When the Garden Wakes Up or Two Hours of Magic ;)

It’s not unusual for me to leave the house while it’s still dark, chasing those first rays of sunlight breaking over the horizon. But this time was different - I wasn’t waiting for a landscape or mountain view. This time I was waiting for the sun to rise so I could capture photos of flowers. I stood outside the Denver Botanic Garden, waiting for the sun to rise while the sky was almost black and the ground was untouched by light.

 

Just a few minutes later, the sun began pouring in, and everything was transformed in an instant. Dark shadows softened, colorless shapes came alive with muted tones, not the harsh brightness of day, but the gentle colors of morning... 

That short window when the sun is still low, casting a delicate rose tint that makes everything feel almost unreal.

It was a cloudy morning, too. When the sun’s rays slipped through an opening in the clouds, they lit up only a small patch of the garden, leaving the rest in shadow. Isn’t that a beautiful moment?

Walking around the pond, I noticed how even deep red blooms seemed to glow under that fleeting morning light. For just a few minutes, the rose-tinted shade made them even more stunning, before it all disappeared and normal light took its place.

Well... it was a great morning to explore the colors of sunrise...

Many flowers were still jeweled with morning dew, sparkling as if dressed up just for the sunrise. It felt like the perfect time to slow down and seek out those tiny details.

By then, the sun had climbed high enough to break fully through the clouds, as it always does... but still stayed low enough to create this morning mood...

Some flowers remained in the shadows, looking softer, almost faded...

Others basked in the sudden light, soaking up every bit of warmth. What a contrast!

I wandered slowly, stopping wherever something caught my eye, whether it was a simple purple bloom dusted with dew, a white lily gleaming in the sun, or a tricolored flower boldly breaking the “rules” of what we expect. White? Yellow? No, this one proudly mixed its own palette. 

Simple, yes… but stunning all the same.

I want to thank Scott Dressel-Martin (click here to meet him) for making this morning in the garden possible. Letting us in early, guiding us, sharing his knowledge and experience. It was simply invaluable! Those quiet two hours before the crowds arrived felt like a gift, a small miracle I truly appreciated.

  

Just as I was leaving, I froze. A crocus? In September? I thought crocuses bloomed in spring - March or April. But no, it was an Autumn Crocus, something I’d never seen before. What a surprise! Isn’t it wonderful when nature gives you something you least expect?

Thanks ChatGPT for polishing my story :)

Photos taken on September 13, 2025.