What if you found a wee bit of wilderness
What if you could help that sacred bit of earth thrive?
That’s the dream of SummerHome Garden.
At 651 South Vine Street, in the urban Wash Park neighborhood, there’s a LOT, but no house. Instead, you’ll find a pocket park with 8000 bulbs, grasses, trees, shrubs, wildflowers and succulents, all divinely-designed to thrive in our challenging Colorado climate.
Who Made This Happen?
Lisa Negri, Founder
Meet Lisa, lover of plants, seeds, and global travel. As a past environmental engineer and entrepreneur, Lisa is passionate about science and math. And since she began volunteering at Denver Botanic Gardens back in 2016, she’s become excited to apply those principles to a more creative pursuit. Lisa is now dedicated to helping others understand how we can thrive—one plant, one butterfly, one bee and one bird at a time.
“I’m thrilled to offer this open space as a gift to my urban neighborhood. Please enjoy–take time to breathe, grow and thrive!”
What’s Growing?
Sage
Redbud Trees
California Poppies
Purple Grass
Tall Red Trumpets
Blue Flax Bush
Cutleaf Sumac
California Bluebells
Sand Cherries
Yucca & Agave
Water Responsible
Once established, these plants will thrive with natural rainfall. No irrigation needed.
“The design for SummerHome Garden was modeled on graffiti, a type of wild, surprising expression that is a perfect starting point for a naturalistic garden. By densely planting and seeding steppe-adapted plants, we created a novel plant community suited for Denver’s climate with tons of potential for change.”
— Kevin Philip Williams
SummerHome Garden Designer
& Horticulture Specialist at Denver Botanic Gardens
This garden has been a labor of love from many people. Special thanks to Norm for building and installing the bee hotels, to Emilie for painting them and to Scarlett for inspiring the SummerHome logo design.
“I donated my time because of my love of art and desire to help and become involved in the community. Art is an outlet that connects individuals and communities.”
— Emilie
