An alert a couple of weeks ago from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden that the magnolias were in full bloom had me heading over there in short order; the magnolias are some of my favorites.
But, as always, the Garden had more to offer—including the Korean rhododendron in the title picture. It’s a great place for a stroll, especially as it awakens from winter and takes on spring colors….
An exception to the Spring theme: the paperbush, with its delicate yellow-to-manila flowers, is actually a late-Winter bloom, with a fragrance that can be sensed even in the cold. It gets its name because the bark is used to make very high-quality paper, once used for printing Japanese money.
Continuing a bit on the Japan theme: this Camellia Japonica is called ‘April Kiss’—just in time!
The Garden’s great willow, at the edge of one of its water features, is dressed in its light-green spring color; below, the Children’s Garden is nearly ready to start for the year; it serves children from toddler age to teenagers; all four of my children took part in the program which has been running since 1914.
Daffodil Hill is in full bloom, just behind the Magnolia Court, and near the Visitor Center, a few of the Garden’s famed Japanese cheery trees are in early bloom.
