Harvesting the Alleys of Denver

Recently I had what I thought was an inspired and original idea. I decided to plant mint in my alley behind the garage. Mint is a great summer herb that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, but it’s notorious for its ability to creep well past where you intend for it to grow. By planting it in the alley, under that cute little downspout my builder installed, I figured it could grow as it pleases, would get some natural water from the spout, and I wouldn’t need to worry about it.

As it turns out, my idea isn’t really all that original. Whether by design or by accident, many alleys in Denver are home to a wide variety of herbs and other edible plants. One short walk in my own neighborhood taught me that mint has clearly been growing in these alleys for years.

If you’d like to take advantage of learning how to harvest what’s growing in your own neighborhoods, check out the “Urban Foraging” Alley Walk class offered by Denver Botanic Gardens this Saturday, June 19th, from 10-12 in the morning. In the class you’ll not only learn how to select what’s safe to eat, you’ll also build an “alley salad” to share with the group. Visit the Denver Botanic Gardens website for details and registration.