Thursday, March 08, 2012

Bauhinia blakeana: Hong Kong Orchid-Tree

Hey.....it is time to celebrate!  The Orchid Tree that is planted just outside the main office has its very first blossom open this morning!  
 (from Wikipedia) "It is the beautiful display of orchid-like blooms which make the Hong Kong Orchid-Tree so desirable for the landscape, the large, six-inch blossoms appearing in multiple shades of purple, rose, and pink during the summer, fall and early winter months, when little color is usually present in the garden. These flowers are sterile and will not set seed so the plant will not drop long pods as other Orchid-Trees do, and they will not become a pest in the landscape. This is often the Orchid-Tree of choice for planting in urban landscapes."



The tree was planted in September of 2010 so we're excited to finally see it blossom.  We had some hard frost last winter which definitely set it back a bit.  Watch daily for more blooms as the tree is loaded with buds right now. 
 
 
 

I cruised past the library this morning and always enjoy glancing in to see the latest puzzle that is in progress.  Our dedicated head librarian, Pat Schurr, was on duty making sure the books all find a home on the shelves.  Thank you, Pat and volunteers, who keep our busy library in order.
 
 
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