Has Spring Sprung?
Today was one of the most beautiful days we’ve seen in a while. Blue skies with just a hint of clouds. A little outdoor adventure was in order. A favorite gal pal and I made a day of some errands by stopping for lunch at Truffles cafe, and a walk through the garden. Penny is excellent company in any garden. She’s curious, and gets excited by the little things. So when something big happens, like say a rainbow or a turtle, well watch out world!
We wanted to see what signs of spring had already sprung, and VanDusen Botanical Gardens was the perfect place to investigate.
First up, Viburnum. Penny spotted it from waaay down the garden path and was excited to go see the clusters of tiny fragrant flowers.
That was hard work! To reward ourselves we took a seat on a bench and visited with the ducks.
Which is when we spotted a few rather fantastic things on Livingstone lake. On a small rock just off the edge of the Southern Hemisphere gardens we spotted three small turtles sunning themselves shamelessly.
As we circled to see if we could find a better spot to see them we spotted an unusual bird also on a rock, standing tall and stately. Showing off for all who passed. We couldn’t figure out what type of bird this was, but another garden visitor supposed it might be a young heron, pre molt. Sounds right to me.
We circled around the lake, taking in a few rainbows along the way.
After our wildlife spotting we hit the paths in search of more signs of spring. We were rewarded quite quickly when we happened upon a crocus lawn and drifts of snowdrops. We made sure to lift the heads to get a better view and we were amply rewarded with Galanthus nivalus ‘Flore Pleno’ and it delicious double bloom.
Penny enjoyed the little flowers. Try as she might, she had difficulty showing me just how little the flowers were with her fingers. I’m super glad I asked though. As we continued down the path towards the Cypress Pond, we got to enjoy watching ducks land at a distance. Fun!
Along the way we spotted a variety of types of hellebores in its many stages of growth, with many already in bloom. We tipped some heads upwards to get a better look.
In Conclusion.
After extensive research, Penny and I have agreed. Spring has sprung. Despite what the calendar says.
Laura, I’m going to VanDusan on Monday. I can’t wait. I’ve never seen hellebores in real life only in photos.
You are going to thank yourself! It’s a wonderful garden. Take a map, and make sure to ask at the front desk where to go to see the most hellebores. I saw quite a few on the path that starts up near the Southern Hemisphere gardens and snakes down to Cypress Pond. Make sure to check out the hedge maze at the back. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Have fun!
Isn’t so much fun to investigate gardens with our kids? My youngest and I were walking through our woods and gardens to see what signs of spring we could find. Our hellebores are going crazy this year, the forsythia is close to bursting, the daffs are hanging a bit, as we had 4 inches of snow Saturday–which is wild for South Carolina! Still, spring is definitely in the air. What lovely photos, and what a cutie girl! So glad to find your blog.
What wonderful imagery! Thanks for stopping by.