24 acres of gardens just east of Cheesman Park, blending formal European-style beds with extensive collections of the alpine and steppe plants that thrive at altitude on the Front Range. The Boettcher conservatory holds the tropicals; outside, the Japanese garden, the rock alpine garden, and a Monet-inspired water garden each repay an extended visit.
The Gardens host major outdoor concerts in summer (touring acts on the lawn between the conservatory and the lily ponds) and a popular Blossoms of Light event in December. There's also a satellite site on the plains east of town with a working farm and a tallgrass prairie restoration, if you have a car.