Monday, August 14, 2017

MOUNT VERNON''S UPPER GARDEN - PART 1


As you may remember, if you have popped in on a regular basis, we visited Mount Vernon with my distant cousin Bill from New Zealand (story here if you missed how that came about) back in July.  After touring the home of George Washington, Gregg and Bill went to the museum and I went to the garden...


which is beyond the fence.


The building you see below is the Greenhouse.  Unfortunately it was closed that day, but I had a lovely time elsewhere.  At this site you can listen to the director of horticulture tell you some of its history.


There are all kinds of interesting facts about this place here.








These pretty flowers had other visitors besides me.  For the most part I had the place to myself.  Here again it was a very hot day and you know that old Noel Coward line about "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun"?  I suppose that could apply to me as far as flowers and opportunity are concerned.  



I knew I wouldn't be back here for a while and wanted to make the most of it.  I paid attention to how I felt and did a relatively quick tour before joining Gregg and Bill near the museum.  The air-conditioned building was very welcome.




Black-eyed Susans


I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the flowers, the coneflowers were abundant.


The orange flower below is a Toad Lily or Blackberry Lily (interesting site here - it highlights several pretty flowers)


I will have more flowers to share from the Upper Garden in a future post.

41 comments:

  1. Toad Lily! Not a pretty name for such a pretty flower. I love those low to the ground bushes making all the designs. Also your wonderful shot of the Skipper on a coneflower, it is outstanding!

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  2. What a fantastic garden! I love seeing such talent with greenery. I can only imagine the culture differences that you discovered with your NZ cuz!

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    1. Thanks Betty, and it was interesting finding all about New Zealand from my cuz :)

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  3. I would love to have an hour or more to spend there...lovely images. I bet it is more fun in real life!

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    1. Thank you Rose, it was truly lovely. I look forward to going back at a time when it is a little cooler.

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  4. The gardens look beautiful. I am super impressed that you were able to be sensible and limit your stay outside. I would have meant to, but...

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  5. Toad Lily! I've never heard of this one but you can see how it got it's name. Aren't flowers amazing, so different, complicated in design yet very pretty. You can tell it's something I marvel over. The trouble is that at my age I keep forgetting names!

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  6. Hello, it looks like a beautiful garden to visit. The flowers are lovely, great capture of the skipper. Enjoy your day and the week ahead.

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  7. Mount Vernon looks like a wonderful place to visit, both for its history and beauty, yes you are going to have to watch out for the heat, if I remember correctly you did get overheated on your trip out west, a little heat now and more air conditioning ;)

    Beautiful flowers Denise, you do take great pictures.

    How is Bill doing after his trip, or is he still travelling?

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    1. It really is and yes I heed your advice, thank you Jimmy. Bill i still in Scotland from the last report. He is having a good time that's for sure.

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  8. I would snap myself silly in this garden. those flowers are so beautiful. love the orange butterfy on matching flower... and that fence on the fence is absolutely gorgeous. I love the brick with the white pickets on top. appeals to my heart.

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    1. I think I did Sandra, snapy myself silly I mean, in a very short space of time ;) You and I think alike on the brick wall and the white fence.

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  9. A beautiful garden to visit. Lovely fences and flowers. I like the 4th photo with the green hedges in different designs.

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    1. Thank you Nancy, o glad you enjoyed the garden.

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  10. the black eyed susans and the cone flowers are extraordinary!! the butterfly?? is gorgeous too!! i must be careful in the heat as i tend to push myself so i can see and photograph everything!!!

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    1. I have that same feeling Debbie, I don't want to miss a thing :) I have loved your post on the caterpillar project by the way, so very interesting.

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  11. Wow beautiful flowers and I love the moth. I could do with that green house, goodness I could live in it as well. Cheers Diane

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    1. Thank you Diane, the green house would make a lovely house wouldn't it? Cheers! :)

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  12. It's a beautiful garden! I'm not English (sadly) but I would have gone outside in the heat too for those flowers! Beautiful pictures -- thank you for the tour. We really must go there!!!

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    1. Thank you and you are very welcome Sallie and yes, I think many of us no matter what our origins, would be out in the noonday sun taking those photos :)

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  13. Summer is such a beautiful time of year!

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  14. Thank you for sharing this wonderful place Denise. Your photographs are beautiful!

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    1. Hi Lee, thank you and you are so very welcome :)

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  15. Such beautiful blooms in your photographs, just lovely to see.

    All the best Jan

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  16. What a beautiful garden to visit and your photo of the butterfly is amazing!!

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  17. Really stunning shots! So glad you shared them with us!

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  18. I have never been to Upper Garden but I love your gorgeous photos and all the flowers there.

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  19. Hello Dennis, As you probably realize by now, I'm catching up again. You made good use of your time spent in those beautiful gardens. I'm glad you didn't get sun stroke whilst photographing the great butterfly and flower captures.:)

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    1. Thank you so much and I appreciate you coming by whenever you have the time. Life can get hectic at times, it is hard to keep up with blogging.

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