Spring in the Noni Gardens

I found a new gardening friend and made her go with me to see the "my gardens" last week. We were just talking one day and realized we both love horticulture, and both shyly admitted that we have garden blogs. It has been fun to swap thoughts and ideas. Little does she know, I may drag her on more garden field trips this summer. I have always wanted to see the Red Butte Gardens in SLC and Thanksgiving Point is always worth a gander.

I knew our timing might find the garden crews right in the middle of change-out (removing all the bulbs and pansies and planting summer annuals), but I wanted to catch some late-spring glory. You can see the bed in front of the sign has been replanted, but spring glory we did find!

Check out these late-blooming pink parrot tulips.

And these huge yellow parrots that open so big they look like a dinner plate.

These orange anemones were still gorgeous.

This north facing side of the building was still in full bloom! It is shaded most of the day, so the bulbs elongate to reach for the sun and bloom late in the season.

These double pink tulips are stunning. They don't even look like tulips they are so full. They almost remind me of peonies.

Speaking of peonies, these might be my very favorite flower! They are so gorgeous and vibrant. Someday I am going to have a bed full of peonies.

Just imagine what this will look like when they are all in full bloom.

I also love wisteria. It can be aggressive and needs lots of room to grow, but it is so beautiful in bloom.

I was happy to find these dainty crabapple blossoms (Malus ioensis, Betchel Crabapple) still in bloom.

If you remember from the groundcover post, I didn't have a very good picture of sweet woodruff, so I took another one for you. Just look at how lush and carpet-like it can get. It makes you feel like you are in an enchanted wood.

I am happy to say the kids also enjoyed our outing. (Sorry I get a little carried away... visiting the gardens is like visiting old friends. I know every nook and cranny of that place and love seeing how things are growing and changing!)

We couldn't keep them out of the reflection pool--too tempting! It does feel really good on a hot day... believe me, there were many times we took breaks and dipped in!

Just for fun, I wanted to do a little comparison from when I worked there to now.

Stream Island Fall 2005

(Tricolor beech trees {Fagus sylvatica 'Roseomarginata'} at center)

Stream Island Spring 2010
Look how big and vibrant the beech trees are now!

Promenade Fall 2005
Zelkova serrata trees

Promenade Spring 2010
They are huge now!

Time marches on, and plants don't stop growing just because you're not watching.