Wednesday, May 25, 2016

MEADOWLARK GARDENS, VIENNA, VIRGINIA

Now that warm and sunny, but more to the point, dryer weather is here, we have been going to our favorite local garden.  These are the latest photos from our visit last Monday.






Gregg found another path near the visitor center....


which took us through a wood.



These are Redvein Enkianthus - Enkianthus Campanulatus - Red Bells.  I found a great page with extensive information here.


I was very interested looking at the different plants and trees.  It had been raining hard and everything was damp but verdant.



I think that plant in the photo above is a Virginia Creeper, and the one below a Bloodroot.  I am no expert so you will have to do your own research if you want to confirm.  I tried hard to identify them and found photos very similar.  I was very careful not to touch any of the plants I looked at, as my knowledge for identifying plants that can cause a nasty reaction to touch is very small.  I know poisonous ivy and poisonous oak and that's about it.



Golden Star
Chrysogonum virginianum



I visited Betsy's Wildwood Home and she has a great post on poisonous plants that you can read here.




I was beginning to wonder how long our walk through the wood was going to take, but finally we reached the clearing.






We were nearer the children's garden, which you may have seen on my blog before, as I have often shared posts about it.

















The turtles were out enjoying the sunshine.






and the Canada Geese were bathing.



If you can't access the video below, you can see it at this link.


The turtles did not appear to be impressed.



Neither did the Red-wing Blackbird.



The sculptures looked mildly interested though.



There was one other bird we were able to take a photo of.  Not sure what kind it is.  

(Added note: 5-26-16 - thank you Eileen of Viewing Nature with Eileen, who identified the bird below as an Eastern Kingbird.  Eileen pointed out the white tips on its tail feathers.  Thank you Eileen.)



There will be more photos from the garden in another post.




Here are some links for you to look at:

1)  Three Goldens, one suspect here.

2)  Grumpy Cat found in London here.

3) Getting back to nature in the UK here.

4) Nature's benefits on mental health here.

5) Summer's coming.  How about a Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie?  You can get that here.



I am sharing with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts for bringing them to us.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.  

Congratulations to Stewart on 200 posts of Wild Bird Wednesday.

Theresa at Good Fences
The Team at SkyWatch Friday
Misty at Camera Critters
Anni at Bird D'Pot
Stewart at Wild Bird Wednesday


46 comments:

  1. So much beauty here, Denise! I loved the video, I found it quite soothing and enjoyable. So nice to see the birds and turtles. Thanks so much for sharing this walk!

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  2. What a gorgeous play to go for a walk. My favorite shots are ones with the frog in them with his binoculars. That is oh, so clever. Love it. Am grinning a big grin right now.

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  3. Happy morning, Denise. I feel like dancing on the green, green grass in the 1st pic. The cute red bells are new to me. The turtles were sunbathing in a row and their peace disturbed by the geese bathing and splashing water all over. I like the mushroom pic in the last pic. Have a great day!

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  4. I love the whimsical sculptures, but I especially like the frog. Thank you for sharing all the beautiful flowers.

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  5. What an absolutely delightful post. Thank you.

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  6. A beatiful place so many different plants and birds.

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  7. What a fascinating place to wander round.Love all the critters you found and the sculptures were very interesting. Loved the video of the Canada Geese bathing.

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  8. Hello, Denise, This is a lovely place for a walk. I like the gazebo, the children's garden and sculptures are cute. Th flowers are lovely. Cute shots of the geese, turtles and you unknown bird is the Eastern Kingbird. The kingbird can easily be id with the white edge on it's tail feather. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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  9. Fabulous shots Denise, thanks for taking me along for the tour.

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  10. Everything you mentioned is beautiful, but those frog sculptures you snuck in there without a word are wonderful too! I love the one sitting on the fence with a book. Too cute. Those five links all look interesting ...l didn't want to go look before I commented, lest I forget to come back!

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  11. what a neat, neat place! just full of beauty and whimsy. the turtles always make me smile.

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  12. Excelente trabalho e belas fotografias.
    Um abraço e continuação de uma boa semana.

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  13. I really enjoyed seeing these photos!
    Have a great day!
    Lea

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  14. i just love that garden with the frogs on the beautiful fences. and i would like a log cabin in the clearing to live in with access to that frog garden... i like the gazebo on the horizon and the one hidden in the woods.... a wonderful place to wander.....

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  15. Its a credit to all who care for these parks and gardens that they are so beautifully maintained and ordered. Thanks for sharing the info about the plants. I enjoyed seeing the turtles and birds on your walk! Such a great post, Denise!

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  16. I forgot to mention how much i love those stone cranes.

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  17. Oooh a bandstand.... how lovely. I wonder if it was actually a bandstand and if so would a band have played there? I used to love listening to a band playing especially in a pleasant setting.

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  18. Beautiful photos. I love the red bells. And al the other plant on your pics. They are so nice. Also the Geese.

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  19. Oh my what a place this was. I would so enjoy that children's garden with all the wonderful critters on the fence posts.

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  20. Wonderful, wonderful! I lOVE everything here! Especially the lookout frog, how cute. Other favorites are the Bloodroot, what strange leaves! And the awesome red bells, I have never seen such a thing! The yellow flowers are strange, exotic and beautiful! And I adore the crane sculptures! I think they may be my favorite, but it seems everything is!! I MUST look up this place and go!!! It may not be far. I like the metal flowers too! Your blog is always such a joy to visit!

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  21. That's a very interesting and beautiful garden. Very nice photos here.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Alexander
    Alex's World! - http://alex.kakinan.com

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  22. Hi Denise, what a fabulous place to go for a walk, the frog with the binoculars is really great, super post have had a wonderful visit and enjoyed all the images. Mind some of the turtles look a bit grumpy.
    Regards John

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  23. I loved seeing the frog again. He is oh, so cute. I don't think I will ever forget him. Looks like you all had a lovely jaunt thru the woods. It was a beautiful day to take that walk. I do not know the names of many of the flowers I see, and seem unable to research and identify them. It i harder that one thinks.

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  24. Wow this is a charming place.
    A lovely place to spend our day in.

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  25. A pretty series of shots! I like the sky shots... pretty and dramatic with those heavy-looking clouds.

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  26. That was quite a lot of turtles sunning! They must have been as happy as the rest of us for sunshine. Kingbirds are rightly named as they look so regal. What a beautiful view when you arrived at the clearing. Yes, now that it's not raining (for a little while) I need to get back out to the botanical garden again.

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  27. Wonderful shots and such pretty scenery.

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  28. Looks like a lovely park for a walk.

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  29. what a great place this is! i love the children's garden, the frog with the binos makes me laugh! those are great bird scultpures too, love them! thank you for linking denise and have a wonderful memorial weekend!

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  30. A truly wonderful series of photos!
    Have a great week-end!
    Lea

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  31. Denise I left a comment yesterday but do not see it on your post. Did you receive it?

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  32. So much to love in all these but the turtles win! They are quite delightful.

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  33. Marvelous and magical ... I so enjoyed my walk, lovely to see all your photo's.
    In some way the children's garden was even more magical, it would certainly be a place I'd visit should I ever be in the vicinity!

    All the best Jan

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  34. I love all the colours and the different shapes of the leaves. The turtles are cute.

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  35. So lovely Denise! I love the wooded areas with the shade plants! The water is so peaceful. The flowers and sculptures are awesome! A great place to visit, for sure.

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  36. Hello Denise, I enjoyed this post and the cute photos of the turtles and geese. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Wishing you a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

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  37. Denise....this post, ALL of it, was truly an incredible journey. Love the geese of course, but the garden itself...why, I could spend a whole day there with you, and I am sure not see everything. Love the frog that is bird watching through the binoculars, actually.........I WANT one just like it. I have several frogs in my back yard, and that one would fit right in to the scheme/theme of things here.

    I really appreciate you participating and sharing such wonderful birds with us at I'd Rather B Birdin'. Thanks so much.

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  38. The turtles remind me of the ones I had as a kid, and later as a teacher in my classroom. - Margy

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  39. I love that toad sitting on the bridge. What a view he's got.
    Amalia
    xo

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  40. Denise, this is a lovely park indeed, with it's beautiful woodland area, Gazebos, flowers, ponds, and sculptures. The childrens garden and is like wonderland, and although I have seen it before, there is always something new to discover, it truely is delightful. Great wildlife shots and vídeo too. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and thank you for sharing so much beauty.:)

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  41. Those sculptures that look like herons are amazing! Makes me wonder if hubby could make one! lol Love your photos and I'm the same way...I don't like to touch plants when I get out on the trails. You never know. Hugs, Diane

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  42. I don't think I've ever seen those Red Bells. You identified Virginia Creeper correctly but don't worry; it's not poisonous.

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  43. Stunning sky photos. I would definitely enjoy a visit to this garden ;-)

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  44. Beautiful series of images. It looks like a wonderful place to visit. That frog is adorable!

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