Native Son: Longview Arboretum Garden Tour
I had the pleasure of hosting the Fannie Marchman Garden Club from Mineola today, and we had ourselves a good old-fashioned grand time of it. They are, one and all, obviously fine Texas ladies, as they laughed at my jokes and acted like they understood the dated references in my stories…”Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.”
So … in the spirit of a glorious springtime, we’d like to invite you along on today’s tour. Shall we…?
Oxeye daisies soak in the sunshine at the Pond while 7-foot-tall giant coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima) tower nearby. Click on images for larger view.
An experiment succeeds! Sweet alyssum seed sown in February forms a white carpet billowing out around dwarf bananas in the Spring Hill bed. Click images for larger view.
The 150-foot-long Daisy Border bed, planted by Arboretum volunteer Jan Barth, is a sight to see! Roses in the Southern Living Garden are beautiful and nicely scented. Click images for larger view.
Discussing the finer details of Japanese painted fern. You’re never far from water at the Longview Arboretum. Click images for larger view.
The Bent Sweetgum hides a secret bench beneath its boughs…ssshhh! Click on images for larger view.
Bronze cranes adorn a waterway that gently flows down to join the rose-festooned pond. (What rhymes with “festooned?”) (Am I the only one who just loves that word?) Click images for larger view.
One last chance to partake of the fragrant roses before going back into the Nature Center…to see the Wizard’s Castle and the rest of the Fairy Garden houses! (They’re awesome!) Click images for larger view.
Thanks for coming along on our tour. Hope you had a good time. You can see the rest when you come back next time. And don’t wait too long…you’ll miss stuff. Thanks again. Restrooms to the left; gift shop’s on the right. Y’all drive careful now, ya hear?.
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Get Your ROOTS on! Make plans to attend our ROOTS concert series at the Longview Arboretum! Thursday nights in April. See our Facebook page for all the details.
It’s Gonna Be Big!
Come out to the Longview Arboretum and party your piñatas off at our special Cinco de Mayo celebration on … well, you know … May 5. Live music, food, games, piñatas, and pretty much anything else you can think of … and a few surprises to boot. See our Facebook page for all the details.
Just so you know … the Longview Arboretum & Nature Center is OPEN! Hours are 10am-5pm, Wednesday through Saturday; Sunday 12 noon-5pm. Come out and see us! And bring your own brand of Zen! 903-212-2181 Longviewarboretum.org.
I need a road trip! Let me know if you’d like me to come and speak to your group sometime. I’m low maintenance, flexible, and you know I like to go just about anywhere. No city too big; no town too small. Just send me an e-mail at stevenchamblee@yahoo.com and we’ll work something out.