Nestled in the Birdsall & Co. cozy garden boutique in Englewood, The Botanical Bakery of Denver eloquently blends, as its name suggests, baking with botanicals. For owner Dylah Ray, it all began with her mutual loves for the kitchen and for the outdoors. “My two greatest passions are baking and gardening,” says Ray. “I have fond memories growing up running between the backyard and the kitchen, and I’ve always looked for ways to incorporate the two. Particularly during the pandemic, I spent lots of time both gardening and baking, and it inspired a lot of new creative ways to blend together these activities that both bring me a lot of comfort and joy.” So when her best friend, owner of Birdsall, asked Ray to open a bakery on the premises of her plantfilled shop, Ray didn’t hesitate. The resulting cafe serves wild and colorful baked goods that appeal to three of the senses— taste, smell and sight. Ray adorns her baked goodies with nature’s candy—cookies topped with pressed pansies, pies garnished with marigolds, edible flowers galore. Stop in for a quick cup of coffee and a pastry, or stay and relax in a homey bookshop surrounded by plants.
