What’s in Bloom

The annual Members Only New Year’s Party was held at the Arboretum on Sunday, January 12. Attendees were treated to an interesting and informative talk by Kristin Ace, Chairperson, Morristown Shade Tree Commission as well as an array of sweet and savory treats, hot beverages and Prosecco. The lovely table arrangements were created by Marge Hulstrunk and Russell Gatzke; The arrangements were raffled off and ten lucky winners got to take one home. Upon departure, attendees walked out to the parking lot down the festively lit walkway and were treated to a dramatic skyscape.

Picture Credits: Margery Ennist

A visit during Monday’s snowy weather, was chilly but quiet, lovely and relaxing. A curious Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) flitting about in the shrubbery at the entrance to the Haggerty Education Center, practically begged me to take its photograph! The dried flowers on a Hydrangea paniculata cv. Zwijnenburg (Limelight Panicle Hydrangea) were extra pretty with a light coating of snow as were the buds on the Pieris japonica cv. Valley Rose (Japanese Pieris). The lightly falling snow covered everything with delicate white snowflakes, from the branches of the Cedrus deodara cv. Snow Sprite (Himalayan Cedar) to the Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Cedar), everything looked as if it had received a dusting of powdered sugar.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist.

In Jenny Rose Carey’s newsletter this week, she posted the following quote from Marion Henderson’s book, Pot-Pourri:

“The year drips its life slowly away from naked trees where rain hangs in crystal drops. The days are short and seem bereft of light. Yet there are times when winter’s beauty cannot be denied and trees in their dark tracery are etched against the cold blue sky. If the sun shines, the world of nature, sleeping, seems to stir and almost to wake and live again.”

Ms. Henderson’s words reminded me of a recent trip to the Arboretum on a grey, rainy day, when I snapped the following photographs. The bare branches of Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Sons Tree) reaching up against a slate grey sky presenting a beauty not seen when the tree is leaf covered. The vibrant red berries of Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’ (Winterberry Holly) dripping with rain drops providing a bright spot in the garden on a dreary day. No sun appeared during my visit, but I was struck by the beauty of various plants in close proximity to one another: a Blue Spruce in front of a large clump of dry ornamental grasses, the delicate branches of a tree in front of a dark green Spruce tree, all coming together in a mix of shape, color, texture, size to create a beautiful winter vignette.

Picture credits: Margery Ennist