A NEW ADDITION TO GREEN SPRING GARDENS

I start with a view of the old house that belonged to the owners who donated this land to the Fairfax County Park Authority, with the wish for it to remain a park. We owe them a great deal of thanks. I never fail to take a photo of the house, and that incredible blue sky was too good an opportunity to pass up. If you go to this link you can read a short history, and also see an old photo of how the place used to look many years ago. 

I forgot to share my photos from our last trip to Green Spring Gardens, when we visited the first week in July. The bees were busy collecting pollen. This one was enjoying the Bee Balm.

We were walking along our usual path, and this time I noticed something on our right. A very unusual sight as in all the years we have visited, this is the first time we have seen any kind of construction. We could see something behind the chain link fence... 

and much to my delight and on closer inspection, saw that it was a stone moon gate.

I have seen them before in other gardens on our travels but never thought we would have one closer to home. You can read about them here. Apparently, they originated in China. There's a gallery of them if you scroll down. It was interesting for me to find out that there are many in Bermuda. I read that "Moon gates were incorporated into the architecture of Bermuda in the late 19th century, around the same time that the British territory began importing Easter lily bulbs from Japan for cultivation. Bermudan moon gates are slightly different from the original Chinese designs, as they are often left freestanding or attached to a low wall. In Bermuda it is regarded as good luck for newlyweds to step through the gate."

I am looking forward to going back to the garden to see how it has progressed. 

You can click here to see all my posts on this Moon Gate. 

Thanks for visiting and I hope your week is going well.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF...

our son and daughter-in-law.  They have several trails to choose from near their home, and on their latest we were sent these.  A new walk for them and an added bonus was that they found these uplifting signs along the way.

 How kind of someone to do this for their neighbors.

 

They know we enjoy flowers so we also got these.  

"Scarlet beebalm, a species of Beebalms.  Also known as Bergamot, Oswego tea, Crimson beebalm and Scarlet monarda.  Botanical name is Monarda didyma.

Scarlet beebalm is a flowering herb native to the United States.  It attracts hummingbirds and is cultivated as an ornamental plant and grows best in full sunlight."

Name story:

Scarlet beebalm: the common name beebalm refers to the use of a resin which is derived from its utility for healing and pain-relieving, especially from bee stings.  Besides that, most of the flowers are scarlet red-colored, so it is often called scarlet beebalm.

Scarlet beebalm always gives a cool and refreshing feeling.  Its fragrance is calming and soothing, and its flowers are also very beautiful.  At the turn of summer and autumn, its flowers attract a hummingbird's attention for food.

Symbolism: person of virtue.


Lance-leaved coreopsis, which is a species of Tickseed.

On my plant app they give a lot of interesting information.  I am repeating what I have read there.   

Description: Lance-leaved coreopsis is a plant native to the United States related to the sunflower.  Lance-leaved coreopsis is cultivated in urban areas and attracts pollinators like bees.

Name story:

The flowers and leaves are very attractive and the yellow petals are featured with notches which gave the flowers a papery texture.  The flower stalk grows from a clumped basal rosette of lance-shaped leaves.  The genus name, Coereopsis is derived from the Greek word koris, meaning 'bug' and opsis meaning 'view'.  The name tickseed, especially the 'tick' part is referring to 'the insect'.  So, it is called Lanceleaf tickseed."  

Symbolism: always cheerful.

I have a plant app called Picture This - Plant Identifier, which I downloaded on my iPhone and iPad.  Whenever I am out and see a flower, plant or tree that I am unfamiliar with, or need a refresher on its name, I will take a photo with the app and the identity comes immediately. Very rarely do I feel I have to question what I have been told.  When I get home I search the name on line just to confirm.  It gave all the information above and lots more.  I remember having to pay for it, and I can't remember how much it was exactly.  You can look at it here if interested.