Denver Botanic Gardens, Botanical garden in Denver, United States.
The Denver Botanic Gardens covers 23 acres in the Cheesman Park neighborhood, with a conservatory, theme gardens and a sunken amphitheater. Its Japanese garden, Shofu-en, centres on a dark pond ringed by rocks and shrubs, crossed by a small stone slab bridge, with a leaning pine overhanging the water and a tall building reflected in it.
Founded in 1951, the gardens grew from their initial location and became one of the main centers for plant conservation and research in Colorado. The grounds continue to serve scientific and educational purposes today.
Shofu-en, the Garden of Wind and Pines, was designed by Koichi Kawana with Kai Kwahara. A stone slab bridge crosses the dark pond, and a leaning pine extends its branches over the water, reflecting the tall building behind. The garden appears in Woody Allen's 1973 film Sleeper.
The gardens are open daily, though certain areas have limited wheelchair accessibility for visitors with mobility needs. Maps and guides available at the entrance help visitors navigate the different sections.
In 1986, the first Xeriscape Demonstration Garden was created here, introducing water-efficient landscaping adapted to Colorado's dry climate. This approach later influenced garden design practices across the region.
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