Birthdays and over due Blogging

Well Well!
I just got back from a great trip to Chicago and southwestern Wisconsin. I go home for my birthday every year because I like spending it with my family. I need that grounding that celebrating my birthday with my family gives me. We went to the Chicago Botanic Garden and I got to test out my new digital camera. I also had a very nice visit with the director of Horticulture, I felt like my dad and I got as close to VIP treatment as is possible for not knowing anyone in the hort dept.

As per usual the CBG was in full swing looking beautiful despite a staff decrease, pay cuts, and benefit cuts. It is hard out there for public and private gardens right

now. They just aren't getting the funding that they are used to. I know we are going through the same thing at Wavehill Garden in the Bronx.

At Wavehill Garden none of the gardeners took pay cuts but they had to reduce their staff and take unpaid furlough days last winter. Anyway I got a little excited about my new camera so please pardon all the plant photos.

I had to snap a shot of this beautiful Copper Beech they have, which

is looking very healthy! I always liked this tree as a younger person and now that I am working in the horticulture field I have a even greater appreciation for this tree. The name Copper Beech comes from the color of the newly emerging foliage in the spring. The copper color of the new leaves is quite a thing to see as the light passes through them. Though it only lasts a few days as the foliage quickly turn to the deep red green you see in this photo. Unfortunately many Copper Beech trees are dying because of a higher incidence of bleeding canker and a type of fungus that both affect the bark and trunk area. This tree is probably half the age of the ones we have at Wavehill.

This plant smells amazing! I

couldn't believe the aroma that came into my nose the moment I stuck my face into the thick leaf growth of this commonly known Curry Plant!

First time seeing this super cute vine. It has a great chartreuse color and asparagus fern/cypress leaf feel.

This is not all I saw but I don't want to make this post to long. Lets just say the more I learn and do in horticulture the more I like it. I was staunchly against growing plants for non-edible purposes. But now my ideas about that are changing and I am understanding the validity in propagating ornamental plants more and more.