Highlights
Volunteers on a blustery opening day to the garden season
Labrador Violets, mid-May
Daffodils in early May.
Sanguinaria canadensis of the poppy family having a red root and sap, bearing a solitary lobed leaf and white flower in early spring.
Fothergilla in June bloom
July Roses
Crocosmia blooms in July. It is in the Iris Family and the name is two Greek words meaning saffron and scent. The dried flowers steeped in water have a saffron scent. It is also known as Montbretia and common names include: Falling Stars, Valentine flower and Lucifer plant. It is a native of South and East Africa. Hummingbirds are attracted to their bright red blooms. After blooming, the flowers should be deadheaded and the green leaves left to feed the corms for next years blooms. The corms can be divided every 3-4 years in early fall after they have died back or early spring before growth.
Visitors in the Garden
A mother with her 6 year-old son visited every nook and cranny of the garden during the 30 minutes they were there. She said, “I come here with my son because he loves identifying colors in the garden. We come 3 or 4 times each summer, and I ask him to describe what he sees. He is energized and even today, early spring, he found colors and correctly identified those colors. And when all the flowers and shrubs are in bloom in some weeks from now he will keep a count of how many different colors he can see on just one visit.”
“We don’t have a garden so a visit to this garden is a special experience for us. It is like a haven for us. We love sitting on the various benches in the garden and imagining what a world with all this tranquility and beauty would be like. Usually we wait until I know there are many things in bloom, but with her school closed and us isolated from the virus, this haven has become the highlight of our day. We have been coming every day in good weather.”
– Quote from a parent with a young daughter.
“Living at Woodcrest, I often went to the Garden where I had volunteered for many years. I was losing my sight and could not differentiate individual flowers but I was filled with joy to see the colors blending together. It brought beauty into my day.”
– Comments from Polly Roos, a dedicated volunteer and designer of our Garden’s logo.
