Pink Dogwood

Pink Dogwood
Cornus florida var. rubra
(KOR-nus) (FLOR-ih-duh)

For the second time this year I had my camera at work. The creative spark just hasn’t been there and things have been really busy. This picture of the emerging Dogwood flower was all I was able to muster in the 12 shots. It was interesting because the buds were almost completely closed yesterday and today you could almost see them unfolding it was at such a rapid pace. The particular garden we are working on has about 30 Pink Dogwoods ringing the planting beds. They are totally loaded with buds this year and are promising a profusion of color. There are a couple of White Dogwoods mixed in around the rest of the property including those nice native types with the creamy whte color.

Since it is a big garden, among other things probably has about 100 Hydrangeas, it is kind of like sitting on a big bomb of pent up energy that is ready to burst forth at any moment. No matter how many springs I have been through it is always a glorious marvel to see the gardens waking up. Some are fitful and ungainly to start and other offer a smooth and graceful transition to their full glory. Each spring seems different in the way it unfolds but the end results are virtually the same. Our jobs as the stewards of the garden is to try and manage these transitions in the best possible way. I know that it is really us gently prodding nature here and there so things are good from a human standpoint but it is clear that we are not really in control. Everything seems to coming alive at once.