Mission and History of the Durango Botanical Society The Durango Botanical Society is committed to the design and development of public gardens throughout Southwest Colorado for the purposes of education and demonstration Founded in 2010 By a group of volunteer garden enthusiasts. This quote was their mantra. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead Taking this one step further, never believe that a few caring people can't change Durango . For, indeed, that is what is happening here.

We started with a colorful general garden plan and a vision. Our Vision: If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

Today an award-winning garden compliments the library and the trail.  

Awards and Recognitions Plant Select Demonstration Garden Plant Select Test Facility Plant Select Growing Partner Showcase Garden Award by (CSU, Plant Select and Denver Botanic Gardens) The Golden Shovel Award American Public Garden Association Selected as # 5 in the 11 Rock Gardens of Colorado that was awarded and published by the North American Rock Garden Society Audubon Garden and Education Partner North America Rock Garden Society Member Habitat Hero Garden awarded by the Rocky Mountain Audubon Society

Why stop there? Our strategic plan dictated a new public garden plan should be started in 2015. We started to explore opportunities and sites for a new garden. While researching our new project we found a Chinese proverb, “a book is like a garden in your pocket”, we realized this was our fate. The library has been a great partner so it seemed only natural that we would develop a new plan at the library. So we don’t stop there, we work our way up the trail.

Why build a public garden at the library? There are several ways that this project will impact the community. Public Gardens are designed eco systems that benefit humankind and the natural world. Lessons we need to pass on to other generations as they become more involved in a cyber world.

More reasons to build public gardens The library and the gardens are community gathering places in the best sense of the word. There can be singular connections or large group connections.

Even more reasons There are several ways that this project will impact the community. Public gardens are non-profit cultural institutions that have missions focusing on science, plants, art and technology through horticulture education, therapy, entertainment and lifestyle enrichment.

Impacts Innovation and Growth The Durango Botanic Gardens What will be new? Impacts Innovation and Growth The newer gardens developed around the world use state-of-the-art communication devices to make sure they attract all age groups. PMT’s! (personal mobile technology). Mobile tours for gardens. Phone App rolled out in September of 2018 Technology plays a big role in new public garden development and education. Creating a connection between the library and the garden ensures that the gardens focus on the education and development of future generations that value nature and reading. Connecting our gardens and library to other institutions ensures relevance and variety. That’s right! Connecting to the outside world. Get Connected The Durango Botanic Gardens This garden will meet those standards. Therefore we expect to extend all of the same benefits that large public gardens provide to their communities. We also expect this evolving process to be embraced by the library as they are the center of this project.

What impact will we have besides creating a happier world? Economic impacts are relevant as visitors learn about the garden and visit it. Tourist dollars are spent when someone stays longer and lingers in a community that has features such as a garden, museum, library or cultural center. Healthy communities have thriving public gardens, libraries and trails. Durango will have the best of both worlds. These gardens are connected by the trail and will be connected to the world. Garden tours are learning tools that are fun! Sometimes we just need to have fun! . Convenient community features people look for when relocating to an area are museums, public gardens, art related facilities, trails and libraries that welcome all age groups.

Durango Botanic Gardens at the Library A new public garden project by the Durango Botanical Society.

Meet the TEAM Meet the team: Durango Botanic Garden Committee John Anderson DBS President Camilla Potter DBS Board Secretary Theresa Anderson DBS Board Member Cindy Smart Executive Director Jane Collard Gould Lisa Bourey Erik Lewis Landscape Designer Landscape Designer Landscape Contractor

The Beauty of Nature and Public Gardens Team Vision The Beauty of Nature and Public Gardens Public gardens celebrate the seasons and are open all year. Lights create a whimsical festive look to this garden path in the winter. Public gardens offer peaceful meditative places to rejuvenate your spirits or a place to read a book. The random look of these gardens were actually planned this way.

The Beauty of Nature and Public Gardens Team Vision The Beauty of Nature and Public Gardens The world is full of beautiful places that nature bestowed upon us. Public gardens replicate these scenes so that more people can enjoy the beauty of nature. This public alpine botanic garden allows visitors to enjoy a natural alpine setting on easy to walk pathways. . We are designing a natural setting with an assortment of natural hardscapes, appropriate plants, flowers and trees that attract birds and butterflies . Finish that off with majestic views and a river running through it, all of this under the eave of our beautiful library is surely a plan for success.

The Beauty of Nature and Public Gardens Team Vision The Beauty of Nature and Public Gardens The comfort of being in touch with nature whether in the wild or a public garden lets you know you’re welcome there. Like our library a garden is a community gathering place to be enjoyed by many. A place to yourself in a book or have contemplative thoughts on a garden bench.

The Arboretums Along the Trail The Zen Garden The Arboretums Along the Trail Arboretums Along the Trail Arboreta Miniature Tree Garden

The Arboretum Gardens Along the Trail will be developed to offer an additional retreat at the library. A place to read or enjoy a garden space and shade. The Crevice Gardens Along the Trail and the Gabbro Miniature Conifer Gardens were developed in 2016 and lead up to the Arboretum. These gardens are all on the trail and lead to the library entrance. These gardens will offer education and an opportunity for scientific study. We have worked with the city to develop a tree list that will be drought tolerant and also have fire mitigation qualities. The Arboreta: A large tree arboretum specifically planted for education and scientific study. The Miniature Tree Garden: An arboretum that shows smaller trees and shrubs suitable for mini garden areas or small compact gardens. Next to develop the Literary Garden and the Zen Garden.

Arboreta Arboretum Gardens

Part of our general marketing statements.

The Durango Botanic Gardens The Literary Gardens The Literary Gardens highlight authors who celebrated gardens.

The Literary Garden has six pods. Six Garden Pods The Classic Garden The Contemporary Garden The Indigenous Garden The Regional Garden The Youth Garden The DBS Selection and Rotating Garden

The Durango Botanic Gardens The Zen Garden A haiku Station connected to the world. A tree’s laughter is the same as a child’s. Can you hear it? A sunset waiting for a haiku poet now……. perching crow waits too. A place for yoga Waterfall made from a Japanese Torii gate Meditative walkways

The Durango Botanic Gardens at the Library showing the connection between the Library Demonstration Garden and the new gardens. And we are in the news again New Gardens

The Durango Botanic Gardens at the Library showing the new connection between the Library Demonstration Garden

2018 Events This year we have been very busy developing new gardens. We will have pop up events as time allows. Remember there are tours of the gardens every Saturday morning at 9 that start in the Demonstration Garden. You will tour the: Demonstration Garden The Crevice Garden Along the Trail The Gabbro Miniature Conifer Garden ( A wind garden concept by Lisa Bourey and Erik Lewis ) The Miniature Tree Garden Here are some events we have planned in late 2018: August 28th Bee Seminar at the Rec Center 6-8pm October 13th The Annual Bulb Sale at La Plata County Fairgrounds 9-3 September 28th The Arboretum Garden Dedication Check online for more information.

What’s Happened So Far! Strategic Plan Implementation for 2016 City MOU, Committee Development The Garden Design, Bids, Contractor Time-line Public Viewing of Plans

What’s Happening Now! Strengthen our partnership with the city and the library Schedule Commission and Board Reviews Start Scheduling Public Viewings, Community Fund Raising, Start the Crowd Sourcing and here we go

What’s Happens Next! Start researching technology and developing interactive signage and apps Seek new art and develop the art-on-loan program Develop the outline for purpose and use of space Set up lines of communication Who’s in charge?

What this garden means to everyone. Across the world, public gardens have preserved social memory and a sense of space. They have found a way to forge important therapeutic, academic, conservation and civic programs. We believe it is incumbent on us to be the responsible stewards of our heritage, that we should be the advocates of future innovations and we should foster opportunity for education and personal enrichment by building public gardens in Durango.

Everlasting Gardens Our region is a magnet for national and international tourism because of it’s rare beauty, National Parks, State Parks and year- round recreation opportunities. Again and again, public gardens have proven to be positive economic drivers in the communities they serve. Like these parks, the gardens last for generations.

Join us in the cause of cultivating a vision, a purpose, a garden, a place of learning, a place for gathering, a community inheritance, a cultural icon, a beacon of tolerance and hope in connection and meaning while emanating utopic growth.