Tulip Time on the Bridge of Flowers

  • Post published:04/26/2010
  • Post comments:4 Comments
Tulips on the Bridge of Flowers

Tulips of many colors and hues are in full bloom on Shelburne Falls’ Bridge of Flowers. It’s enough to make one stop – or at least slow down – to enjoy the day and be grateful to live in such an area where  going about one’s duties and errand running brings one this kind of pleasure.   And don’t forget you can add a little bit of the Bridge to your own garden by buying a plant or two at the Annual Plant Sale on May 22.  Nine a.m.!

Viburnam

The woods are also beginning to bloom. Even when my errands take me through the hills I look around and see woodland foliage attaining more definition and leaf buds unfurl in ruddy shades of maple, tender green and the bright yellow green of willows. Everywhere I go, magnolias, cherries and trees I can’t even identify are blooming in yards, along the Deerfield River, and at the edges of pastures. Crabapples are just beginning to bloom. Trees, tulips, daffodils – bloom is bustin’ out all over.

At home, bees are buzzing in the wild plum trees that grow around the hen house. I am reminded that I need to get busy as a bee. This week I spent a happy morning moving rotted horse manure from my neighborly supplier and into various garden beds. I pruned roses and planted roses: Hawkeye Belle (pink) on the Rose Bank, and Prairie Harvest (yellow) and Quietness (pale pink)  on the Rose Walk. All three are hardy Griffith Buck hybrids. I also ripped out Pamela, a pink rugosa that was too much like Scabrosa.  I put a couple of the shoots on the Rose Bank and gave the greater part to neighbors who have no roses. Yet.  My  husband revved up the tractor and pulled out a nearly dead spirea – too far gone to try and save. Now I have a beautiful open spot in a Lawn Bed that was looking too crowded.

Trillium Workshop - Planting Containers

The lasagna Front Garden is now completed and I planted my own lettuce and broccoli seedlings in the new bed. Then I celebrated by attending a Trillium Workshops program on planting containers. The three Trillium gardeners, Jeff Farrell, Lisa Newman and Gloria Pacosa, gave a group of excited gardeners information about options in containers, how to make potting mixes, how to keep container plantings alive – and then we all dug in. So to speak. We had brought planters and Trillium supplied a whole range of seedlings, annuals, herbs, dahlias – and ideas. One of the participants noticed that all of the completed and very different arrangements looked great. Which just goes to show that there are many aesthetic approaches and many ways to make something beautiful. Thank you Trillium!

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Felicia

    I checked out that Bridge of Flowers site. What a neat place that must be!

  2. Mattenylou

    I’ve never been to the Bridge of Flowers in the Spring, looks so pretty, I’ll have to plan a trip!

  3. Pat

    Felicia – The Bridge is really amazing and has great gardeners who have figured out how to keep it blooming for a long long season. The volunteers help keep it looking tidy.
    mattenylou – It’s worth a trip – and tourists do come to town to visit it.

  4. Isn’t spring just so great? What I had a rose planting session last week – hard to believe that those sticky bare root roses will turn beautiful. I love the cherry tree picture with the blue sky – a perfect background.

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