Neighborhood Azaleas

Spring is so beautiful in the DC area - especially because of the flowers. First there were the daffodils. And then came the magnolias. The cherry blossoms seem to get the most attention. Then came the tulips in all of their glory. But now is the time for dogwood and azaleas. It seems the flowers quickly come and go - so it’s important to see as much as possible as long as it lasts. Unfortunately we missed the wisteria - although there was plenty of it along the GW Parkway. Yesterday as we were walking in the neighborhood park we came across several azalea bushes. What made them interesting was that they were all together and each color was represented - white and different shapes and sizes of pink, purple. They were in all stages of blooming. They look most beautiful when they take their own shape rather than cutting them to a round ball or trimming them so everything is the same length. My mom had a lovely garden in New England. We loved the birds and the seasons. We had several gardens in the Midwest. Now we have a very small balcony and I haven’t even planted any flowers in the baskets yet. I suppose that’s why I’m enjoying the gardens so much every where we go.  

Neighborhood Azaleas

First it was the daffodils, then the magnolias, then the cherry blossoms, then the tulips, then the dogwood. Now is the time for azaleas. The US Arboretum is full of them, but we didn’t make it out there this year. This week we didn’t even go in to town. The weekly photo challenge is the evening “blue hour” sky so we didn’t have a reason to visit. We also had a lunch date with my brother and SIL. It was great to see human beings again. Yesterday we had appointments for the second Covid bivalent booster. So we spent every morning taking our walk in the neighborhood park. It reminds us a lot of Grant Park in the Midwest next to Lake Michigan. Not only are there azaleas this time of year, but also deer, fox, and a variety of birds including the large red headed woodpeckers. And that is where we saw the beautiful azaleas. There are several in the park, but also in the gardens of the homes near the park. And the azaleas come in so many colors - red, white, salmon, pink, purple- it’s hard to pick out which one is most pleasing. It’s such a lovely time of year here in Virginia. We have already planted our balcony flowers and are hoping they do well this year. So when we can’t or don’t go in to town for a morning walk we alway have a great alternative. 

US National Arboretum Azaleas and Gardens

Last week we took a ride to the US National Arboretum. We have been there many times before in all seasons - before we moved to, while we lived on Capitol Hill - and now after we moved to northern Virginia. There has been some renovation going on and the koi are supposed to return this year. We usually like driving through the grounds to observe all the different venues. This time we were limited by pandemic restrictions, but also because it was a bit cooler than we expected. After parking by the Capitol columns, we walked over to the azalea gardens. They were just beginning to show their stuff. I really like the less than sizable crowds. I never cared for the mobs that descended on DC especially at cherry blossom time, but then all summer long. My husband on the other hand, loves crowds. So we walked through the gardens for a change of scenery. It would have been nice to meander about the entire area, but we will save it for next time. 

52Frames Edited by Someone Else

We hadn’t been to the US National Arboretum since we moved to northern Virginia two years ago. That, and the fact that I needed to find an image for the weekly 52Frames photo challenge, gave us the idea that we should pay a visit. We have been there many times before. It’s a great place to bring out of town guests, but it also is a lovely drive through a variety of settings. Apparently the koi are returning to the pond this year. The photo challenge called for an image that needed to be edited by someone else. So I requested our friend from the Midwest, who introduced me to the photo weekly activity, be my editor. The main element of the arboretum is the Capitol columns that were brought there many years ago. They were actually columns at the Capitol until they were too small to support the new iron dome. It’s an unexpected sight to see and perfect for a photo op. Along with that were the many flowering gardens that were at the end of their blooms, but also the azaleas that were just beginning to shine. It was a bit overcast and cold. We also ran in to a photography group that was there hovering around the columns when we arrived. I was surprised to get a photo with just two people in it. So I sent my favorite photos and asked our friend to select his favorite along with the edits. He selected the columns. In a return request, I edited a photo for our friend who sent me a few images from northern Wisconsin. I selected the railroad tracks. Hopefully we did each other justice. It’s a fun activity and gives us an excuse to get out of the house. Maybe we will return to the arboretum in a different season. There is always something to see. 

Azalea Season

When we lived on Capitol Hill we always walked through the US Botanical Garden. It was one of my favorite places - both inside and outside. We also used to drive to the Arboretum especially at this time of the year. The azaleas were absolutely gorgeous and were visible as far as the eye could see. Now in our new neighborhood we have a park right near us. It’s turned out to be a great walking path for us. It reminds us of Grant Park on Lake Michigan. We spent a lot of time there when we lived in Wisconsin. But being this time of year, our neighborhood park is overflowing with azaleas and it feels more like the US Arboretum on a smaller scale. We actually found another path that takes us further out and more within our goal of walking at least two miles every morning. It’s a nice alternative to the busier streets closer to town. Our building has a fitness center that neither of us has even looked at yet. On Wednesday someone will be available to show the residents about the equipment and how to properly use it. We had a small stationary bike in our tiny DC condo, but we left it there when we moved. We really prefer walking outside but there are days when it’s a bit unpleasant - especially with ice and snow. We are just glad we have a few options. In the mean time the azaleas make for a very pleasing alternative.