Azaleas at the New York Botanical Garden

I just wanted to share a few more photos from the New York Botanical Garden with you today. As you might imagine, I shot a lot of photos. :)

These are all from the newly opened Azalea Garden. Sited in an old growth forest, the paths of the garden wind their way up a hill, to culminate in a small open clearing. Overall, the azalea garden covers about 11 acres, and numbers some 70,000 new plants, including 40,000 bulbs, 28,000 new woodland perennials and ferns, and 3500 trees and shrubs.

But the numbers don't quite convey the genius of the garden, which is designed to appear as if it grew naturally out of the 200-year-old forest which once covered the site.

There are pockets of plantings nestled against ancient glacial boulders, and complimented by an understory of low perennials, including barrenwort, foam flower, bugloss and sedge. The garden paths wind past the rocky outcroppings and meander through semi-wild wetlands.

It is a very soothing place, filled for the most part with soft pastels. White, pale pink and lavender swathes of blooms paint the forest. The stronger reds appear in a separate planting, where they light up their wetland landscape. It is a tribute to the designers that this very important plant collection is presented in such a natural and beautiful manner.

And I will just leave you with a shot of one of the NYBG's beautiful planters, located near the entrance to the garden. So pretty and inspirational!