Photo Galleries

We’ve had some very welcome and desperately needed rain this week, things are looking a bit better, but hoping for more precipitation soon. Some plants, such as Cottinus coggygria (Smoke Bush) still had rain drops on their leaves. Anemone September Charm (Japanese Anemone) and the neotropical Tibouchina (Glory Bush) are blooming and adding lots of color in the gardens.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Warm, less humid, but still very dry – the weather makes me think of that old song by The Temptations, “I Wish It Would Rain”. My interest today was captured by a variety of flying creatures: A female Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) nectaring on a Zinnia flower, a Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) nectaring on Verbena bonariensis and the dreaded Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatulus). This last one is an Asian invasive that wreaks havoc on our grape, orchard and logging industries – I followed environmental agencies’ instructions and squashed it dead!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Frequent contributor, Steve Kanan wrote: “Went to the garden today (Fri) and was happy to see a couple butterflies and one slightly cooperative hummingbird moth.”

Thanks for the beautiful pictures, Steve.

Quintessential mid-summer weather: hazy, hot and humid, scarcely a breeze to be found and no relief from the puny little puffs of air movement encountered. Stayed in the shade, looking for relief from the heat; thank goodness for the various water fountains dotting the property, their rippling waters and dripping sounds provided some respite from the heat, even if only fleeting. Photos show the Sylvan Terrace pool and fountain, the Shade Garden goldfish pool and mini waterfall, the Rose Garden fountain with its four jets and the trickling fountain next to the pergola behind the Mansion – most of the water features on the property are either in the shade or shade is nearby. Stay cool!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A hot summer day, the gardens are a bit dry and blooming less profusely, but plenty of color can still be found. A medium-sized Crape Myrtle shrub (Lagerstroemia indica cv. Velma’s Royal Delight) is full of flower clusters, the Black-Eyed Susan plants (Rudbeckia) are beginning to bloom and there are pockets of Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) blooming in several beds.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Frequent contributor, Katharine Boyle sent these beautiful images along with the following note:

”Enclosed are some recent images from Friday. I’ll admit that the up close and personal photos of the honeybee are a bit intense. You can see its tongue (proboscis) and its ocelli (tiny “simple eyes”) in the shots. Bees have two large eyes and then three tiny eyes above them.  Hope you and others enjoy them! “

I’m sure we will.

Thanks to a few showers yesterday, the humidity is down and it feels much cooler today, what a relief! The Gardens next to Matilda’s cottage are blooming beautifully in a riot of colors, textures, shapes and heights. There are bright red Daylilies (Hemerocallis), light pink Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos), mauve Cluster Top Vervain (Verbena bonariensis), tall white Tobacco plants (Nicotiana), bright orange Turks Cap Lilies (Lilium superbum), and several decorative dry Allium giganteum (Giant Onion) seed heads. Plan to visit soon, these are not the only gardens in bloom.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Mid-80s today at the Arboretum. Walking from spot of shade to spot of shade and sitting often, so grateful for all the comfortable benches along the way! The Adirondack chairs in front of the Mansion provide an expansive view of the Great Lawn; blooming in the gardens were bright red Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ (Montbretia), periwinkle blue Platycodon grandiflorus (Balloon Flower) and, in a large pot in the shade, Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ (Pineapple Lily) with Oakleaf Hydrangea flowers behind it.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Thanks to frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, for this group of beautiful images from yesterday.

The sunny beds flanking the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center have been planted differently this year with a “hot” combination of tropical plants, including Aechmea blanchetiana ‘Hawaii” (Bromeliad), deep red Coleus spp, bright orange Marigolds (Tagetes) and delicate Tassel Flowers (Emilia spp). It makes for a striking arrangement, especially when planted in front of the dark green hedge behind. Visit and see for yourself!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

White and pale orange captured my attention today as I strolled through the various gardens at the Arboretum. A huge, very fragrant flower on the Magnolia grandiflora cv. Edith Bogue (Southern Magnolia Cultivar), the large trumpet shaped flower on a Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet), the spidery white flower on the annual Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) and the light orange flower on the Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper Vine) climbing over the arbor leading into the Haggerty Education Center. Plan to visit soon!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Thanks to frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, for these fine closeups taken at the Frelinghuysen on Friday, 7/1/22.

A gorgeous warm, sunny day with clear blue skies and abundant white fluffy clouds floating overhead. The cottage next to the Haggerty Education Center is surrounded by many different plants and flowers. Some of the flowers blooming today: a lacy, light blue Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist), an Oakleaf Hydrangea, a spike of Stachys cv. Summer Romance (Betony) being visited by a pollen covered bee, and a bright yellow Coneflower (Echinacea).

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

On hand for the day were members of the North American Butterfly Association, as well as Lorette Cheswick, horiculturist and beekeeper, Jim Walker, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Denville, Gail DiDomenico, a Master Gardener, popular local speaker and plant expert, and members of the Home Garden Club of Morristown.  Helping out were Master Gardener volunteers, teen volunteers, and of course, members of the Friends of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

A new batch of closeups from contributor, Steve Kanan who says, “Relaxing with the macro early Friday evening after a long week. Thank you Frelinghuysen for being there.”