Native Plant Garden and Volunteer Luncheon 9/27/2018

September 27.  🎵"It's been a long, long time."  Should have musical notes if I knew how to find them on the computer.  (I just did.) I am referring to the last time I visited the Native Plant Garden which I boycott, so to speak, in the hot, hot weather.  It was the scheduled annual NYBG Volunteers Luncheon that brought me back to the NPG (which was still pretty warm in the mid-afternoon).  So first, some photos from the luncheon, and seeing them, I realize my impatience to wait for the focus shows itself in fuzzy pictures.

Volunteer Luncheon

Life is short, eat dessert first. I was proud of my restraint, no dessert.

If you have ever tried to talk to the new CEO/President or the Chairman of the Board,  Carrie Barratt and Maureen Chilton, you have found them to be available, friendly, helpful, smart, you might even say lovable.  How lucky we are.

President and Ellen

Chairman of the Board

James and Brian Boom, whom I told he was acknowledged in Victoria Johnson's American Eden, which I mentioned in a previous blog, and which is now the subject of an NYBG seminar.  Also acknowledged were Gregory Long and Todd Forrest, and also one of my own mentors, Nancy Slowik.

Know who's a jazzy dresser?*

Looks like all the boys sat at their own table.

NPG

It was inspiring and delightful to be here today.  Many old friends blooming, and interesting people to chat with.

I usually feel hurried to get out a blog when unknown plants might be helpful to have identified for anyone who will be doing a tour.  Today there were more than twenty blooming plants, yet I think I was able to identify all of them.  So you will, too, so no rush.

Approaching the NPG, it was more colorful than usual.

Phlox and goldenrod, sneezeweed and sunflowers.

There was Plymouth Rose Gentian Sabatia, Horsebalm Collinsonia (interesting discussion of the plant and Peter Collinson in American Eden). Cohosh, Pitcher Plants, Mistflower, Vernonia Ironweed, Hibiscus, Closed Gentian, Rudbeckia triloba, Mint dry with strong aroma, Wild Bleeding Heart.

Many Asters: New England, small white, Short's Symphotrichus shortii, Bluewood buds not open yet;  St. Johnswort, Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia syphlitica, LOOK UP TO SEE THE BLOOMS ON THE FRANKLIN TREE Franklinia altamaha, a little Spigelia left, Turtlehead Chelone alba.
Ladies Tresses,Pickerelweed, Cardinal Flower.


DRAMA
Photo here of a praying mantis on the Pickerel Weed.   It kept moving, approaching the back of a Snapping Turtle which was half under the boardwalk.  Hyla, a young and pretty veterinarian  and her friendly mother Marsha joined me in watching. Then it was on the back of the Turtle. Then it was out of sight.  Then behind us, a blue jay was struggling with something in its beak.  It was the praying mantis.  We moved closer, the blue jay dropped the mantis.  Hyla gathered the mantis, not moving but not visibly damaged, and deposited it in a safe place.  Hyla's photo was better than mine, if I can even get it to stay on the blog in the right place, but I did not receive it.







There were also chipmunks, a black squirrel, a cowbird screeching at me by the magnolias, Butterfly Weed bugs and I think a swallowtail caterpillar on the Butterfly Weed, by the Vernonia.

Rose hips, blue berries on Solomon's Seal, yellow Bluestar leaves, red Beardtongue leaves, red berries on Plume Solomon's Seal. Lots of color.



When I attempt to add a caption to a photo, the photo jumps into the Volunteer Lunch section. Next time let's invite the plants to lunch.

My idea of chatting with visitors rather than scheduling a timed tour seemed to work well today.  A lot of people in the NPG, and I got to show them the flowers up on the Franklin Tree, told my favorite White Snakeroot story, pointed out many plants to a man from Freiborg, Germany, and chatted with two young mothers while Gabriela crawled on the rough Gravel Lok.


Where the boardwalk turns left, this dense, small leaved Aster was one I couldn't specify.  My hero, Michael Hagen will come to the rescue....
He did.  It is Aster ericoides ‘Esther’

On a personal note, today's email brought these.




Twins making my friend Betsy a Grandma, baby girl #2 for Grandparents Beejay and Bruce, and my New Orleans cousins Dylan and his twin brothers Max and Brody.

*CRB


Closed Gentian near the Franklin Tree  
   

Meadow Beauty




Don't forget to rub and smell the Horsebalm Collinsonia