Pueblo's midway xeric garden: a chaotic masterpiece of recycled art

The final garden showcased at the Pueblo Open Days Tour was a revelation – the Midway Xeric Garden, a defiant celebration of unconventional design nestled within the historic ‘Blocks’ neighborhood.

A desert oasis in the rockies

From the moment I drove into this area, I knew this would be the standout. A vividly painted brick house stood alongside a small park teeming with sculptures crafted from reclaimed materials. It’s clear that whoever calls this place home has a deep appreciation for the unexpected, a willingness to embrace a delightfully chaotic aesthetic.

The centerpiece? An agave in full, Dr. Seuss-esque bloom, its spike imprinted dramatically on the sidewalk under the noonday sun. A companion agave stood as a stark, weathered testament to its completed cycle, a natural sculpture in its own right.

Alongside, a flowering horned poppy stubbornly clung to a rocky crevice, seemingly oblivious to the intense Colorado heat. A potted golden barrel cactus soaked up the sun, a clear indication of its owner’s passion. And, of course, a strikingly striped lizard, posing patiently for a photograph with my daughter – a common sight amongst the garden's rocky inhabitants.

Photography presented a challenge, the harsh midday light necessitating careful framing. However, the overall impression is one of unbridled eclecticism – a garden perched atop a dramatic bluff, offering distant views framed by a swing arbor and a remarkable concrete portal.

Decoding bobby’s concrete riddle

My attention was immediately drawn to the portal. Its surface was covered in a sequence of numbers: 4.66920160910. I inquired with the owner, Bobby, about its significance. His response? ‘Google it.’

A quick search revealed a complex mathematical concept – Feigenbaum constants – linked to chaos theory. Bobby, a physicist by training, explained it as a measure of a system’s transition from order to chaos. It’s a rather profound observation, wouldn't you agree? Gardeners, after all, are perpetually battling the forces of nature, striving for order amidst a landscape determined to revert to wildness.

The garden itself showcases Bobby's remarkable handiwork – concrete walls, a shed, the portal, and tinted patio pavers, all crafted using upcycled concrete from a former swimming pool. Seriously, the ingenuity is astounding.

He’s even constructed a miniature concrete mixer on site, testament to his self-sufficiency. This blue patio, adorned with painted numbers, is a prime example of his resourceful approach.

Inside the greenhouse, prickly pears, resembling miniature giraffes, stretched towards the windows, as if yearning for escape. A rubble wall of broken concrete provided a haven for succulents, agaves, and cacti, shaded by a triangular metal roof. Bobby winterizes the structure meticulously, ensuring his tender plants survive the harsh Colorado winters.

Beyond the greenhouse, stairs descend to the street below, leading to walls and terracing constructed from tinted concrete and gabion – a deliberate extension of the garden’s design. The dizzying view down the hillside is undeniably impressive.

Finally, a stunning ‘stone’ wall, studded with succulents, was created from broken concrete slabs – an arresting example of artistic reuse. It’s a reminder that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places, and that skilled gardeners can transform waste into wonder.

The Pueblo Open Days Tour concluded with this vibrant testament to creativity and resilience. Don’t miss a chance to explore this extraordinary space.”n