Posted August 6, 2026
Denver Botanic Gardens announces that Larry Vickerman, Director of Chatfield Farms, will retire in late 2026, after leading the site through fundamental growth and success for the past 21 years. Under Vickerman’s leadership, the 700-acre Chatfield Farms in Littleton has blossomed into a south-suburban destination for horticulture, regenerative agriculture and special events with highlights including:
- More than 233,000 annual visitors
- Expanded visitor spaces such as the Robert and Judi Newman Welcome Center, Earl J. Sinnamon Center and private event venues
- A Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) that was one of the first of its kind for a public garden in the U.S. when it launched in 2010
- More than 5,000 pounds of produce annually donated to partners that support urban food access
- A 4.5-acre agrivoltaic Solar Garden that grows growing food below the solar panels while fully powering the property and subsidizing energy for 125 families in need
- Nearly 20 curated gardens
- Butterflies at Chatfield Farms, a seasonal butterfly house produced in partnership with Butterfly Pavilion
- Education programs for children and adults
- Riparian conservation and horticulture research projects
- Public events (Trail of Lights, Pumpkin Festival, Corn Maze and Lavender Festival) annually generate more than $2M
Shortly after joining the Gardens as Director of Chatfield Farms in 2005, Vickerman led the creation of the site’s inaugural master plan, with consulting support from Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. The strategic planning and capital improvements came full circle in June 2025 with the completion of phase one of the current Master Development Plan that included construction of the Robert and Judi Newman Welcome Center, Borgen Family Market Square and restrooms, along with new parking, technology and accessibility infrastructure.
The Gardens’ CEO Donna McGinnis says, “Larry’s vision and leadership helped put Chatfield Farms on the map as a public garden leader in regenerative agriculture, native habitat conservation and creating new revenue channels through public and private events. We are grateful for his dedication, agriculture and horticulture expertise and for building a strong team that will carry Chatfield Farms into an exciting new chapter as we approach the next phase of development.”
Phase two of the Master Development Plan is drawing near thanks to the generosity of scores of donors including several foundations. Next steps include the construction of the Education and Conference Center, new gardens, and important restoration projects. Next steps include the construction of the Robert and Judi Newman Education and Conference Center, new gardens, and important restoration projects. These additions will help Chatfield Farms connect an increasingly urbanized regions with regenerative agriculture, education programs, inspiring public events and experiences and restored natural areas.
Vickerman says, “Leading Chatfield Farms has fulfilled a lifelong professional goal. Denver Botanic Gardens provided an extraordinary opportunity for me and a dynamic staff to help transform this remarkable property into a living classroom for the plant sciences — a place where the whole community can come to explore and learn.”
The Gardens will soon begin the search for a new leader of Chatfield Farms with the goal of a seamless transition between leaders.
Vickerman’s professional background includes more than 40 years in farming/ranching, landscape and production horticulture, prairie restoration and consulting. He has worked in Washington, Kansas, Colorado, Europe, Africa and Asia and is co-author of Steppes: The Plants and Ecology of the World’s Semi-arid Regions. Throughout the last 30 years, he has researched and developed seeding techniques for riparian and prairie habitat restoration to support a wide array of pollinators, beneficial insects and wildlife. Since 2021, he has served on the Board of Colorado Open Lands, a statewide land conservation organization and is the Vice Chair of the American Public Gardens Association Food and Agriculture Community.
For more information on the Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farm, visit
botanicgardens.org/chatfield-farms.
