Alpine Plant Lovers – Visit The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail, Colorado

[rochelle greayer]

Have you ever seen the movie City Slickers? One of my favorite movie lines is at the end, when they come back from their big adventure, and Billy Crystal points to the smile on his face (when greeting his wife at the airport) and says, “Hey, look what I found!” and his wife asks where he found that. And he says “Colorado! Isn’t it always in the last place you look?”

I know I am being all hometown sentimental, but Of course Colorado!!

The gates to the Betty Ford Alpine Garden – part of the Vail Botanical Gardens in Colorado. Courtesy of bettyfordalpinegardens.org

Image from Vail Valley Strings

The Betty Ford Alpine Garden is in Vail, Colorado. It is the world’s highest botanical garden at an elevation of 8,250 ft. It is a beautiful place, and I am looking forward to making a stop myself as we travel the region on our camping/ glamping trip.

Betty Ford Alpine Garden Bridge in Vail, CO.

Betty Ford is perhaps better known for many other worthy contributions that she has made to our society but this garden is certainly the prettiest.

Set in Eagle County Colorado, in the heart of Vail – the gardens have extensive walking paths, alpine plants, rock gardens, and many of the flora that is unique to the high mountain region. Image from Betty Forn Alpin Gardens Instagram. @betty_ford_alpine_gardens

I love this quote from Betty Ford:

“When I was a little girl, I spent many cherished hours with my mother in her garden, She wisely marked off an area for my very own plants. As we worked together, she nurtured me as she nurtured my love of gardening. This nurturing mother-daughter relationship, with its love growing strong in a garden, has been passed along to my daughter, Susan, and her two girls.”

That was passed to me in much the same way as I hope I pass it to my children.

Eryngium, (also known as sea holly) stands beautifully with it’s striking blue stems. Image by David Blackley.

If you are interested in alpine and high altitude plants, this is a great resource, otherwise, make a visit just to enjoy a unique and beautiful Colorado garden and some spectacular scenery.

More Garden Places to Visit in Colorado and Rocky Mountain Plants:​

• Landscape Destination : Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado
• Wildlife Bridges & Colorado Pride
• Kenton Seth
• Daily Garden: My Mom’s Colorado Hillside
• Aquilegia caerulea – growing the Classic Blue Colorado Columbine

The post Alpine Plant Lovers – Visit The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail, Colorado appeared first on PITH + VIGOR by Rochelle Greayer.