Penny's Bend is known for several endangered plants like the
Smooth Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata) shown above and below. This site had maybe 50 plants in bloom, I have visited another site with hundreds of these plants. I'd have to blindfold you to take you there though.
Here is a milkweed vine, I used to know the name but have forgotten it.
Now an unusual sport of the same vine.
Down the road from Penny's Bend was a landscape planting at Treyburn of Magnolia grandifolia and this bloom was around 14 inches in diameter. The fragrance was intense! I wanted to see if my G11 camera was up to the bright white against a dark background, it did fairly well if you ask me.
A few weeks ago we visited old downtown Wilmington and the older Magnolia grandiflorias were in bloom and most the aroma could be taken in a hundred feet away it was really something.
Beautiful blooms. Don't you just love Wilmington? Carla
ReplyDeleteI would keep it a secret, if I knew about such a place. Beautiful blooms!
ReplyDeleteThose magnolias are really something. I bet you had fun.
ReplyDeletePaul Cameron's old place (wink). So, that's the milkweed vine! A stunner! Does the NCBG take seeds or cuttings to propagate?
ReplyDeleteThe magnolias are fabulous. We have a Southern and a Sweet Bay -- both in bloom, along with gardenia and jasmine. Fragrant evenings here, but the humidity is horrible.
I am not familiar with the Milkweed Vine, it is very interesting!
ReplyDeleteLovely blooms! I have a thing for rare blooms! Wow!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to visit Penny's Bend sometime-- what a special place it seems to be!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of milkweed vine... wonderful shot of the flowers. Your Magnolia is just dripping in beauty and I wish I could breath in the fragrance. Lovely Randy.
ReplyDeleteVery neat! I like those coneflowers. Are you able to go back and collect the seed later?
ReplyDeleteHi Randy....the blooms are beautiful.And so different from the ones we see here. That magnolia is special! It's huge.
ReplyDeleteI'd be delighted if you take a look at Larry's blog @ http://larry-burgus.blogspot.com/2010/06/dragon-fly-maybe.html
He's photographed a damsel and I know you're the right person to identify the insect.
Have a great Sunday!
Thanks so much for your help with the damselfly identification. I shouldn't blog it unless I know it but part of the fun is getting those out there to join in with their own knowledge and background. We are having such a wet summer that I assume that is why we have so many of them hanging around the fish tank.
ReplyDeleteHi Randy, What interesting flowers in your post and I absolutely love the magnolia. I know the fragrance from the blossoms must have been delightful.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for helping Larry identify his damsel. Another example of how great the blogging community is.
Randy--we were thinking about doing your railing method for our interior stairs (vs. balusters) with the metal rods between the posts....how stable are those rods? are they safe for kids banging into them you think? it seems like it would be more cost effective as well. Hope you and Meg are well. Your garden looks beautiful as always.
ReplyDeleteHave always wanted to try that Echinancea species in my garden. Will try to get seed and grow them myself!
ReplyDeleteWhile in Wilmington, did you have a chance to go on the Battleship? If you thought the magnolias were beautiful, you should see Wilmington in March and April when all the azeleas are in full bloom. It is a beautiful city and has a lot of offer. I was born and raised there. I lived 3 miles from that Battleship.
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