Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Maple Hill Hop 106



Maple Hill Hop


Welcome to 
The Maple Hill Hop.
This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.
Feel free to post about anything that's going on
OUTSIDE
in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.
(Please share only outdoor posts.)
*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*


On Sunday, Faye, Lynn and I took the day off from Farm School
to go on a little field trip to Bok Tower Sanctuary.
It's a spectacular botanical garden and educational center in nearby Lake Wales.
 (I apologize for the quality of some of the pictures.
Apparently there was something on the camera lens.)


This garden always inspires visitors
by showcasing new and unique plants.
Take this bamboo orchid for instance.


The flowers alone were gorgeous,
but what also appealed to me was the wonderful texture and height.


An array of various colors, compositions and fragrances
await the senses.
Botanical gardens are a wonderful resource 
for gathering ideas for future home garden plots.
The arrangement is the most challenging aspect of gardening for me,
so I appreciate being able to witness these well designed plantscapes.


These are Amazon water lillies,
which float seasonally in the koi pond surrounding the tower.


Aren't they amazing?


Pathways lead to all sorts of treasures.



It may be early November,
but there were plenty of blooming beauties.


These chartreuse zinnias were so unusual.



A favorite of pollinators (and myself),
zinnias seem to come in every color of the rainbow.


A new favorite at Maple Hill,
these Tithonia sunflowers have a velvety texture
and a big bold splash of color. 
We often use them for bouquets to bring into the house.



Here they had them staked,
as they were towering upwards of 4 feet or more.


 It was a day well spent,
even though we did play "hooky".

All in all, I can't imagine doing anything better
than enjoying a beautiful garden
with two of the most dear people on this earth.
Feeling mighty blessed.

That's what's happening outside where we are.
How 'bout you?
HOP on!

  


  

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