Thursday, April 03, 2008

We Found Spring at BBG!

This past Saturday, March 29th, my husband and I took a bus trip to New York City and spent the day at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens with our oldest daughter and son-in-law. There we finally found the elusive spring we've been yearning for!

Just a few Cherry trees were in bloom.

This is a Cornelian Cherry Dogwood - Cornus Mas (don't know why it's called a cherry when it's a dogwood).

Edit: This info provided by Barbee'. Thank you! "The Cornus mas is called Cornelian Cherry because of the edible fruit it bears".

I don't remember the name of this one, but isn't it fascinating?
If anyone out there can help with the name, please let me know.
Annie or Xris...any clues?

Edit: Thanks to Xris I now have a name for this lovely shrub - Stachyurus Praecox, AKA Spiketail.

This Apricot was absolutely gorgeous! Posted by Picasa

The Lily Pool Terrace - the lilies bloom in July, August and September. On the left is the Mixed Perennial Border with Hellebores, daffodils, crocus, chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow) all blooming now, to name a few, as well as some lovely shrubs....

......such as this Witchhazel.


This wonderful display of daffodils was on the opposite side.

The cheery Crocus blooms Posted by Picasa

A clump of charming Hellebores.

Such sweet little faces

Vibrant tulips on the other side of the Lily Pools, with many more yet to bloom.

Another type of tulip (I assume) that I'm not familiar with. It grows very low to the ground.

Edit: More info provided by Xris. Thank you! "Looks like a variety of Tulipa kaufmanniana, also known as Water-lily Tulips".

Scilla Siberica

Iris Reticulata Posted by Picasa

I couldn't find a name for this one. It may be a white Chionodoxa, but I'm not sure.

Edit: Thanks Isabelle, for providing the correct name for this one. It's Scilla tubergeniana (mischtshenkoana) Posted by Picasa

Magnolia Plaza is home to more than 20 kinds of Magnolias, loaded with fragrant blossoms in early spring.

Soft pink.....


......and creamy white.

Over on the Cherry Esplanade there was one lone cherry blooming. The big show is yet to come in late April and early May. Posted by Picasa

A closer look at the lovely pink blooms.

Here's what the esplanade looks like now, with tree peonies in the foreground on the left, which will bloom in May, I think.

This quaint shrub is Winter Hazel (Corylopsis), getting ready to bloom. It's related to Witchhazel. Posted by Picasa

Prickly leaved Mahonia

I'm guessing this lovely shrub is Camellia Sasanqua, but I'm not at all sure.

These mini daffodils were planted on terraces covered in vinca minor.

Such a beautiful display! Posted by Picasa

It was an excruciatingly long day, but well worth it. We were up at 4:00AM to catch the bus at 5:45 AM......and didn't get to bed until 1:30 AM on Sunday morning! It's a 4 & 1/2 hour bus trip each way, but it was very relaxing and enjoyable, with a good book and good company to pass the time. We had a wonderful day with the kids, and seeing the BB Gardens was a very memorable experience, and something we've been wanting to do for quite some time. How fascinating it would be to see the changes through each month of the year!

I'll post some photos taken in the glasshouses of the Steinhardt Conservatory next time. My camera sure got a workout! :)

37 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...[Reply]

It looks as though you had a perfect day. The blue skies, sunshine and blooms. What fun.

Was that Mahonia outside? I thought they were strictly a southern plant.

Pam said...[Reply]

Is that not a pale scilla? - the bulb you're not sure of?

Mahonia grows well here in Scotland, so I don't think it's particularly southern.

Lovely pictures.

Chris Kreussling (Flatbush Gardener) said...[Reply]

Yay! Glad you got to enjoy our Brooklyn Spring. Sorry I wasn't around last weekend. I get to go there this weekend.

The dangly flowers are Stachyurus praecox. I only know because I took pictures of it when I visited on last year's BBG members' Forsythia Day.

The low red flower is, in fact, a Tulip. Looks like a variety of Tulipa kaufmanniana, also known as Water-lily Tulips.

Cherdecor said...[Reply]

What a wonderful way to spend a spring day! I nearly faint everytime a see a magnolia tree. I would LOVE to have one but we have no place to put it. There is one in our neighborhood and I love looking at it when it blooms. It reminds me of the South.

Your pictures are just lovely!

Curmudgeon said...[Reply]

Those magnolias are to die for. What a fun adventure.

Needled Mom said...[Reply]

What a spectacular setting. It must have been such fun to see everything in bloom. Your photos are, as usual, just beautiful.

verobirdie said...[Reply]

What a beautiful day you had! Thanks so much for sharing those pictures with us.

Barbee' said...[Reply]

Kerrie, what a gorgeous trip! So glad you got to go. Killer of a day, though. Thank you for taking us with you via your busy camera. The Cornus mas is called Cornelian Cherry because of the edible fruit it bears. I've never tasted one; the birds get all of mine before I have a chance. Don't know what Cornelian is reference to. Anyone know?

OldRoses said...[Reply]

Thanks for the fantastic preview. I'm headed there with the Rutgers Gardens volunteers on Saturday.

em said...[Reply]

great pictures! wow, even though they are just a tiny bit south of us, the bbg is ahead. we do not have any cherries blooming, and the earliest magnolia buds are just splitting.

great post!

JunieRose2005 said...[Reply]

Oh my!


These are just beautiful!

I wish I could go there!

Thanks for posting these wonderful pictures!


Hugs))


Junie

Amy said...[Reply]

All together now, "Ooooh...Aaaaaah!"

You take the most beautiful photos Kerri. It's like be right there with you in the garden. After a hard and stressful morning this cheered me right up. Can't wait to see your pictures from the glasshouses! We would have to drive south for about eight hours to see a garden display that looks anything like this :)

TUFFENUF said...[Reply]

It has been years since I have been to BBG, but I love NYC and I have been wanting to go for several summers now. Maybe this summer! I hope you are finally done with the winter snow, it seems like you had a lot this year. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos!

Robin's Nesting Place said...[Reply]

Kerri, I love the cherry tree blooms! I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip, hopefully you were able to catch a nap on the bus.

Christy Woolum said...[Reply]

What a great way to spend a day. Soon we will see buds and flowers... won't we? Sigh

Giddy said...[Reply]

What a great getaway! Thank you for sharing all that lovely color with us.

We are going to the Bangor Garden show tomorrow. It will be heaven to see all the displays and I'm sure we'll come away with lots of ideas.

Sharon said...[Reply]

Your pictures are lovely and will help me to think spring. Ohio is still in winter mode with rain and cold chill in the air. I am looking for that bud on a tree or that little flowers in the garden. Thanks for sharing your spring pictures with us.

Judypatooote said...[Reply]

Oh I envy you so much....I would be in Heaven getting to see all those beautiful plants and being able to snap pictures of them... I need spring, can you tell? I do love the AKA Spiketail bush or tree, whatever, it's unusual.... judy

Elzie said...[Reply]

It must have been exciting walking around at the BBG. Would have loved to see all these flowers in bloom already. I just loved the Stachyurus Praecox. It looked really interesting.
I too have those mini daffodils. They are so sweet - and actually in bloom now!!
Hope you have a nice weekend.
Love Elzie

Catherine said...[Reply]

Wow...your camera did get a work out~but what beautiful captures of spring you have!! I look forward to seeing more!
Happy Spring!
Cat

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Beautiful pics MIL! We're glad you had a great trip. The pics in the last post are amazing too!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Kerri, hurra, spring has sprung in your garden. I am sure you will have now the warm sun on your back and your hands in the soil. Lovely pictures from your trip.

Unknown said...[Reply]

Wow! What a wonderful trip--thanks for "taking us along," especially since we haven't yet found spring here, either. It's so nice to see all of the blooms. :)

sonia a. mascaro said...[Reply]

I am delighted with your gorgeous photos, Kerri! Those flowers are stunning and all them take my breath away. Sounds you all had a wonderful time at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens! Thanks for sharing!

Have a nice weekend!

Sigrun said...[Reply]

Kerri, so wonderful photografs! And I like them very much because we have so bad weather in the moment.

Sigrun

Barbara said...[Reply]

You chose the absolute perfect day to visit this botanic garden! What wonderful pictures! The magnolia plaza is amazing with all these beautiful blooms. I do hope that real spring is also coming to your home pretty soon.
Have a good time!
Barbara

Anonymous said...[Reply]

That's my idea of a perfect day! Thanks for sharing all the photos and taking us along for the tour. It looks like a beautiful place, I'd love to see it all seasons too.

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...[Reply]

a beautiful day spent outdoors....cant ask for anything more, right???? :)
we spotted a creamy white magnolia yesterday in bloom and i loved way it perfumed the surroundings.... ...hoping to share it with you soon. spring's stepping in softly here....i can see some patches of green on the hills close by too :)

CountryGirl said...[Reply]

Glad you had a nice day. Isn't it wonderful to know spring really is here...it won't be long now before our gardens start blooming.

Jeanette said...[Reply]

Hi Kerry, I think the early start was well worth it looking at these lovely photo's of your lovely visit to the gardens..I love all the lovely colours through out the garden but my favorite is the magnolias. I had a huge one when I lived in Melbourne 20 years ago...but now no room for such a large tree...

Cris said...[Reply]

Kerri, that's so good to hear about your trip and along with it the flowers, some of them I have never seen! Gorgeous!!! Have a great week!

Sue Swift said...[Reply]

Super photos Kerri. There's an award waiting for you on my blog if you'd like to come and collect it.
Sue

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

The pictures you took were beautiful, but I bet you can't wait to go back in May.

Thanks too for a new glimpse of NY City. It's not all big buildings but beautiful gardens as well.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...[Reply]

What a lovely and spring-y blog you've made. I enjoyed looking at all the beautiful pics of gorgeous blooms. It may have been a long and exhausting day for you Kerri but it was well worth it being surrounded by so many blooms, don't you think?
Thanks for this tour around BB gardens!

kylieps said...[Reply]

Just so everyone knows how big a workout Mum's camera got, she took around 240 photos, and not one bunch of daffadills got left out! At least all the flowers got their due from Mum. She got all the crocuses and snowdrops- didn't leave them out in favor of the more exotic plants. She's no snob.
(love you, Mummy. xo)

Alice said...[Reply]

There's nothing quite like crocus, daffodils, and flowering trees to heighten one's senses of forthcoming Spring and lifting spirits accordingly.

Isn't it amazing how quickly the leafless trees and bare gardens become a mass of foliage and flower.

Welcome to Spring, Kerri. May you get plenty of time to enjoy it in your garden. My garden is surviving, not thriving, so I'm really looking forward to seeing many photos of your burgeoning Spring garden.

Patricia Van Buskirk said...[Reply]

Beautiful photos. I have a lot of reading to do on your blog. I linked your photo of the daffodils and the Vinca minor to my blog.