Open Days in 2009, 2010, and 2012, he also coordinated special lectures at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

“A certain amour-propre (dare we not say braggadocio!) inspires one to show off and share their garden. To put it more generously, when you find something marvelous and beautiful, you can’t help but want others to share in the experience.”