Monet's Garden at the NY Botanical Garden

If you are in the New York City metro area, you might want to take a stroll through the NY Botanical Garden's newly opened exhibit, Monet's Garden. We luckily discovered it on opening day. Having been fortunate enough to actually visit Giverny last fall, naturally I was curious. The exhibit did not disappoint.

At the entrance to the Botanical Garden, we were greeted by a luxurious display of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) in full bloom. Talk about a wow factor! 

A little background for you...

 A photo of Monet's garden (reflected in the water) taken by photographer Elizabeth Murray

The water lilies in the Conservatory Courtyard Pools

The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory was a treat for the senses. Before we even entered the garden display, one could smell the roses. The iconic green of Monet's trellises was dead on. Delphinium, roses of all types and colors, poppies, hydrangea, foxglove and, I am sure, dozens of more flowers were blooming happily together. Not a weed or brown leaf or petal to be seen. Granted, this was the first day, but just to bring these plants to bloom to perfection and look natural was an amazing feat.

 Laburnum tree (commonly called golden chain)

Poppy pods in front of delphinium

It was a sight!

 As you strolled out of the flower beds, you passed through this lovely "house" façade.

Just look at this gorgeous structure! 

The Conservatory is a Victorian-style glasshouse that opened in 1902.

There are also two of Monet's paintings and rare Monet artifacts on display in the Rondina Gallery, which we did not have time to see. 

The New York Botanical Garden

  2900 Southern Boulevard 

Bronx, NY 10458 

718.817.8700

I hope you have the chance to go!

Stroll Around the Garden

We have been blessed with perfect spring weather for the last month- not too hot, managed to escape any frosts. The two week warmth we had in March accelerated the growth of the foliage and blooms and they have been slowly opening and remaining in the cool weather. Nice!

Here are my three favorite tulips. Unfortunately, I did not keep the name tags of the tulips, so I can't give you that information. (I know, my bad.)

I wish you could see this parrot tulip in person. The color is amazing- somewhere in between coral and red- maybe like watermelon?

Here is another parrot tulip in the deepest of burgundy. It looks different, depending upon the time of day and amount of sunshine. The first is early morning as the sun is rising, the second as you look into the blooms and the third is early evening, sitting in front of some bright pink tree peonies.

Lastly, here is a graceful, softly colored, very smooth looking tulip. When it opens itself to the sun, it turns into a totally different shape.

This is its early morning coloration, followed by two different views of the blooms in early evening.

Are your tulips still blooming?

Not a Red Rose In Sight!

Happy Valentine's Day to you all! 

Instead of the usual red roses, I'd like to suggest gorgeous colors to make you smile.

A petite vase of deep blue hydrangea?

Or a happy vase of bright daffodils?

Perhaps quince branches? You can force them to bloom inside yourself if you cut the branches now. (See how here.)

Enjoy a riot of colors... all without a red rose in sight!

If you could choose, what would be your preference?

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Soft and Shimmery

Sharing with you a rather unused perennial that I find softly beautiful. This is a pulsatilla flower, also known as the pasque flower. It blooms in spring and is very polite about spreading, naturalizing itself if it is happy. The soft hairs flow during a gentle breeze, making the whole plant shimmer. The flowers come in red, white and purple.

What unusual perennials do you grow?

Linking up to Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Spring Happy

Spring tulips and hyacinths: the very definition of happy!

Mmmm, great fragrance...

Have you ever smelled mimosa before? It's soft and sweet, with its scent relatively short-lived. If you can find it very fresh, you are in for a real treat.

TGIF!