The sunny beds flanking the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center have been planted differently this year with a “hot” combination of tropical plants, including Aechmea blanchetiana ‘Hawaii” (Bromeliad), deep red Coleus spp, bright orange Marigolds (Tagetes) and delicate Tassel Flowers (Emilia spp). It makes for a striking arrangement, especially when planted in front of the dark green hedge behind. Visit and see for yourself!
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Achmea Blanchetiana Hawaii
Achmea Blanchetiana Hawaii
Achmea Blanchetiana Hawaii
This is the Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s Photo Gallery. Click on the title of one of the albums below to open it where you may then browse the pictures. To receive photos regularly, sign up for our weekly email blast by clicking here.
We welcome pictures from all our friends and visitors — send any you would like to see here to webmaster@arboretumfriends.org.
A quiet, overcast day at the Arboretum; the fall foliage still clinging to trees and shrubs is creating beautiful vignettes on the grounds: a long-shot of the misty meadow behind the Mansion, a Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree) in all its yellow glory and a Cornus spp (Dogwood) in full fall red, as well as a columnar Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Silhouette’ (Columnar Sweetgum ‘Silhouette’) framed by a Sugar Maple on the left and a Norway Maple on the right. Sadly, these gorgeous colors won’t last, so make plans to visit soon.
A foggy, misty, mild day, lots of rain drops glistening on leaves and dripping off flowers such as the ones on the Lonicera heckrotii ‘Goldflame’ (Goldflame Honeysuckle) blooming next to the parking lot. The Yucca recurvifolia (Curve Leaf Yucca) blooming next to the Waterwise Deck is magnificent in full bloom next to a yellow-foliaged Cephalotaxus harringtonia cv. Korean Gold (Japanese Plum Yew). Last, but not least, the small, creamy white, fragrant flowers of Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Sons Tree).
A crisp, clear fall day following yesterday’s rain. The bees were all over the Asters in the Blue Garden in front of Matilda’s Cottage; there’s a pretty Chrysanthemum blooming in the side garden next to Matilda’s and don’t you just love the dark purple leaves outlined in red of the Smoke Bush (Cotinus)?
Another gorgeous, sunny, fall day with clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 70s. Trees and shrubs are starting to show their lovely autumn colors. The young Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) in front of the mansion is resplendent in orange and gold leaves; the restored meadow behind the mansion is all muted colors, with whole swaths of blooming Monarda punctata (Spotted Bee Balm), a pollinator friendly native; The leaves on a Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ (Hybrid Witch Hazel cultivar) are turning a beautiful, brilliant orange. Fall is fleeting, so be sure to visit soon.
Picture credits: Margery Ennist.
Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple)
Monarda punctata (Spotted Bee Balm)
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' (Hybrid Witch Hazel cultivar)
A rainy, blustery and chilly day at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum. The grounds are once again decorated with scarecrows, so plan a visit soon to see all these whimsical creations. Here’s just a small sampling of some of the scarecrows awaiting your visit. Enjoy!
A beautiful early fall day, cool and crisp. A delicate combination of Goldenrod (Solidago spp) and Asters (Aster spp) is blooming happily in the lower garden behind the Haggerty Education Center, the striking reddish flowerheads of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer Bloomstruck’ can be found next to the parking lot and bunches of Autumn Crocus or Naked Ladies (Colchicum) are springing up all over the gardens. Many visitors were out and about enjoying the grounds today.
It’s hard to believe that the first day of Fall is upon us. This is a great time to visit the gardens, the heat has abated, flowers are still blooming and the first hints of fall color are beginning to show. Pick a day to visit and enjoy the grounds from the Adirondack chairs in front of the Mansion.
The beds in front of the Haggerty Education Center have filled in nicely: the waves of red Coleus and orange Marigolds against the dark green hedge and the Blue Spruce in the background, make for a striking sight. The pink flower clusters of Sedum telephium cv. Neon (Showy Stonecrop) are lovely and bees are all over the flowers of Caryopteris x clandonensis (Blue Mist Shrub).
A much needed rainy day, quiet and peaceful as I walked around under my umbrella looking for things to photograph and share in this week’s eblast. The complex seed pods on the Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) caught my attention, as did a potted American Century Plant’s leaves (Agave americana) and the young fruit on a Fig tree (Ficus carica).
Our frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, has sent another batch of beautiful closeups from the Arboretum. Thanks, Steve, for chronicling our transition toward Fall.
Summer is not ready to give way to cooler weather yet, hazy, hot and humid conditions have returned … hoping the forecast for rain will hold. The striking foliage of Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian Shield) is providing spots of color in the circular tropical bed next to the Marsh Meadow Deck, the Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper Vine) is lush and full of flowers growing over the Arbor on the way to the front entrance of the Haggerty Education Center and the water in the Rock Garden pond was serenely reflecting the blue sky and white clouds overhead.
We’ve had some very welcome and desperately needed rain this week, things are looking a bit better, but hoping for more precipitation soon. Some plants, such as Cottinus coggygria (Smoke Bush) still had rain drops on their leaves. Anemone September Charm (Japanese Anemone) and the neotropical Tibouchina (Glory Bush) are blooming and adding lots of color in the gardens.
Warm, less humid, but still very dry – the weather makes me think of that old song by The Temptations, “I Wish It Would Rain”. My interest today was captured by a variety of flying creatures: A female Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) nectaring on a Zinnia flower, a Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) nectaring on Verbena bonariensis and the dreaded Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatulus). This last one is an Asian invasive that wreaks havoc on our grape, orchard and logging industries – I followed environmental agencies’ instructions and squashed it dead!
Frequent contributor, Steve Kanan wrote: “Went to the garden today (Fri) and was happy to see a couple butterflies and one slightly cooperative hummingbird moth.”
Quintessential mid-summer weather: hazy, hot and humid, scarcely a breeze to be found and no relief from the puny little puffs of air movement encountered. Stayed in the shade, looking for relief from the heat; thank goodness for the various water fountains dotting the property, their rippling waters and dripping sounds provided some respite from the heat, even if only fleeting. Photos show the Sylvan Terrace pool and fountain, the Shade Garden goldfish pool and mini waterfall, the Rose Garden fountain with its four jets and the trickling fountain next to the pergola behind the Mansion – most of the water features on the property are either in the shade or shade is nearby. Stay cool!
White and pale orange captured my attention today as I strolled through the various gardens at the Arboretum. A huge, very fragrant flower on the Magnolia grandiflora cv. Edith Bogue (Southern Magnolia Cultivar), the large trumpet shaped flower on a Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet), the spidery white flower on the annual Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower) and the light orange flower on the Campsis radicans (Trumpet Creeper Vine) climbing over the arbor leading into the Haggerty Education Center. Plan to visit soon!
A gorgeous warm, sunny day with clear blue skies and abundant white fluffy clouds floating overhead. The cottage next to the Haggerty Education Center is surrounded by many different plants and flowers. Some of the flowers blooming today: a lacy, light blue Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist), an Oakleaf Hydrangea, a spike of Stachys cv. Summer Romance (Betony) being visited by a pollen covered bee, and a bright yellow Coneflower (Echinacea).
On hand for the day were members of the North American Butterfly Association, as well as Lorette Cheswick, horiculturist and beekeeper, Jim Walker, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Denville, Gail DiDomenico, a Master Gardener, popular local speaker and plant expert, and members of the Home Garden Club of Morristown. Helping out were Master Gardener volunteers, teen volunteers, and of course, members of the Friends of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.
A new batch of closeups from contributor, Steve Kanan who says, “Relaxing with the macro early Friday evening after a long week. Thank you Frelinghuysen for being there.”
Cloudy and muggy with rain in the forecast. Nevertheless, lots in bloom in the gardens. A sea of Callirhoe involucrata (Purple Poppy Mallow) gently swaying in the breeze, a tall Verbascum thapsus (Common Mullein) blooming against a Blue Spruce in the background, the complex, scented flowers of Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed), the fluffy white flowers of Sambucus canadensis cv. Maxima (American Elderberry) and the tall, feathery, pale yellow flowers of Thalictrum flavum subspec. glaucum (Meadow Rue).
There used to be a set of stairs going up to the patio on the side of the Haggerty Education Center. Several years ago, the patio was renovated, the stairs were eliminated and new railings were installed; there is a handicapped accessible ramp to the patio, as well. The four lamp posts that were on the sides of the steps were left. The following spring, new plantings were installed where the stairs were; at first they really didn’t look like much, but as the plants became established, grew and spread, the area turned into an attractive garden visible as you come up the driveway at the Arboretum.
The plantings are a combination of Prunus laurocerasus cv. Schipkaensis, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’, Hosta sieboldiana cv. Elegans, a lovely purple variegated leaf Iris, a perennial Geranium (Wargrave Pink, perhaps?) and some Columbines. Enjoy the photos.
A bit muggy and cloudy at the Arboretum today, but we are expecting rain. As always, much to see and enjoy, such as the intricate, perfectly round seed head of an Allium flower, the beautiful, but toxic, flowers of a potato plant (Solanum tuberosum, in the Nightshade family) and a stalk of Phlomis tuberosa flowers (Jerusalem Sage, in the Mint family) working their way up the stem in groups of pretty lavender flowers.
