What a terrific week at the garden!
Possibly a trifle hot for human comfort after a couple of hours in the sun, but the plants couldn’t be happier. Plus, I participated in a most excellent educational program, a training for future tour guides, which caught me up to date on changes in the garden and in its policies since my original trainings last fall and also provided me with even more information to share with visitors. Because quite a few of the other participants were garden staff members, many people could contribute to answering questions about a wide range of subjects.
First, everyone will be delighted to know that the giant water lilies are back. Well, okay, they’re still babies, but they are back. Several are already placed in the upper basin in front of the Burle-Marx mosaic and more are being nurtured behind the scenes. Fertilized weekly, they will grow quickly so that summer visitors will soon be impressed with their remarkable size and beauty.
The golden chalice vine that climbs up one column in front of the mosaic is growing well too, although there were no blooms on it on the days I was there this week. However, it has spread horizontally well across the first trellis-like support, so there is definitely some shade in the pavilion’s future. Thank you, gardeners and designers!
The fern trees are leafing out, but they have not bloomed yet, and it is possible they will not bloom this year at all, we were informed. I was a little surprised to see these trees being pruned back quite a lot a couple of weeks ago, because, to me (just an amateur), their height is part of their striking beauty. From what I have read, my understanding was that their very tall, slender limbs with the airy, fern-like leaves at top serve to filter the sunlight to the plants below, thus giving people an idea of how “layers” of plants and trees can co-exist in a tropical forest. At any rate, whether it is this year or next, we can anticipate a beautiful showing of yellow flowers when they do bloom.
The Brazilian ironwood tree that had been in the circular viewing area next to the large basin below the waterfall looks good in its new location, at the western edge of the Brazilian garden “top floor.” Its replacement is a much smaller water chestnut (Pachira aquatica) .
Wednesday’s tour gave me pages and pages of information, and I haven’t even got to the Caribbean garden yet. Please check back and I’ll share more of what I learned this week. And by all means, come visit the garden and see for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
