3.8.26 ~ Juniper Level Botanic Garden
Raleigh, North Carolina
Last weekend Susan and I took a Sunday drive all the way out to Raleigh to check out this unique botanical garden, which is only open to the public on nine different weekends over the year. It has 10 acres of plants for education and research and, although privately owned since 1986, is now associated with North Carolina State University.
Our garden philosophy is to promote botanical diversity by assembling the largest collection possible of growable, winter/summer hardy ornamental plants for our region and display them in an aesthetic, sustainably maintained, healthy garden setting. This philosophy includes obtaining plants from all over the world with a strong emphasis on North American native plants, realizing that these are, as a group, no more or less adaptable than plants from foreign lands.
~ Juniper Level Botanic Garden website
We saw these yellow puff balls from afar and couldn’t wait to see them up close and find out what they were. They were very fragrant, and we got a pleasant whiff before we reached them. Some garden websites describe the scent as gardenia-like.
After meandering through several sections of the garden we started to pay attention to the bits of spitting rain hitting us and looked up to see a threatening rain cloud. We headed back to the car, with me protecting my camera under my jacket. We missed one last garden section but were happy we did manage to see most of the place.
The plants were very well identified and I took 146 pictures. It was difficult choosing which ones to share for this post!
what an absolute joy to watch!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Leelah!
What a great breath of spring! So many beauties! I’ve never seen those oriental paperbush before – I love gardenia, so the scent must’ve been so nice!
I had never heard of or smelled oriental paperbushes before, either. It was a bit of magic in the pretty landscape. Apparently it can thrive here in Zones 7–10.
What an uplifting visit that must have been, thanks for sharing it!
You’re welcome, Eliza, the visit definitely lifted my spirits!
Thank you for taking us with you. Wow what a treat especially for us folks who are still in the depths of winter (We had a huge snow storm yesterday. It was really lovely but…)
You’re welcome, Rosie! I do remember plenty of March snowstorms in New England and, once in a blue moon, we’d get one in April. And you are even farther north. Hang in there, spring always arrives…
Thank you for a tour of Raleigh’s botanical garden. A lovely start to a Sunday morning.
You’re welcome, Anna. Did you ever visit Juniper Level Botanic Garden when you lived here?
You and Susan had a wonderful trip to the botanical gardens. How nice to see all these fresh Spring-y blooms. So many I have not heard of, but the ones I have heard of were so unique looking, like the Chinese Redbud, which was my favorite … such a vibrant color. The Flowering Cherry was beautiful as well. We still won’t see the likes of any of these Spring blooms for a while yet, so I will enjoy yours from afara.
I was dazzled by all the new-to-me species we saw there. Besides being so enchanted with the paperbush, the petticoat daffodil, the squill, and the cuckoo flower fascinated me. Your favorite redbuds and the cherry were familiar friends it was a joy to see for their brief spring appearances. I have a feeling by the time you get to enjoy your spring blooms I will be baking in the hot and humid oven of summer down here.
From the sheer amount of different species of plants, etc. you saw and mentioned in this post,, you and Susan will be going back again next Spring. The redbuds and cherry blossoms are a welcome sight here by April/early May. Unfortunately, yes you will be suffering the hot and humid weather that beat you down and kept you housebound for weeks on end (not to mention the seed ticks) since moving to North Carolina.
How wonderful to see so many flowers in bloom at once! A well-deserved adventure for you both, I am happy you went. 😊
Thank you, Donna! It was such a wonderful way to make some new memories. 🌾
You’ve captured so much beauty here, Barbara, that I find I can’t pick a favorite! They ALL are uplifting, though, and they make me long for Spring’s arrival (especially today, when once again, we’ve got snow on the ground. Sigh.)
Thank goodness you don’t have to pick a favorite! Hang in there, Debbie, the snow will melt and your spring will come. And while I’m enjoying the early spring here now, come summer I will be all misery with the brutal heat, humidity and bugs of our never-ending summer.