At last week's visit to South Coast Botanic Garden, the floral display that most impressed me wasn't that created by the tulips or daffodils but rather two apricot trumpet trees located in the garden's upper meadow (Handroanthus chrysostricha x impetiginosus, formerly classified as a hybrid Tabebuia).
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| I was on my way to the exit, passing the Fuller sculpture in the Mediterranean garden, when I saw the trees peaking up above the foliage, reminding me that I'd intended to swing by there |
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| Two little girls, with their mother or caretaker seated on a bench in the shade nearby, were playing under the flowering trees |
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| Wearing princess dresses, they looked like fairy sprites, enjoying a world that only they could see. I decided to keep my distance so as not to disturb their play. |
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| There was a group of people in the meadow with a large box that I guessed might be camera equipment but, if that was the case, they'd completed their lesson or, like me, chose not to interrupt the little group under the tree |
In my own garden, I felt a tiny touch of stardust on Monday when I discovered a species tulip blooming in my back border, the first of many I hope.
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| I planted a handful of Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane' in late 2019, as well as another handful of Tulipa clusiana 'Cynthia'. They bloomed in 2020 but I wasn't sure they'd come back as my climate isn't particularly hospitable to tulips of any kind. Despite our low rainfall, I found foliage for both cultivars, which is promising. |
For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I love flowering trees that provide a shading canopy, just like those twin apricot trumpet trees. The tiny fairies playing underneath are an added bonus, and a good way to show scale... its a magical scene.
ReplyDeleteIt was, quite literally, a picture perfect scene.
DeleteHello Kris,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful it is possible to visit a botanic garden. Overhere everything is closed for month's now because of the COVID. The tree is fantastic never heard of it before. I can imagine how happy this tulipflower makes you.
Have a wonderful week ahead.
Marijke
The tree is a hybrid that I have never seen anywhere else. This particular botanic garden is unusual in that it closed for only one day last year for the purpose of readying the grounds for visitors under Covid-19 guidelines. Advance reservations are required and the total number of guests is restricted. Wearing masks and practicing social distancing is required and those requirements are enforced by rangers.
DeleteHow lovely for you to have re-blooming tulips! I must try the species someday. Have you ever seen St. Michael's Mount garden in Cornwall? Your garden reminds me a little of it with the mix of succulents and flowers, steep rocky drops, and terracing.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen that Cornwall garden online in blog posts. It's beautiful and, yes, I can grow many of the plants that grow there, although the view from our garden isn't nearly as spectacular.
DeleteWhat a fun outing. Any outing where you see Fairies is a fun outing, especially when they are hovering around beautiful blooming trees.
ReplyDeleteThe fairies were a nice surprise, Lisa!
DeleteAre those tulips pink buds opening to white?
ReplyDeleteThe bottom of the petals are striped in pink but the flip (top) side of the petals are white. The flowers close in low light so you see more of the pink then.
DeleteThe trees are spectacular--certainly worth the stop. Cute to watch the little girls. The tulip is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled that the tulips are blooming a second year. In my former garden, I had moderate success with species tulips, although they returned in smaller numbers each year before entirely disappearing.
Delete'Lady Jane' is one of the few tulips that reliably returned for several years, until a chipmunk ate nearly all of them last summer before I discovered the holes. I think I saved three... grrr.
ReplyDeleteI loved the fairy princesses under the trees, how perfect was that?
That's frustrating to say the least, Eliza. I'm surprised the temporary resident gopher (or gophers) didn't snack on mine last year.
DeleteBeautiful trees, Kris! Lady Jane is my favorite tulip! I've had it in my garden for years, and it is occasionally naturalizing. I think its natural habitat would be quite like that of California - the hot and dry expanses of Turkmenistan or Iran. (Okay, I'm guessing, but a lot of wild tulips come from there. I wish you luck in getting it established. If you can, definitely let it go to seed - you will be amply rewarded!
ReplyDeleteI'll follow that advice, Anna!
DeleteBeautiful scenes! Fingers crossed for more tulips.
ReplyDeleteNo additional tulip buds yet but 'Lady Jane' has a few new buds.
DeleteThe tulips are sweet! How wonderful (miraculous?) they came back for another year.
ReplyDeleteAround here the pink Handroanthus are flowering. Lots of them used as street trees. They are quite nice, not too big.
Given our low rain levels, the tulip does feel like a small miracle, HB. I understand that the apricot Handroanthus (still labeled as Tabebuia at the garden) is fairly unusual. They have a lot of the pink-flowered trees too.
DeleteSuch beautiful trees in blossom Kris complete with their little fairy sprites 😄 A magical discovery in your own garden too.
ReplyDeleteI think the botanic garden should make a habit of inviting fairy sprites whenever the trees are in bloom, Anna!
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