Poinsettia

  

The poinsettia has been a popular Christmas flower for many years.  The most common color is red, however as you know if you have looked around at the many homes and offices that are decorated this time of year, the colors in recent years almost seem unlimited nowadays. There are over 100 cultivated varieties of poinsettia that have been patented.  That is a lot!

 

Poinsettia – “Champagne”

 

Poinsettia plants are indigenous to Mexico and Central America, known as flor de Nochebuena  - “Christmas Eve Flower” which was first described by Europeans in 1834.  It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States minister to Mexico who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s.

 

October

November

 

After this past Christmas season, I saved the plant I purchased for those holidays (2020), trimmed back its leaves then planted it out in the gardens this summer (2021), brought it back into the house this last September, and it began blooming once again in November. This is what you see here in this posting.

Late November

 

One could say I am frugal or even cheap, I rather call myself a “plantsman” who likes to experiment to see if he can get the Poinsettia to bloom another year!

 

 

December

ENJOY

&

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 

 

Seasonal Contrast - ravine - #21

Postings in this ongoing series will show the same garden “area” and “objects” at two or more different times / seasons of the year.  The contrast will offer the viewer an appreciation of the beauty found in the same spot but in different months.  Some of the photos have never been seen before, others were collected from earlier postings in order to provide the needed contrast.  Each season has its own “feeling”, has its own beauty.

August

This series focuses on what I call the South Ravine.  It is the area at the southern edge of the garden area, a deep ravine that leads into the shore of the lake.

 

Enjoy

June

April

December

August

March

June 

August

March

June

April

November

 

October

 

 

Reference Note:  If you check out the archives for this Blog, you will find a number of “contrast” postings in this series.  All help in understanding the gardens throughout the year.

 

NOTE:  All photos use in this posting were taken on the property of Gardens at Waters East.

 

Final Days of Fall gardening 2021

 Final days of Fall gardening 2021

 

On November 12^th the Blog posted some of the photos taken during the “Fall Cutting” here at the Gardens at Waters East.  Here are a few more - final shots - of that experience.  Time now to rest for the Winter, dreaming of things to do when early Spring arrives in 2022.

 

Enjoy

 

Sunrise over Lake Michigan

 

Sunrise -- Gardens at Waters East

Sunrise colors at the gardens

Stacking cut native Cup Flower stems

Middle Walk

red - one of the colors still showing at the gardens

golden - yellow another color in fall at the gardens

"Blade" - garden art in the garden

one of the last creatures walking the grounds

Solomon Seal - Fall yellows

Canada Geese - across the street from the entry to the gardens

resting on their trip South

Evening at the Gardens at Waters East

November

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is one of the natural assets of the United States.  There are so many plants, animals, birds and fish that call this great river home.  Many others use it as a flyway on their journey North in the Spring, and their journey South in the Autumn.  The river flows from lake Itasca in northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of 2,340 miles. Its watershed drains all or parts of 32 U.S. states.

Native Americans have lived along this river for thousands of years as hunter-gatherers.  The Mound Builders in this area built urban civilizations and have left us many sacred burial grounds.  Always a “meditative” experience standing among these places. There are so many of them, even just outside my window as I type this posting.

 

With the arrival of Europeans in the 16^th century; the explorers, then the settlers, life changed forever,  for the Native People, not always for the better!!!

A sad part of American history.

 

A couple  more views along the Great River

The rocky bluffs and outcrops - love that stuff!

Hope you enjoyed the views.