Clancy Tucker's Blog: GARDENS

Showing posts with label GARDENS. Show all posts

28 September 2022 - STUNNING GOLDEN ARCH IN WALES

STUNNING GOLDEN

ARCH IN WALES

G'day folks,

Every spring, this mesmerizing flower arch blooms within a Welsh botanic garden. Golden flowers burst from the branches of the laburnum tree, draping downward to creating a tunnel capped by a lush ceiling of blossoms.

The breathtaking 180-foot-long archway is said to be the longest in the United Kingdom. It was planned by Henry Davis Pochin, the man who created the Bodnant Garden in 1875, and has been enchanting those who pass beneath the ceiling of dangling flowers ever since.

The delicate blossoms are a welcome pop of color to counteract Wales’ often wet, dreary weather. When the tree blooms, its flowers cascade down from the branches like delicate pearls, earning them the nickname “Golden Rain.” Its fallen petals pepper the floor to create a walkway dotted with bright, sunshine-colored spots.

The Laburnum Arch is a fleeting phenomenon. It only lasts for a few weeks, usually in late May or early June. Predicting when exactly the archway will bloom is tricky, as the tree can be a bit finicky depending on the mildness of the winter. But even when not in bloom, the tree’s verdant leaves still create an enticing botanic tunnel. Walking beneath the thick mass of greenery feels like wandering within a fairytale forest.

6 November 2020 - KEUKENHOF - THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN THE WORLD

KEUKENHOF

- THE MOST BEAUTIFUL

GARDEN IN THE WORLD -

G'day folks,

Sadly, the most stunning flower garden in the world has closed after 71 years, due to the Covid 19 virus. However, when you see these photographs, you will want to visit this place when it opens again.

Keukenhof is a park where more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year. Gardens and four pavilions show a fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many other flowers. You will be overwhelmed by a spectacle of colors and perfumes.

At Keukenhof, you'd think you were adrift on a sea of flowers. Divided across various gardens and pavilions, the tulips and other flowers number in the millions.

Keukenhof has a different theme each year, meaning that it is never the same. Unique in the world, this park attracts over a million visitors every year. Note that the tulips bloom only from mid-March to mid-May, meaning that the park is only open during this period.

Now, check out what you will see when it re-opens ...

Clancy's comment: Sensational place, eh? Make sure you visit it when it opens again.

I'm ...

29 June 2019 - BALANCING ROCK GARDEN IN COSTA RICA

BALANCING ROCK

GARDEN IN COSTA RICA

G'day folks,

Here is a great memorial dedicated to a murdered conservationist and his pioneer wife.

Years ago, a man named Jake made a daily pilgrimage to the Piedra Colorada area of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula to build balanced rock statues along the shore. He would rebuild the sculptures that were knocked over by the tide and create new statues to add to the remaining collection every day.

When he moved away, travelers continued the tradition to ensure the beach would be continually marked with the delicate and often perplexing balanced rock statues called cairns. The quietude of the cairns surrounds the final resting place for Nicolas Wessberg. With his wife, Karen Mogensen, Wessberg convinced the Costa Rican government to create its first protected nature reserve. They established the nearby Cabo Blanco in the early 1970s, and today, the two trails that travel through the preserve are called the Swede’s path and Dane’s trail, after their respective home countries.

Many environmentalists from around the world followed their lead, buying acres of Costa Rican land to ensure that no development would mar the complex ecosystem that is Costa Rica. Today, its the home of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Conservation was not a popular idea just a few decades, ago, though. In 1975, Mogensen found her husband’s bones near Corcovado, where he was focusing his last protective efforts. While never proven, the commonly held belief is that he was assassinated by those that wished to exploit that land. A plaque honoring the duo’s efforts, perseverance, and vision now stands amidst the fitting tribute of the cairns.

Clancy's comment: Well, good for them. I love these balancing rocks.

I'm ...

3 July 2016 - FACTS ABOUT ROSES

FACTS

ABOUT ROSES

G'day folks,

Everyone loves roses, but here are some facts that you may not know. It is no secret that a rose is a very luxurious flower. However …

1) A fossil is not necessarily an animal or even a dinosaur. A rose fossil was found in Colorado in the age of about 35 million years. Maybe they should call it a vintage rose?

2) In nature, the genus Rosa has some 150 species spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from Holland to Mexico and North Africa.

3) Although roses can come in a wide variety of colours, a “black rose” is not actually black. It is actually a very dark red.

4) More than 54 percent of the land in Ecuador is filled with roses and Zambia surpasses this with more than 80 percent of land in Zambia being dominated with rose cultivation. This is also managed due to the universal rose industry providing a source of income.

5)    Roses can survive for extremely long periods of time. For example, a large rose bush covers the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany and has done for over 1000 years.

6)    The rose family was very significant to Romans as they would use them as room decorations, or even wear them on string around their neck and anything which was said “under the rose” was deemed to be a secret.

7)   Reiterating the luxury of roses; in the middle ages, rose petals and rose oils were added to the baths of the rich and famous.

8)    Different coloured roses are used to convey different feeling of passion and emotion. For instance, red roses are used to show the people’s romance, love, and passion. However, if you want to show empathy, happiness, and familiar love, you can give yellow roses. To deliver the poetic romance and gentleness, delicate pink roses are used.

9) A breed of multicolored roses are said to be the most expensive roses in the world. A single “Happy Rose” rose costs around £25.00. However, they are pretty special.

10) During the fifteenth century, the rose developed its name the “War of the Roses”. The white rose symbolised Yorkshire and the red rose branded Lancaster. The roses were used as a symbol for the factions fighting to control England.