Wednesday, May 4, 2011

May Day, Central Park



We entered the park at its Northeast corner, above the Conservatory gardens, where I was hoping to see wisteria over the massive wrought iron pergolas overlooking green lawn. I was not expecting tulips..They were breathtaking.


The lawns were pristine the crabapples opulent and sweet, the wisteria bloom...nowhere. Too early!


The seried hedges below the pergolas are wonderful in their fresh new growth, and in a few weeks I think one of them (above the taxus) will turn into white spirea flowers.


Down on the western side of the park, somewhere above 81st Street, we found a valley of Kanzan cherries.


 And a beautiful old crabapple.


Lower still, west of The Ramble, this native shrub grew in sprawling banks. I nibbled its hard black berries experimentally last year, deciding to spit them out, which was a good thing as Steve Brill told me they are poisonous. In bloom, I first mistook this for mock orange - he called them Jet Berry,  but I am not turning up a botanical name that matches this plant. Help?


A Pinxter azalea. The hard-packed virulently red, salmon and hot pink azaleas can become tiring but these delicate woodland creatures are their graceful antithesis. I found lots more in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden a day later in the Native Garden (with the loud ones higher up, caked in make up).
 

11 comments:

  1. Oh I am so in love with that first shot I can't tell you!!! Swoon.

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  2. I am with Jeanne - spectacular.

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  3. http://plantthis.com/plant-information.asp?gardener=21731&tabview=photos&plantSpot=

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  4. I left a little piece of my heart with that Pinxter Azalea in the Native Flora Garden at BBG last night. You captured that stunning and delicate bloom beautifully.

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  5. I think Kellye nailed it, Rhodotypos scandens. I've never heard of it but your description and picture matches up nicely. Fruit looks pretty distinct on the fohvos.org page.

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  6. Yes, it's a rhodotypos. And I wouldn't risk eating those berries!

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  7. Striking tulip shot -kudos.

    even more so i like the pepole shots in front of the flowering trees. I see a painting. Where is this..exactly?

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  8. Jeanne and Monica, it was quite swoonworthy. Even better in person.

    Kellye and Id'ing Co. - thank you!

    Sweetgum - thank you. More pinxters coming up - this one was in Central Park :-)

    Frank, it's on the west side of the park, on a bridle path leading down to the western edge of the reservoir - I'm guessing the sidestreets are in the early 90's or high 80's. I also like the people in the picture. Someone has set up an easel - but he wasn't exactly of your calibre! Is it just me or are pinks one of the hardest colours to catch?

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  9. Daardie eerste foto is breathtaking. Ek is verlief.

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  10. Marlette Compion-VenterMay 9, 2011 at 3:03 AM

    hi, Marie, eendag as ek groot is, wil ek graag hierdie surrogaat-stad van jou in die lente beleef. tot dan toe, geniet ek jou foto's en verhale. leef ek vicariously deur jou oe. hoop jy het 'n fantastiese dag. marlette.

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  11. Pinks are hard if you're a camera. If a painter, its all in the reds you own.

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