Photo Galleries

Summer has arrived, albeit unofficially, at the Arboretum. Several varieties of Baptisia are blooming in the gardens, including a lovely Baptisia cv. Pink Lemonade (Decadence® Deluxe False Indigo). A gorgeous Deutzia cv. Pink-a-Boo (Deutzia Pink-a-Boo) is in full bloom in the vicinity of the Marsh Meadow Deck. In the Nurserymen’s Garden on the walk to the Haggerty Education Center’s entrance, a Nepenthes alata (Tropical Pitcher Plant) is showing off its exotic vegetation. This plant is endemic to the Philippines, and, like all pitcher plants, it is carnivorous using its nectar to attract insects that drown in the pitcher and are digested by the plant. Drama in the garden!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Here is a new batch of photos taken at the arboretum from frequent visitor, Steve Kanan. He has done a good job of capturing late spring’s progress, including a couple of our feathered friends.

Currently in full bloom at the Whippany Road exit from the Arboretum is a gorgeous Cladrastis kentukea (Yellowwood) with its white, sweetly scented, pea-like flowers. Several Cornus kousas (Kousa Dogwood) are blooming around the property with their pointy white bracts. Last, but not least, a Chionanthus virginicus (White Fringe Tree) is full of its delicate, strappy white flowers.

There are many other white blooming shrubs and trees at the Arboretum; pay us a visit and see what you can find!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Steve Kanan sent these pictures from a visit to the Frelinghuysen last Thursday, May 18th. He particularly noted the uncommon poppies amongst the other beautiful images.

Thanks, Steve for sharing these with us.

The Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s grounds are lovely to stroll through, but you might also want to sit, relax and simply enjoy your surroundings. There’s a wide choice of seating areas, in the sun, in the shade, under cover, etc. The teak benches next to Matilda’s cottage offer a shady place to rest, read or just sit. The benches in the blue garden in front of Matilda’s are in the sun and are a lovely complement to the blue flowers in the beds. The table and chairs in the gazebo overlooking the Marsh Meadow offer a comfortable place to enjoy a picnic lunch and watch the birds. These are by no means the only seating areas at the Arboretum, come for a visit and discover others on your own!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Lovely, dramatic color combinations and textures, Mother Nature is quite the artist and her craft was amply visible at the Arboretum this week!. A lovely, strongly scented Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ (Meyer Lilac) watches over the delicate, pale blue flowers of Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern Bluestar); a newly pruned Cotinus’ foliage (Smoke Bush) dramatically emerges among a bed of fresh, green strappy Hemerocallis (Daylily) foliage. A bee busily works the lemon yellow flowers of Euphorbia palustris (Marsh Spurge). So much more to see, visit soon!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

The gardens around Matilda’s Cottage are filling in nicely with lots of flowering plants, growing bulbs and newly leafed out shrubs. The Alpine Garden is a treasure of small plants and flowers, including a mass of tiny yellow flowers blooming amongst the rocks; unfortunately, the plant was not labelled and I am not familiar with it. I’d welcome an ID if anyone knows what it is!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A variety of colorful ground covers are emerging around the Arboretum, i.e., a lovely, tiny, yellow-flowered Euphorbia cyparissias cv. Fen’s Ruby (Cypress Spurge), a drift of white Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft) and the delicate, light blue flowers of Myosotis (Forget-Me-Not) can all be seen in the vicinity of Matilda’s Cottage. Also, a striking red-flowered  Paeonia cv. Cardinal’s Robe (Peony) is in full bloom in the Cottage Garden (the yellowish shrub in the background is a Spirea).

Picture credits: Margery Ennist

Katharine Boyle sent a batch of photos, saying, “Enclosed are some highlights from my visit on Saturday, Earth Day…. Thank you and wishing you and the friends a wonderful week!”

You can see more of Katharine’s photos in her Instagram profile, @katharineboylephotography.

Thanks to Steve Kanan who shared this batch of photos from his visit to the Frelinghuysen Arboretum this past Saturday, Earth Day.

After some unusually warm April weather, temperatures have fallen to more seasonal levels. The warm weather did promote all kinds of early blooming, though. This year, the bulb planting at the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center is a happy combination of white daffodils interspersed with orange tulips. The display is funded by a grant from the Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

So many plants are in bloom that it was difficult to choose what to photograph; I settled on the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) plants sporting arched stems of lovely pink heart-shaped flowers and Witch Alder (Fothergilla) shrubs covered in white brush like flowers. Spring at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, what could be better?

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Our frequent contributor, Katharine Boyle, sent these beautiful pictures from a visit to the Frelinghuysen yesterday.

She said, “Today was a perfectly cloudy day for macro and wide angle photography. The bumble bee in the last few photos was enormous and hard to keep up with its busy pollination activities! Spring has sprung!”

Love the bumblebee!

The warm weather we’ve been experiencing is promoting all kinds of growth in the form of  leaves, flowers, bulbs, etc. A Viburnum carlesii cv. Compactum (Korean Spice Viburnum) is about to burst into full bloom and release its lovely fragrance; the Magnolia x ‘Butterflies’ (Hybrid Magnolia) next to the Waterwise Deck is full of large, pale yellow flowers (notice the unopened bud clusters of the Viburnum carlesii under the tree); and a Prunus x cistena ‘Purpurea’ (Purpleleaf Sand Cherry) in the Four Seasons Garden next to the parking lot has a myriad of very delicate white flowers beginning to open all along its branches. It is a lovely time at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum – make time for a visit soon!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

Frequent contributor, Steve Kanan, sent this batch of photos from his walk at the Arboretum on Easter Sunday.

Thanks, as always, to Steve for his great batches of pictures.

A beautiful early spring day in the mid-70s. Many visitors were out enjoying the Arboretum’s grounds today, from painters to photographers to families enjoying the great lawn. Large sweeps of daffodils are spreading their cheery blossoms for all to enjoy, the cherry trees are beginning to bloom and all manner of buds are breaking their long winter rest.

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to all!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.