When the house next door to Lisa Negri’s Denver bungalow went up for sale, she had one fear: losing her southern sun to a hulking white McMansion. So she bought it.⁠ ⁠ After discovering major structural issues, Lisa demolished the house and briefly enjoyed the open space — until a bigger idea took root.⁠ ⁠ While volunteering at Denver Botanic Gardens with horticulturist Kevin Philip Williams, she asked him, “Will you build me a garden?” Together they created SummerHome — a privately owned, publicly accessible garden showcasing waterwise, pollinator-friendly plants from the dry plains and desert Southwest.⁠ ⁠ In May 2020, two months into the pandemic, dozens of neighbors showed up to plant. People were hungry for connection. SummerHome became a way to gather safely, get their hands in the soil, and build something hopeful.⁠ ⁠ Today it’s a shifting mosaic of bulbs, perennials, art, and wildlife habitat — a demonstration garden for climate-appropriate plants and a beloved neighborhood oas...