Tip Toe Botanicals

So it was off to Brookside Gardens with my friend Maura who so enjoys the great outdoors and who is also a keen gardener and actively involved in land care.

It was a wonderful time to turn up at the onset of spring - a real riot of colour that I still find amazing and so-Australian! Perhaps some of these flowers would stand a better chance in New Zealand.

I've sprinkled a few Latin plant names liberally throughout this tour to indicate my fascination with names along with my botanical credentials-not. Here are some to start with.

And here is a founding founder!

They even grow libraries with lovely sculpted roof fungus!

And here is a reminder of ground friends.

Off to the Atrium and a tropical dash of colour.

I am not in Holland.

I am in the USA not Canada say these geese.

I am not in Japan.

I am in conifer country. I'd like to introduce you to Picea Pungens 'Hunnewelliana.'

And Pinus Densiflora 'Aurea'.

And one of my faves - a flowering quince called Orange Storm.

And this evocatively named Burning-Bush - a Japanese offering named 'Kosho Myumi'.

Just seeing the flowering trees and the new leaves for me was uplifting.

Thanks for joining me on my tour. Thank you Montgomery County for continuing to support such a great space. Thank you Maura for bringing me here. Vita est arcus colore. I must remember to spiritus vitae.