Category: PhotoGallery

There is much to see and enjoy at the Arboretum, now that June is here: a dainty little bee enjoying the pale pink flowers on a Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’ (Cranesbill Geranium) and the striking dark burgundy foliage of a Lagerstroemia indica cv. Delee (Crape Myrtle), just to name a few. When this Crape Myrtle cultivar blooms, the flowers will be hot pink, quite a contrast to the burgundy leaves – and it’s a rebloomer!

The photos this week are courtesy of Valerie Scarinci.

The red flowers of an Aesculus pavia tree (Red Buckeye), the delicate, white flowers of an Iris tectorum (Japanese Wall Iris) and the soft, fuzzy gray leaves of Stachys Byzantina cv. Big Ears (Lamb’s Ears). Big Ears rarely blooms, but bees appreciate the small, non-showy lavender flowers when it does!

Photos courtesy of Valerie Scarinci.

Vibrant shades of pink can be found all over the gardens at the Arboretum, from a large, beautiful Rhododendron in full bloom (the common and generic names come from Ancient Greek, rhodon = rose and dendron = tree), a lovely pink and cream Peony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Gay Paree’), a shocking pink Dianthus (Dianthus gratianopolitanus cv. Firewitch) and a Blood Red Geranium (Geranium sanguineum) all doing their very best to put on a show for visitors to enjoy.

Thanks to Valerie Scarinci for this week’s photos.

Many thanks again to everyone who participated in the Friends’ 2024 Plant Sale, either by volunteering, organizing, advertising, purchasing plants, etc. Thanks to everyone, we had a very successful sale this year which will allow us to continue supporting The Frelinghuysen Arboretum with planting grants, grants for summer interns, etc. Here are just a few shots of this year’s sale.

Many thanks to volunteer and Member, Ann Mauro, for her great photos!

In spite of the very changeable weather, going from rain to sun to wind, many plants continue to bloom at the Arboretum. A beautiful red and yellow Columbine is flowering in the Alpine Garden in front of a bunch of tiny yellow Daffodils. A large Geum is full of gorgeous orange flowers with delicate red venation in the petals and slender filaments topped by anthers covered in pollen. A lovely dark purple Tulip covered in raindrops is a sight to behold; thank you Judy Snow for this photo and Margery Ennist for the other two.

More and more plants are beginning to bloom now that we’ve entered the lovely month of May. A gorgeous, deep purple Dwarf Bearded Iris, Iris cv. Dark Vader, is flowering in the Progressive Garden next to the first parking bay. Close by, an Epimedium cv. Pink Champagne (Bishop’s Hat) is covering the ground with delicate, pale pink spurred flowers. Not to be outdone, a Cornus florida f. Rubra (Pink Flowering Dogwood) is in full, dramatic bloom at the end of a parking bay close to the Plant Sale tent.

Varieties of all of the above will be sold at the Plant Sale, so plan to shop early to make sure your choices are available!

Thanks again to Judy Snow for these lovely photos.

Steve Kanan’s Sunday Saunter this week brings us a beautiful collection of macro shots of tulips. Isn’t Spring wonderful?

Thanks Steve for the another update of this great series.

Thanks to Katherine Boyle for the photograph of a Ladybug approaching a group of aphids; Ladybugs are wonderful, natural pest controllers. The aphids suck all the juices out of plants, damaging and killing them; the ladybug, however, eats the aphids (as many as 50 a day) and does no damage at all to the plant. They’re great to have in your garden! You can see more of Katharine’s pictures in several recent photo galleries on our website.

Thanks also to Judy Snow for the pictures of a container collection (Pansies, Geum and maybe a dark leaf lettuce?) next to the sundial in the Rose Garden, a lovely lavender Pulsatilla halleri ssp.styriaca and a gorgeous Cercis chinensis cv. Don Egolf in full bloom.

Elizabeth Brannin sent this beautiful batch of Arboretum pictures, noting “Even though it’s quite cold Spring is in bloom.”

Thanks, Elizabeth, for braving the chill to captures these images of Spring.

These pictures sent by Steve Kanan after his Saturday visit show off spring blossoms — mostly tulips, but with a daffodil and flowering trees for good measure. Thanks, Steve, for the lovely pictures.

Katharine Boyle wrote on April 18th, “Today’s rainfall and this evening’s cloudy sky made for some good photo opportunities of some lovely subjects. Here are photo highlights from tonight’s visit. “

Spring brings change every day of the week. Thanks to Katharine for capturing another day at the Arboretum on its journey through the seasons.

Katharine Boyle emailed yesterday, “Enclosed are some images from my visit to the arboretum Monday evening. The image of the ladybug is quite interesting. It wasn’t until I looked through the images tonight that I realized those little green dots are likely family members of the ladybug! Nature always amazes me. “

Thanks, Katharine. Nature is indeed putting on a great display.

On this glorious day it’s all about the infinite variety of spring bulbs. From the diminutive species tulips in the alpine raised bed and the many forms of daffodils, to the stately tulips and frothy narcissus in the entry borders, you have to marvel at the amazing display that bulbs provide. However, the blooms don’t last long, so plan to visit the Arboretum soon!

Thank you, Judy Snow, for the lovely words and photos!

Spring has taken the Arboretum by storm with bulbs, flowers and flowering trees putting on a splendid display as shown in these images from frequent contributor, Steve Kanan.

Thanks to Steve for letting us see that the cold ugly days of earlier spring have paid off yet again.

All sorts of plants and flowers are making an appearance in the gardens at the Arboretum.  The pretty red stems and leaves of a Peony have broken ground, a Spirea thunbergii cv. Ogon is showing off its lovely, delicate white flowers and a beautiful double Daffodil is a putting on quite a show. Enjoy!