This post was orginally published April 22, 2008.
A sitarist at downtown’s Earth Day festivities and Sunday night’s rainbow.
Flower Power!! Here are some local beauties to follow up on the Asheville post.
Purple dead-nettle at Lassiter Mill. Leaves can be just as pretty as petals.
(I originally called this henbit).
front yard volunteers. bluebells of a sort?
Lady Banks blossom on ferns
Buttercups beside Hodges Road
Atamasca Lily stand on Buckeye Trail.
Happy Spring, Katie & Russ!
Edna Metz is a wonderful urban amenity tucked into Cameron park just below Cameron Village shopping center. It boasts unusual and large short-leaf pines, my record tulip tree inside the beltline, and a mountain-like atmosphere right after a rain, as the two small creeks climb down rocks before joining and starting down Johnson Street toward Pigeon House Creek downtown. Tiny but complex, its steep hillside is dotted with escaped daffodils in the spring, and the dense tree cover and intertwining creeks make each area seem separate and private.
A mourning dove enjoying the smaller creek
Jaycee Parks’ lily garden is a treasure of heirloom varieties nestled in one of the prettiest natural areas inside the beltline. Many, many varieties and a beautiful nature walk to go alongside. The small creek travels over a couple of significant waterfalls and creates deep pools where large dace minnows live. This park is being seriously threatened by kudzu, encroaching from the south into the upland mix of post oak and northern red oak. The path that winds around the fairly steep hillside feeds right into a fascinating section of greenway – it follows directly behind some backyards and then follows Gardner up to the Rose Garden.
raleighnaturalist
The Raleigh Naturalist 