One of Salt Lake City's best-kept secrets is Red Butte Garden, above the University of Utah at the mouth of Red Butte Canyon. The garden and the canyon are named for an exposed vein of red sandstone. Early pioneers quarried this namesake rock, and it became the foundations, walls and curbs for many prominent Salt Lake City buildings.
The garden has been built in phases. I was there when the gardens were first started, and despite the fact that this reveals my age, I have loved watching them grow over the years.
From a small grove of native trees, these dynamic gardens have expanded into wonderful collections of ornamental grasses, perennials, day lilies and other flowers. The prominent floral walk features hundreds of flowers of all kinds mingled with native and introduced trees.
Mandy Self, director of horticultural education, enthusiastically promotes the gardens in many different ways. She has a rich educational background from North Carolina and Maryland, and she shares that with gardeners and others in the Beehive State.
She invites people to come to the garden often. "Many flowers are now at their peak. The spring bulbs are still showing wonderful color as are many of the spring flowering trees like the crab apples and service berries," she said.
For a look around the garden she recommends the Dumke Floral Walk. "Right now, the walk is incredible. Look for the hundreds of different spring flowers in bloom. They line the walk and are wonderfully fragrant.
"Right now, the daphnes are just finishing blooming. The peonies are just coming into bloom and the threadleaf peonies in our collection are particularly attractive."
Red Butte has no shortage of flora, with more than 20,000 plants and 1,500 species. The gardens cover more than 150 acres. It's the largest botanical garden in the Intermountain area that tests, displays and interprets regional horticulture.
The four-season garden greets visitors as they exit the visitors center. These displays are constantly changing and offer a striking contrast with the hills in the background and the sandstone pavers and benches. Stroll the herb-filled upper gardens, including the medicinal garden and the fragrance garden.
Look for the newest project, which is just now beginning to take shape. The orangery will be a conservatory that will show plants from far-off environs that could not survive our harsh winters. It will delight young and old alike when the cold dreary winter days are again upon us.
Red Butte is a garden to be savored. Plan a leisurely visit to indulge your senses. The obvious delights are visual with mixtures of rock and water, trees and flowers and majestic mountain backdrops certain to please the eyes no matter what direction you look.
The other senses are stimulated more subtly. The sounds of water from Red Butte Creek pouring over the falls and the wind whispering through the trees make you feel as though you have left the city far behind. Fragrance comes from the myriad flowers and the wonderfully aromatic herbs. The delights change as you stroll from one venue to another.
These gardens have a wonderful sense of feel, with use of texture that most gardens do not enjoy. Red sandstone is there in rich abundance, but so is weathered trestle lumber from the bridges in the Great Salt Lake. Look for the delightful ground covers, the topiary figures in the children's garden and many other materials and plants to add to the tactile sensations.
The sense of taste is not quite as prominent, but watch the educational offerings for cooking demonstrations and other activities. Leave the actual tasting of the plants to the deer and other pests that try to destroy the gardeners handiwork.
Relax in the gardens and learn about the plants. From native to introduced, from small wildflowers to mature majestic trees, from striking annuals to subtle perennials, these gardens are a pleasure to visit. Much of the foothills and the upper areas are managed as a natural area for educational and conservation purposes. Visitors can see firsthand what plants will survive with little or no supplemental water in our area.
Visit these wonderful gardens for an hour or a day. Come back as the seasons change to enjoy and learn about the plants and animals that make our gardens.