What's in Bloom Late March 2019

What's in Bloom

Late March, 2019

The park is about to burst into bloom! Every day from now on, you will find new treasures each time you walk through the park. As promised last week, the Cornelian Cherry Dogwoods (Cornus mas) are leading the way into spring. Along the Hockey Path, the Japanese Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus officinalis) is in full bloom. Throughout the park, the soft golden haze of the Cornelian Cherry Dogwoods appears at every turn. The Japanese Flowering Apricot buds are emerging. Near the Japanese Cornelian Cherry Dogwood on Hockey Path is our only white Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume ‘Miu’). A bit further north, opposite the Large Dog Run, the Japanese Flowering Apricot ‘Peggy Clark’ is about to burst forth, as is the Weeping Japanese Flowering Apricot in the Peter Pan Circle.

Buds of Japanese Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

Cornus officinalis

Hockey Walk West

Photo: Jeffrey B. Evans

Japanese Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

Cornus officinalis

Along the Peter Pan Bridge (northeast corner)

Photo: Jeffrey B. Evans

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

Cornus mas

Throughout the park – look for a golden mist in the distance

Japanese Flowering Apricot ‘miu’

Prunus mume ‘miu’

Along Hockey Walk

A flower of Japanese Flowering Apricot ‘miu’

Prunus mume ‘miu’

Along Hockey Walk West

Photo: Jeffrey B. Evans

Japanese Flowering Apricot ‘Peggy Clark’ in bud

Prunus mume ‘Peggy Clark’

Opposite Large Dog Run

While you are in the Peter Pan Circle, look to the right and left as you walk west under the Peter Pan Bridge. You will see Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) tumbling down the rocks. Daffodils are blooming just west of the bridge. Andromeda (Pieris) also known as Lily of the Valley Shrub, is in full bloom halfway up the path towards East End Avenue. This year the flowers are more abundant than in the recent past.

Winter Jasmine

Jasminum nudiflorum

Peter Pan Circle Southwest and Northwest corners near the Bridge

Andromeda or Lily of the Valley Shrub

Pieris japonica

Woodland Hills along the 87th Street Path (north side)

All of the crocuses you see in the park were planted years ago before the explosion of the squirrel population. We learned twelve years ago, to our sadness, that squirrels can eat crocus bulbs as fast as our gardeners can plant them. We treasure the ones that have survived near the 87th Street entrance to the park and in the Esplanade gardens.

Crocuses

Crocus sativus

Near the 87th Street Entrance

Crocus

Crocus sativum

Esplanade Gardens above 86th Street Cordonate Stairs

Glory of the Snow (Chionodaxa) are beginning to spread in Doctor’s Berm, the slight hillside along East End Avenue between 87th and 88th Streets. We were inspired by the extraordinary display of Chionodaxa at Wave Hill; the tough part was to find a relatively wild area of our park to plant these bulbs.

Glory of the Snow

Chionodaxa

Doctor’s Berm across from 170 East End Avenue

In the next few days, the park will explode with the vibrant yellows of daffodils, the cascades of mellow yellow forsythia, the fabulous greens of the early spring leaf buds. Our Lenten Roses are still with us throughout the park and looking a bit better than they did a month ago.