Skip to main content

Featured

The Garden Awakens

Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
4 comments
Read more
Labels

A trip to Ohio - Schiller Park, Columbus


We just got back from a 4-day trip to Ohio. The purpose of the trip was to take a friend of ours back to her hometown, Marysville, to reconnect with siblings that she had not seen in over 15 years. We offered to drive her there and it was a nice, relaxing mini-vacation. The weather was fantastic. A cold front had just passed through and the temperatures hovered in the lower 70s. 



The drive through Cincinatti was hair-raising (we hit it at noon rush-hour) but the remainder of the route took us through quaint towns with beautiful architecture and serene countryside. I have never seen so many corn fields in my life! 

 We stayed in Marysville but drove to Columbus, about 20 miles away, on our first full day. We visited the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (photos to come!) and walked through the German Village. We enjoyed some spectacular ice cream at Jeni's Spendid Ice Cream. 

 The German Village consists of restaurants, shops, parks and gardens. We didn't really know where we were going but I was happy to locate one of the best known gardens - Schiller Park. It is named after the German poet Friederich von Schiller and an impressive statue of him faces a long promenade that surrounds a perennial border.
famous German poet, Friedrich von Schiller. An impressive statue of Schiller decorates the center of the park. - See more at: http://www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/parks/Schiller-Park/#sthash.OxUXyrhC.dpuf
famous German poet, Friedrich von Schiller. An impressive statue of Schiller decorates the center of the park. - See more at: http://www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/parks/Schiller-Park/#sthash.OxUXyrhC.dpuf
famous German poet, Friedrich von Schiller. An impressive statue of Schiller decorates the center of the park. - See more at: http://www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/parks/Schiller-Park/#sthash.OxUXyrhC.dpuf








Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
Email Post
Labels:

Comments

  1. outlawgardenerSeptember 18, 2014 at 11:22 AM

    What a beautiful park!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lisa at GreenbowSeptember 19, 2014 at 8:35 AM

    My Mom lived in Cincinnati for some time. I can imagine the traffic. What a beautiful park. Love those borders full of flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Edith KentSeptember 19, 2014 at 4:38 PM

    What beautiful photography. Sounds like a good trip.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts