Denver Botanic Gardens In Full Bloom For Summer Events

DENVER (CBS4)- The Denver Botanic Gardens is in full bloom for the summer and it's not just the plants ready for action.

Friday, June 1, is a free day at the Chatfield location. Also, the York Street location is hosting a special exhibit: Kinzuna, East Meets West.

The Kinzuna exhibit, which runs through Nov. 4, features art from two installation artists working in bamboo: Tetsunori Kawana and Stephen Talasnik.

"We're celebrating the Japanese culture here at Botanic Gardens and coincidentally the celebration is going on while we're expanding our Japanese gardens," explained Will Jones with the Gardens.

CBS4's Justin McHeffey talked with Jones about what makes the Gardens so special. Watch the first half of his report below.

"These construction fences are going to come down in about two to three weeks and we're extending our garden actually a third."

That means a new tea garden and bonsai pavilion, but there's still a favorite tradition available.

"We have a tea house where people can go in and experience an actual tea ceremony," Jones said.

An event with more Colorado flavor is set for June 8 when the Gardens will be open in the evening for "Gardens, Grapes, and Hops."

Twenty restaurants from around town as well as 20 beer brewers will be serving up their wares for an evening of fun and music in the garden.

But the location at Chatfield offers a completely different experience.

"Our York Street location is 24 acres, our Chatfield location is 750 acres. You can go to Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield and actually feel what it was like when Colorado was just a big homestead area. It gives you a very, very good feel of what country living was all about."

"We have working beehives, we have two working farms," Jones said. "It's really incredible, it's really beautiful."

LINK: botanicgardens.org