Tuesday, February 20, 2024

MORE PHOTOS FROM MEADOWLARK GARDENS - SATURDAY 2-10-24

 I am starting off today with a photo of Lena Lake.  We walked down the hill and made our way along the adjacent path. The garden holds its own beauty at this time of the year.  
Next to the tree is a Panicle Hydrangea, in its dried form. Also known as Peegee hydrangea, with its botanical name Hydrangea paniculata. The first link will give you more information and show you its blooms during the warmer months. I also have a few photos on a previous post taken at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden in September 2019, where I share the same information. You can see them if you scroll down the page. There are three photos with them in bloom.

It is a native to Japan and China. This small tree can grow between 3 to 16 feet, with a maximum diameter of 8 feet. Its leaves contain cyanide and need I say? It should not be ingested. The hydrangea bloom colors come from the soil's pH.  If the soil is more acidic, the bloom will be more of a blue color. However, if the soil is more alkaline, the flowers will be pink. At this time of the year it is dried and would look very pretty in botanical arrangements I'm thinking.  

These leaves nearby are from the Common foxglove. I didn't recognize it as such. It has many names and I will pick a few; Lady's glove, Fairy's glove, Dragon's Mouth, Fairy Bells, Fairy's Petticoat and Gloves of Mary. Its botanical name is Digitalis purpurea. Native to Europe, Western Asia, and northwestern Africa, you can see its blooms at this link. Unfortunately, it is severely toxic so best to keep it away from children and pets. It loves acidic soils in woods, heaths and mountain grasslands. The name comes from the medieval English, fox-glove, and was first known by the Anglo-Saxon name Foxes glofa. There is a very interesting article here on Wikipedia that I enjoyed reading.
Here it is again, this time next to two clumps of Carnations, minus blooms. Also called Clove pink, Border carnation and Mini carnation, its botanical name Dianthus caryophyllus.  An interesting story I read was that some scholars believe that the name "carnation" comes from "coronation" or "corone", which refers to the flower garlands, as it was one of the flowers used in Greek ceremonial crowns. Others think the name stems from the latin "caro" or "carnis" which refers to the original color of the flower.  
The carnation was imported to the USA from France in 1852 via a French shipment to Long Island. No one is 100 percent sure from where they originated, but old publications strongly indicate that its native home may have extended from Greece through Asia Minor to Persia. Theophrastus referred to carnations as Dios Anthos (the flower of the gods) which became known, in later usage, as the divine flower. I love these journeys I take online, one link leads to another and here I am reading about a man born in c 371 BC, who was a friend of Aristotle. So, a skip along several steppingstones, from the Carnation to an ancient Greek named Theophrastus, whose friend and teacher was Aristotle, isn't that something?
This is the back of the visitor center. They always have a lovely display, and it is completely covered in flowers in the warmer weather. I think they did a nice job at this time of the year also. The tree looked real at first, and then you look closer and see that it is a fake one. The flowers on the branches are lights. It must look beautiful when the lights are turned on as the sun goes down. 
I have a few more photos from the garden but I will share them another time.




42 comments:

  1. I love the little scene with the white bench. And the Foxglove leaves really surprised me! I have seen many Foxgloves, but never really paid any attention to the leaves. These are like a pretty foliage plant even with no blooms.

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    1. I was surprised too, though normally enjoy looking at leaves very much on trees and plants :)

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  2. Lovely to see Denise. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. You are very welcome Margaret, so glad you enjoyed my post :)

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  3. The flowers and the dry arid look kind of give me a sense of peace looking at them

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  4. What a wonderful place that must be to visit. I love the area behind the visitors center. That tree is pretty and I bet it looks magical with the lights lit up.

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    1. It is Ann, very much so :) I would love to see the tree lit.

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  5. I like that tree with the lights, with them off or on.. and the first two plants are both lethal. it is surprising how many plants have deadly leaves or flowers. I am with ginny, never noticed the leaves of the foxglove and this photo draws attention to them. I like the beauty of the dried trees and plants as much as when they are full of leaves and blooms. a different type of beauty

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  6. Beautiful photos from your visit to the gardens. The bench scene is pretty.
    Take care, have a great day!

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  7. I look forward to gardening soon! OK, maybe not 'soon!'

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  8. Such a cool time of the year when things are transitioning. I love it when the new growth emerges with the promise of spring.

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    1. Seeing those signs put an extra skip in my step :)

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  9. I know what you mean about on iine journeys -- you come home with a thought and two hours later you know so much more about it!

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  10. What a lovely display with the white bench!

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  11. Our hydrangeas need a good prune and then they'll have beautiful blooms later in the year. Have a good day!

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    1. I always enjoy what you and Mr. P. Are growing in your garden :) you have a good day too. Will be thinking of you with your doctor appointments.

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  12. It is nice that the two of you can get out and walk away from traffic.

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    1. We are very lucky with all the places we can walk away from traffic :) They are shorter walks at the moment.

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  13. You're really good at recognizing plants in winter. I'd have trouble.

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    1. I have my trusty plant app Carol, and then I find more info online :) some things are new, some things I need a refresher and ones I know about, I never get tired of rereading about them again.

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  14. Perfect area behind the visitor center. We have a lot of cloves in Greece. Beautiful photos. Nice to have you visit my blog.The information you provide is amazing! Thenk you!

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    1. You are very welcome, and I am happy you enjoy my blog. I enjoy visiting yours very much :) Interesting about the cloves.

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  15. What a great place to visit this time of year, Denise. It's so exciting to see a garden asleep and slowly waking--it's nothing more special. I enjoyed all of your facts and lovely photos!

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    1. Totally agree Martha Ellen :) glad you enjoyed, thank you so much.

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  16. It's fascinating to see how each botanical discovery leads you on a journey of exploration and learning, connecting you to ancient Greek history through figures like Theophrastus. Thank you for sharing your delightful journey with us.

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    1. It is indeed and you are very welcome :) It is such an interesting world out there, with much to learn.

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  17. Its fun following you through the world wide web discovering trivia. Love carnations.

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    1. Very happy you are enjoying it Diane, thank you :) I love carnations too. My father's garden was full of them, he had dozens and dozens. He was a master gardener I have to say. I wish I had been gifted those genes, sadly.....

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  18. Me too, they do a very nice job. They used to have a fountain feature and I have only just realized while answering your comment, that it is no longer there. Makes me wonder how long it’s been gone! :)

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  19. Wow it was good to learn about various flowering plants dear Denise
    Thanks for sharing sharing intriguing facts .I feel so grateful for the help that Google offers to curious hearts :)
    Special thanks for links too
    You visited a lovely garden.
    Blessings

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    1. Hello dear baili and you are very welcome! So glad you enjoyed my post and learning the names. I learn as I go along for a lot of these plants. I know foxgloves and carnations, but the leaves were new to me. I had just never noticed them before. We are very lucky with today's technology. It allows us to learn something new every day. Blessings to you also :)

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  20. We have foxgloves that seed themselves quite readily in our garden. I try to limit them to the more woodland area at the bottom end of our patch but they do like to try new spots for a change. Thank you for sharing lots of information about the various plants.

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