Saturday, December 17, 2011

Christmas at the Franklin Park Conservatory

 
Since the garden is dead this time of the year and with the forecast of snow flurries predicted for today I will be digging into my picture files. There will not doubt be a lot of that during the winter months.

Poinsettia_Tree_Dec2_SM
With Christmas drawing near I will be sharing some pictures taken at Franklin Park Conservatory last year in December.
The conservatory is always dressed up for Christmas with poinsettias everywhere. If the tree looks familiar it is one of the shots in my blog header collage. The Poinsettia tree is always a feature at the conservatory every year.

Orange_Tree_Dec2

There are always the orange trees ripe with fruit this time of the year also.
Or maybe an occasional upside down tree gracing a hallway.

 GermanSugaTree_Dec2

As a way to express hope in the forthcoming season, 16th century Germans hung evergreen trees top down from the ceiling and decorated them with so many edible ornaments they were often called “Sugar Trees”.
Lighting trees with candles became customary in 18th century France.

CTrees2_Blue_Dec2_SM Some dressed in blue lights with white cyclamens and poinsettias around the bottoms.

DisneyTrain_Dec2 
Something the children always love is the train display which is dressed up with lights and red poinsettias and an of course some storybook characters catching a ride at this time of the year.

DTrain_RedRidingHood_Dec2 Little Red Riding Hood and that bad old wolf.

DTrain_ThreePigs_Dec2 The Three Little Pigs are watching for that Old Bad Wolf too. What is up with all of these wolves in Fairy Tales?? LOL!
Do kids really like to be scared?

Poinsettias2_Dec2
But it is all of the bright colored poinsettias that I love the best and there are rows and rows of them at the conservatory now on display if you would care to go see them.

Poinsettia_Peppermint_Dec2 And pots of them are gracing the hallways and rooms.

Poinsettia_Ruffles_Dec2 Ruffled Poinsettia

Poinsettia_TieDye_Dec2 Even your Tie-Dyed Poinsettia.

Poinsettia_Pink_Dec2 Some new introductions are shown every year….

Poinsettia_White_Dec2 with some of the older favorites mixed in.

Poinsettia_P_Dec2

All add to a festive atmosphere at the conservatory this month.

Basket_Dec2 If poinsettias are not your thing there is always the shrubs full of berries outdoors or all of the tropical blooms in the Palm Room….

CrownofThorns_SucculentDec2 Like the Crown of Thorns.

Merry Christmas and
Happy Gardening,
Lona

19 comments:

Stella said...

I am always amazed at all the new poinsettia I see each year. They used to be just red. What a beautiful place to be able to visit when the rest of our world is drear and brown. Thanks for sharing. Stella

Balisha said...

It's like I have just joined you at the Conservatory. It must be a beautiful place.
Merry Christmas, Lona. Thanks for being such a faithful reader and also thanks for all your wonderful posts throughout the past year. I feel like I know you. Balisha

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Amazing displays and the poinsettias are WOW!

Jean Campbell said...

Thanks for taking us to see the poinsettias and the train, Lona. What a treat it is!

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

The different colourations in the pointsettias are just gorgeous. What a beautiful display they put up for the holidays. V

Shirley said...

They truly dress it up for the season! Merry Christmas Lona!!

Becca's Dirt said...

Snow sounds nice to me but then we hardly ever get the white stuff. Beautiful plants. Hope you have a great weekend. I'm loving that I can blog from home now. I've been baking and making candy last night and all day today. 3 batches of different cookies and 3 different candies. Making for gifts. I am planning on more cookies and candy tomorrow.

Splendid Little Stars said...

What glorious photos! I see that the conservatory is beautiful at this time of year.

Sunray Gardens said...

Beautiful photos and displays. Love all the different Poinsettias and the fairy tale displays.
Cher Sunray Gardens
Goldenray Yorkies

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos. Love the 3 little pigs display. Yes, I think kids like to scared sometimes. Just not really scared, like when I watched the Wizard of Oz for the first time and the sight of those flying monkeys scared the daylights out of me! YIKES! I think I still dream of them sometimes! HA!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Beautiful photographs Lona especially of the poinsettia tree and that terrific array of poinsettia varieties. I never knew that tidbit about the upside down tree before - very interesting!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Lona not so sure if my comment got lost in the system of if it's in for approval but I loved that Poinsettia Christmas tree and all those different varieties of poinsettias. I never knew the history behind the upside down Christmas tree - very interesting.

Anonymous said...

What a magical and whimsical post! You completely captured the wonder of the season. Merry Christmas!

luisa said...

Hi Lona,your photographs and the poinsettias are beautiful and gorgeous.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! ADIOS!!

pogonip said...

You're lucky to have such a beautiful place to get your gardening fix during the winter months!

Meanwhile, no white Christmas for us this year. Which means that week after week I'm raking leaves and hoping it's the last time. They have to disappear sometime, don't they?!

Autumn Belle said...

Every year, it looks like we only have the common red poinsettias all over the country. This year I see some ruffld poinsettias but never the other colours like the tie-dyed and not even the white.

Merry Christmas, Lona!

Asha Ram said...

Beautiful! Happy festival and holidays :)

Jennifer said...

Jennifer@threedogsinagarden
Hi Lona, There is a similar conservatory here in Toronto, but I have never been. Your post has inspired me to finally make a visit over the holidays. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas! All the best for 2012! Jennifer

Balisha said...

Hi Lona...there's an award for you at my blog today...Balisha