Photo Galleries

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).

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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)?

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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.

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!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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).

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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).

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

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.”

Thanks for the beautiful pictures, Steve.

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!

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

A hot summer day, the gardens are a bit dry and blooming less profusely, but plenty of color can still be found. A medium-sized Crape Myrtle shrub (Lagerstroemia indica cv. Velma’s Royal Delight) is full of flower clusters, the Black-Eyed Susan plants (Rudbeckia) are beginning to bloom and there are pockets of Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) blooming in several beds.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.