As I type, a summer like “Bermuda High” is creating record warm temperatures across the eastern 2/3 of the country. This system has lingering for days and will continue through the the upcoming week. With those records temps, on top of an already unusually mild winter, many plants are sending out early buds and blooms. The city of trees has become a city in bloom. Spending most of my time at Piedmont Park, our premier city park, I’ve been able to document a few of the latest plants putting on their annual show. These include:
The years first iris- a “Dazzling Blue” found in the large iris bed at the base of Oak Hill in the historic section of the park (near Charles Allen and the SE end of Lake Clara Meer)
photo by Eli Dickerson
Also, the globular white displays of the Silverbell trees (Halesia spp.) can be seen along the planted hillside adjacent to the parking deck.
photo by Eli Dickerson
Finally, these beauties are a native species of rhododendron, or as most people know them, Azaleas- gorgeous!
photo by Eli Dickerson
There’s many more things in bloom, including the start of our stunning flowering dogwoods, so get out there and be sure to stop and smell the roses… and redbuds… and irises… and everything else!
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This is wonderful to see. Piedmont Park is such a special place at anytime of the year but especially in the spring. I once read an observation written by someone who grew up in the north, as I did, about how big all the springtime flowers and blossoms are here in the south. Whereas in Canada where I grew up, we would know that spring had come when feisty little crocuses peaked up through the snow and now that I live in Georgia I see large dogwood blossoms, bold azaleas and yet-to- come, the enormous magnolia flower. No shrinking violets here!!