at the denver botanic gardens: corpse flower + butterfield + everything else

Late this afternoon, upon hearing the corpse flower was beginning to bloom, I dropped everything and ran over to the Botanic Gardens. I mean that literally. I dropped my magazine on the floor and ran down the street, made a right turn, and headed in the direction of the garden’s main gate. The live stream had been running on my computer screen all day, but I wanted to see this in person. It’s not everyday you get to view an Amorphophallus titanium bloom! The event is a rare occurrence and annually only about 5-10 plants bloom in captivity worldwide. I’m not sure how frequently they bloom in nature, but the plant’s native habitat in Sumatra (Indonesia) is being destroyed at a record pace, so I’m sure blooms in the wild are down in number. 

This particular event will mark the first bloom in Denver and the Rocky Mountain states, which is pretty exciting if you live here and giant blooming plants are your thing. Oh, and the plant will release an odor (really, a stench) that smells like a rotting corpse for approximately 48 hours in order to attract its pollinators (the carrion beetle), so there’s that too…

Anyway, about 10 minutes after leaving my home I was standing in front of the giant plant (see below). It was so exciting, as I've been watching it grow in size over the past few weeks. But it became clear that the unraveling at the pinnacle had stopped and the grand finale would be saved for another evening. Not wanting to waste an opportunity to check out the garden's Deborah Butterfield exhibit in its entirety, I walked around in search of her beautiful cast bronze horse sculptures. They are installed throughout the gardens, posed in various positions and against a range of natural backdrops. And they are gorgeous!

I hope you enjoy these photos! I enjoyed taking them with my new camera, which was an early birthday gift from husband (about 5 months ahead of the really big day since my old camera just broke). I’m still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles, but I think I’m off to a good start!

xx,

B

Click here for a live stream of the corpse flower bloom at the DBG.

And here for additional information, courtesy of National Geographic.

 

friday favorites: succulent + cactus planters (you're welcome)

Succulents + cacti are a great way to add a bit of texture and green to a room. After a string of rather unforuntate plant-related issues, my succulent collection is (finally!) thriving. And if I can care for these little cuties, you can too!

Here's a wrap-up of some awesome planters that will satisfy your design cravings and serve as a little home for your cacti or succulent.

Please let me know if you have any favorites that were omitted. Cuz you know, I'm always in need of another planter!

1. Boxcar from Revolution Design House

2. Hive Ballast planter from Light + Ladder

3. Hex Spora from Light + Ladder

4. Hexagon Pot from Ferm Living

5. Pastel Mini Planter from Leif

6. Terrarium Collection spotted on Oh So Pretty

7. Faceted Hanging Tray from Pigeon Toe Ceramics

8. Hanging planters from Tina Frey Designs

Thank you Carly Loman (of DLD PR) for your collage assistance!
Please note: I have no financial or business relationship with any of these companies. I just l-o-v-e what they're doing!