DougPhoto's Blog

Red Horse-Chestnut tree

Flower of the Red Horse-Chestnut

While checking out books at Seymour Library the librarian mentioned that I should drive by her home and take a glimpse at her red horse-chestnut tree. Glad I did. There near the curb stood the tree in full bloom.

Wonder if this buckeye beauty brings a feeling of good luck to all who glance upon it. Know that I left smiling.

This morning took an alternate route for my walk. At a crossroad noticed an overgrown yard had been cleared. Glad I did. There now uncovered stood a stunning, small tree. On this one’s breath is visible spring morning, its long pendulous clusters of sunny, yellow, pea-sized flowers hung still.

Once home research identified it as a Laburnum tree, poetically named the “golden chain tree”. The web site also noted that the small pea pods contain cytisine, an alkaloid that is toxic to children, adults, and livestock if eaten.

Yesterday, Memorial Day, was ideal. The parade and cookout played to sunshine with temperatures approaching the 70s.

Today, the thermometer fell into the low 50s. Nevertheless there were three bright spots in the garden. Firsts for the year: a daylily, a poppy and an iris.

Daylily

Poppy

Iris

This morning on the way to the Memorial Day parade two large blossoming trees stood out in front of me. Stopped to stare. Glad I did. There is front of a quaint steel gray cedar shake bungalow were two mammoth horse chestnut trees.

If you are as old as I am, you might remember collecting the chestnuts in the fall and using them as slingshot ammo. Or perhaps recall the girls using them to fashion necklaces.

For years this old-fashioned flowering shrub graced the front yard of my boyhood home. Several years before my parents moved on a landscaper removed the bushes.

Yesterday going for the evening newspaper a billowing American flag caught my attention. Glad it did. There along the front porch walkway were three spireas. Cascading from their graceful, arching branches these self-reliant plants were displaying their delicate flowers.

My mother’s favorite old-fashioned perennial was the Lily-of-the-Valley. To remember her we use this fragrant little, nodding, white, bell-shaped flower in our garden as a ground cover in low traffic areas. 

Forget-me-nots never fail to dispense a surprise. Every year they sprout randomly about our garden. These lovely flowers are never overlooked.

Since it was getting tiresome draining the winter pool cover,  I removed it yesterday. Gratified.  Last evening there were rain showers.

Two years ago a friend gave us an onion bulb to plant. Last spring it produced a colorful flower head. So last fall we planted several bulbs. This week there they were a row of  Allium gladiators.

 Allium 'Gladiator' 

Allium 'Gladiator' Flower Heads

Allium 'Gladiator' Flower Bud

Our blooming bachelor's buttons seem to know when prom season is approaching and begin to pop out in our spring garden.

Even bees are attracted to a boutonniere.

Cluster of bachelor's buttons.

Walking to the corner in midafternoon looked into a neighbor’s yard. Glad I did. There in the partial shade by the front porch was a bleeding heart with all white flowers.

After mowing the lawn, noticed the bleeding heart is starting to blossom. This marks the third year for this perennial’s return.

Rooted in partial shape on the north side of our home this woodland native has been an excellent addition to our spring garden.

For the last three days the weather was been on a roller coaster ride. Still and all our late arriving tulips have held up well. Viewing these tall upright flowers with their colorful and attractive cup foliage is a great way to start one’s day.

Front Sidewalk

Purple Tulip

Hundreds of patrons visit our library daily. Wonder how many take the time to stop and look into the gardens. Glad I did. This rhodendrun bush is just inside the brick wall border.