Friday, July 18, 2008

The Flowers of Summer

Alexandria, VA, July 16:







































Lotus Time Again

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, July 13: Lotus (Nelumbo):







































Hardy water lilies (Nymphaeaceae):




















Bees on the pickerel weed (Pontederia):









Dragonflies (Odenata, l):


















Spider lilies (Hymenocallis):









Buttonbush (Cephalanthus):









InKensington marsh, a female Northern Cardinal (l) and cattail (Typha, r):









Minnows:
Tropical water lilies:

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

A Firecracker Fourth










Wilson, N.C., July 4: The Wilson Rose Garden is a community project initiated in 1992 by Dr. Rufus Swain and maintained by volunteers in the Wilson Deadhead Society. The garden is open from dawn to dusk daily without an admission fee. The garden is located at 1800 Herring Avenue, immediately west of US 301 in front of the City of Wilson Operations Center.

The garden contains 180 varieties of roses (over 1200 plants) grown in raised beds with only only 1 or 2 varieties per bed. Each bed is well marked naming the varieties of roses, the name of the deadheader and any memorial dedications.









The roses range from very old to very new:































































Deadheaders at work (l) and Fourth of July roses (r):









Insects:


















The garden centers on a fountain sculpture of Georgia marble:












"Child with Rose":












Whirlygig and gazebo: