At 8,250 feet above sea level, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is the highest botanical garden in North America and perhaps the world — providing free access to an estimated 100,000 visitors annually. The gardens are open dawn to dusk year-round and is host to the education center, as well as a myriad programs for both adults and children. Through the decades, the gardens have maintained a collaborative spirit in programming efforts, bringing together artists, horticulturalists, chefs, garden enthusiasts, yoga instructors and visitors of all ages as they contribute to the garden’s own culture and ecosystem.
2019 events include:
Betty’s Market | Saturdays June 1 — Nov. 2
Come explore the brand new Betty’s Market located in the Children’s Garden to learn where your produce comes from and maybe even walk home with a new recipe.
Exposed: The Secret Life of Roots | June 28 — Nov. 2
Actual 20-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling perennial roots will fill the education center demonstrating the amazing functions and interactions of roots with soil and agriculture. Photographic panels by world-renowned National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson installed inside the Education Center and in the gardens will highlight the importance of roots.
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Women Farmers Photo Exhibit | Varied dates and locations
National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson has beautifully captured women farmers in their fields. The work will be displayed at libraries around the valley.
Butterfly Launch | May 23
Celebrating 29 years, this program has taught over 15,000 students about the miracle of metamorphosis.
Roots Family Discovery Tour | June 1 — Oct. 19
Explore Betty Ford Alpine Gardens with the whole family by following the clues from our new discovery tour. Learn a couple fun facts about roots and take a treasure home when you complete the hunt.
Yoga in the Gardens | June 17 — Sept. 2 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Apres at the Gardens
Presentations by notable scientists, artists, naturalists and scholars.
Changing 10,000 Years of Agriculture: Crops with Roots | June 27
Eagle County’s Long Agricultural History | Aug. 15
Farming’s People and History | Sept. 19
Garden Master Workshops
Public workshops on various subjects for the mountain gardener.
Growing Your Roots | May 13
Trough planting with Dominque | June 14
Glenda Wentworth, CSU extension — Preserving Food | June 15
Home Composting with Honeywagon | July 15
Pruning with Bill Stufflebeem | Aug. 12
Garden Cleanup the Right Way with Colin | Sept. 16
Chefs in the Gardens | Thursdays July 11 — Aug. 15
Six cooking demonstrations by some of the valley’s most celebrated chefs.
Guided Garden tours | May 27 — Aug. 31 (Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.)
Volunteer Gardening | May 13 — Sept. 18 (Mondays, Thursdays)
Exclusive Member events
Members are the foundational support to protect and preserve the gardens. Member benefits include complimentary access to over 300 botanical gardens across the country, discounts in the gardens’ gift shops, access to exclusive member-only events and more. Join today to secure an invitation to these exclusive member events.
Member Breakfast and Roots Grand Opening | June 27
This members-only event will feature a behind the scenes look at the highly anticipated “Exposed: The Secret Life of Roots” exhibit and a chance to meet lead scientist Tim Crews of the Land Institute.
Garden Soiree | July 23
An elegant evening in the gardens before the Bravo! Vail New York Philharmonic show, featuring the reveal of the new interpretative outdoor exhibits.
Tea on the Terrace | Aug. 19
An afternoon celebration of tea featuring a presentation on the history of tea and sampling of gourmet teas.
The 2019 programs are in addition to an over $100,000 update to the outdoor gardens planned for spring 2019. Eye-opening interpretive signage will clue visitors into the unique characteristics of alpine plants and Rocky Mountain ecosystems as well as an internationally recognized plant collection that includes over 700 globally threatened species.