Spring Blooms #3

Sunshine + playing with flowers + camera + windows open = Bliss. 

Inspecteur Lavergne Peony bloomed on June 12.

A spectacular double ruby-red bloom. This is her third spring in our garden, and she keeps getting better and better.

Why does a gift of sweet tea from a dear friend always taste better :-)  I'm going to pass this kind gesture on and surprise my sisters with sweet tea this weekend. 

This is where we occasionally take our evening walk. Though F.T. Proctor Park is the smallest of Utica's Parks at 62 acres, it is considered the "crown jewel" of the city's parks. It was originally designed by Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architects as a "country" park, renowned for its open vistas and "borrowed views" as seen from its Grand Entrance, Grand Lawn, Ravine, Lower Meadow, and Upper Field. All of these features remain today, thanks to the restoration and preservation undertaken by the Central New York Conservancy and the City of Utica.  Other features have been added or restored over the years, including the Lily Pond and Bathhouses, Butterfly Garden, and stone staircases. 

We are fascinated with the Tulip Trees.

One of my favorite floral discoveries is finding an orchid in the dark woods. New York State is home to about sixty different species of native orchids. The pink lady's slipper orchid is a large pink flowered orchid that may be found in mixed hardwoods and coniferous forests. It grows from 4-12" in height, and the "slipper" shaped flower can be pale pink or deep raspberry pink depending on soil conditions. 

Did you know that June 22-28 is National Pollinator Week? I think for many of us, every week is pollinator week in our gardens. Over the past decade, it feels like awareness of pollinators, their role in our gardens, their impact on the world, and the challenges they face has made us aware that care needs to be taken to support our pollinator communities. I planted Nectaroscordum siculum several years ago and it is a wonderful flowering bulb. Nectar-garlic (that’s what Nectaroscordum means) is a favorite amongst the bees and hummingbirds in our garden.

Betty Corning is putting on a show like she does every year. So reliable, and dainty. 

Deb