Elk Rock. Spring must be a foot.

I have always been enamored with this garden.  The concept of utilizing six acres of land and creating a kind of botanical amusement park for plant nerds appeals to me.  Every time I visit this wonderland, I discover a new treasure, or learn about a new connection between plants that I didn't know beforehand.  The keepers of this garden have done such an admirable job at not only labeling the plants, but also stating the family the plant originates from. What this garden accomplishes is to create a well-designed garden given time and nurturing. Not an easy task given our exponential appetite for conspicuous consumption fueled by our impatience for allowing plants too mature on their time, not our time-frame.

This tree branch belongs to the parrotia persica, or 'iron-wood' tree.  In the larger context, it is in the family of Hamamelidaceae.  It boasts of family relatives such as the 'witch-hazel' and 'fothergilla'   Another family member I was delighted to get acquainted with on this sojourn was the 'chinese fighazel' or the Sycopsis sinensis in the following image:

This evergreen shrub boasts of fragrant flowers about a month after the parade of flowers of its' relative the 'witch-hazel.'

Another plant connection I discovered was the evergreen shrub, Stranvaesia davidiana, or the 'chinese photinia'.  I had no idea that this robust plant was in the rose family.

Thank you to all those whom have made these wonderful discoveries possible, and for sharing this wonderful estate.  I'll leave you with a shot of what I wish my lawn looked like in late winter.

Cheers,
Laura