Winterthur Park, March 29, 2021

Legacy of Henry Francis du Pont, 1880-1969, American

 

 

The Glory-of-the-Snow still lording it over its grounds, flashing its incredible purple from the caverns of trees and trying to climb their trunks

 

 

 

The whole earth must turn blue for the earth-crawlers

 

It is when you come to the seat wreathed in Forsythia in full bloom, from which the Glory-of-the-Snow, nevertheless tries to seduce your eyes…..

 

 

 

….it is, as I say, when you feel invited to take in the forsythia sun

 

 

 

that you know that you are being invited to the perennial display directly opposite across the little roadway

 

 

 

 

 

of lemon, pinks in several hues, and greens:

the grey-greens of deciduous bushes yet to bloom; and the dark greens of the conifers:

 

 

 

 

 

The yellow is a less fierce yellow than that of the Forsythia. 

Otherwise you might fall down under the rain of Yellow Spike Winterhazel

 

 

 

The early Korean Rhododendron turns as if to look at you

 

 

 

 

and you look down in turn.  There the bowing Lenten Roses are swaying

 

 

 

 

and the first Spanish Bluebell that you have seen, clings to its solitary perch…….

 

 

 

Goodbye Glories! you think.

 

 

Looking back to the Forsythia in the distance

 

 

 

Raising your eyes over a cliff edge of a vast cherry tree trunk running parallel to the ground, 

 

 

 

 

you find yourself in the land of the pinks, pink-and whites.  No yellows.  No blues.

 

 

Early Korean Rhododendron

 

 

Viburnum, white and pink-and white

 

 

White Manchu Cherry trees

 

 

Below, Star Magnolia beginning to bloom beyond the ornamental metal flowers

 

 

 

The tree canopy unchanged since winter.  Not visibly changed.

 

 

Thank goodness, you think.