family activities
Breathe in the blooms
Experience the smells, colors, tastes and beauty of a public garden KATIE HARRIS
T
he bright colors of May blossoms make it hard to be inside this month, so don’t! Get outside and enjoy nature at its finest with a family stroll through one of the regions public gardens. The Benson Sculpture Garden on 29th St. and Aspen Dr. in Loveland is a must see, with paved trails winding through beautiful garden areas and marshes and over bridges. Sculptures from world-renowned artists can be seen throughout the park, and benches are located throughout so you can sit and enjoy the view. Benson Sculpture Garden is open year round at no cost to guests. For more information visit www.sculptureinthepark.org/garden. The Colorado State University Flower Trial Garden is truly a sight for sore eyes, with a rainbow of blossoms taking over the lawn in front of the CSU Center for the Arts on Remington St. and E. Lake St. each spring. The garden, which is designed from scratch each year to test the success of different plants in the northern Colorado region, is open to the public daily and free of charge. For more information visit www.flowertrials.colostate.edu/. Also in Fort Collins located at 2145 Centre Ave, the Gardens on Spring Creek are a great place for families to explore a variety of landscapes. The Children’s Garden is perfect for inquisitive young minds to discover, the Garden of Eatin’ is an edible garden full of the veggies needed to grow a whole salad, and the Dahlia and Daylily Demonstration Gardens feature hundreds of varieties of blooms. The garden is open daily for the spring season at no cost, however a $2 donation is suggested. For details visit www.fcgov.com/gardens/. At the High Plains Environmental Center guests can walk miles of trails 10
| RMPARENT
enjoying views of native plants and wildlife, a 1-acre wetland, and large community garden. The center is located at 2698 Bluestem Willow Dr. in Loveland and parking for trail access is also available off Rocky Mountain Ave. in the Centerra business complex. For more information on the High Plains Environmental Center, including ways to get involved, visit www.suburbitat.org/. One of Greeley’s best-kept secrets is the Houston Gardens, located at 513 23rd Ave. The garden, which is run by the Assistance League of Greeley, is open to the public at no cost and features a community garden, 4.3 acres of scenic trails featuring natural landscape, and an abundance of wildlife. Visit www.wgcd.org/houstongardens/ for more information. Northern Water in Berthoud maintains a conservation garden that is
open to the public. The gardens contain over 700 plants and 60 turf grasses, all of which thrive in the Colorado climate without heavy water use. Signs located along the garden paths offer more information to visitors on plants for arid climates. Visit www. northernwater.org/WaterConservation/ ConservationGardens.aspx for details. On June 17 garden aficionados will have the opportunity to tour local cottage-style gardens during the 14th Annual Loveland Garden Tour and Art Show sponsored by Loveland Youth Gardeners. Stops will include sustainable gardening, container gardening, organic vegetable gardens and flower beds. Admission is $15 for adults and children 12 and under are free. Purchase tickets online at lovelandyouthgardeners.org/lovelandgarden-tour/.