Brookside Gardens in September

/

Brookside Gardens in September is making the transition to fall. We went first thing in the morning; the temperature was decidedly cool. Here are the highpoints of what we saw: 

  • Red magnolia seeds
  • Fall crocus
  • Coleus - some in bloom
  • Dogwoods turning and one already in full fall reds
  • Roses - they always get a second wind as the temperatures get a little cooler
  • A walking stick on the ‘switch grass’ sign 

Enjoy the slide show!

Brookside Gardens - March 12, 2012

/

The weather was sunny and warm this week. Brookside Gardens is brightening with some spring blooms - daffodils, crocus, cherries, deciduous magnolias and miniature iris. There were a few hyacinths but not the profusion of previous years. The tulips are not blooming yet although their leaves are growing and the display should be quite lush once they start blooming.

A pair of mallards swam on one pond and a lot of turtles  were very active swimming in another - playing their springtime tag.

brookside in mid-March.jpg

March Celebrations

/

March is just about here. What is there to celebrate? Here are some ideas:

St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th. You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy the green. My favorite green drink is a mint chocolate milk shake but there are plenty of others. Celtic fiddle music and dancing also are popular ways to celebrate the day.


Kites. March is breezy and the temperatures getting a bit warmer make is easier to indulge in outdoor activities. March is a great month to dig out the kites from the closet and enjoy their flutters overhead. Many communities have kite festivals during March. The one in Washington DC is associated with the Cherry Blossom Festival and will be held on 3/31.






Cherry blossoms (and other flowering trees). Washington DC is celebrating 100 years of the gift from Japan this year so there are a lot of extra events from March through mid-April. The dogwoods and fruit trees will begin to bloom in many parts of the country in March … so take a walking or driving tour through an area where they grow.
 

 

 

 

 

Early flowers. Crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips…the early blooms of the year. Celebrate spring in a garden - either your own or a public one.

 

Brookside Nature Center and Gardens - February 26

/

It was cool but sunny at Brookside Gardens and Nature Center in Montgomery County Maryland today. The nature center held a Maple Sugar Festival...complete with tasting of the clear sap from trees as well as ices made with the finished maple syrup. The contrast in sweetness between the sap and the syrup is pretty dramatic. The day should have been good for sap dripping into the buckets on the trees (cold nights, warmer days) but none were dripping while we were there. The event was well attended; we were fortunate to find a close in space in the parking lot for the Gardens visitor center. 

There are the beginning of spring in the garden with some fruit trees blooming...and the very early blooming bulbs (snowdrops and crocus). Lenten roses are blooming too. Daffodils are starting but now near their peak. The tulips have barely sprouted. At this time of year the shelf fungus on fallen trees is particularly noticeable because there is no foliage to hide it.

Bookside Nature Center and Garden.png

I'll post some photos from the Brookside Gardens Conservatory later in the week. It was a great day for for an early spring photography outing.