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January 18
Yesterday, in the rain, I was able to sneak into the Tropical Display House with the help of some bamboo in the Japanese Garden. They sure know how to sneak around. When I got in here, I thought I was in paradise. It is warm, but not too hot. Humid, but not too wet. A fountain in one corner makes a nice relaxing sound. Lots of lush plants are everywhere. I could get used to this.
 There are so many interesting plants in here, it’s hard to talk about them all. There are several trees like banana and the pygmy date palm. The strangler fig scares me a little because the tangled mass of trailing aerial roots look as if they will scoop me up and away from my beloved dirt. It is cool to look at, but not to be near. Center stage is a giant bird of paradise, the tree form of the flower that florists like to use. I think I see a couple of buds forming, so the striking white flowers should be blooming before too long.
There are a lot of different gingers and begonias in here as well. I tend to see only one or two types of begonias in the garden, but in here there are so many different types that I haven’t met before – from the rhizomatous to the shrub type. It’s fun to see all the different types, but whenever I get in big groups of new faces, I often forget the names so you’ll have to come read the labels yourself.
Yes, I thought I was in paradise until today. I was sitting here, minding my own business when in came a gardener! She even pulled in a trailer with her. I thought I would be free of them in here. I hid behind one of the bigger begonias and watched in horror as she pulled out her pruners and began to slash away at a heliconia! I heard her mumble something about mealybugs, but why she was taking it out on the heliconia, I don’t know. I noticed that she also brought in pots of new plants, which means she is going to plant some new stuff, so I better stay away from any open spots in the beds here.
Wait! She just stood up and started looking around and glanced this way. I’ve got to hide . . .
January 11
I left the Sensory Garden in front of the Education wing the other day and found another garden that is just as appealing to the senses – especially in the winter. I’ve heard the gardeners call this place the “Transition Garden.” I guess it’s because it is the transition area between the back of the Visitor Center and the boat basin. Most people just dash up and down the steps, but this garden is along the ramp that allows wheelchairs and strollers to change levels. In the winter, this is really a feast for the senses.
 Visually, there are lots of great things to see. A couple of Yuletide Camellias at the turn of the path shine bright red and a Japanese Apricot near the entrance to the Japanese has swollen pink buds that will burst open soon. But flowers are not the only interesting things to see. Red Nandina berries are contrasted nicely by green foliage. The Coral Bark Japanese Maple has lost its leaves to reveal glowing red-tinged branches. Nearby, several Japanese Kerrias boast green stems – something different during the winter.
Along the path are a variety of other shrubs and grasses to put your sense of hearing and touch on alert. On a breezy day, like today, the wind rattles the bare stems of the White Clover Bush while the seed heads and leaves of the different Eulalia grasses rustle softly. These grasses are also soft to the touch, in sharp contrast to the stiff leaves of the dark green Indian Hawthorn or the prickly Blue Rug Juniper.
For smell, there is not much that can beat the Fortune’s Osmanthus in the corner of the garden. And as for taste . . . this is some of the best tasting dirt I’ve had in a long time. If I weren’t so afraid of getting pulled, I would ask a gardener what they have done to it to make it taste so good.
This is where I am going to set down my roots for a few days, and enjoy this sensual feast. Come on out and join me.
January 4, 2008
Happy cold New Year! It has been really cold for the last few days so I have been trying to stay in any sunny spot I can find. So far I am sticking to my New Year’s resolutions – no one’s pulled me yet so a check for 6 resolutions kept. To keep another resolution, I’ve headed to the Sensory Garden. Being next to the education building, it keeps the wind off my back and the morning sun on my face, which is important when it’s this cold outside. I’ve also met a new shrub this year (checkmark for another resolution) – the Fragrant Wintersweet.
Actually, I’ve known several wintersweets for some time – there are several great ones on Baker Overlook and in the Winter and Fragrance Gardens. This one in the  Sensory Garden is a cultivar that is just a little different – it is Chimonanthus praecox var. concolor. All the wintersweets I know, including this one, are not particularly showy plants in the summer time. They are big broad shrubs that have dark green leaves that are rough like sandpaper. They like to spread out and need lots of room – 8 to 12 feet wide. The plain summer shrub really shines in the winter, however. This one is blooming right now so you can see how it is different from the regular wintersweet – it has almost pure yellow flowers compared to a pale, almost translucent yellow on the species. I think its yellow is not quite as bright as me, but it’s pretty nice. The flowers hug the branches, so it is not a real attention getter. I bet most people walk right past and don’t even notice. That’s why I’m here – if they don’t pay attention to an 8 foot tall shrub, they won’t really notice me.
Where this plant really makes it mark is its fragrance. It has a beautiful sweet smell that can carry a little ways. I notice that even though this shrub is at the back of the border, the smell still gets out to people walking past. You notice a small hesitation in their stride as they pick up the scent coming into the building. Eyes dart around, trying to find the source of the smell but seldom find it. Even if they do look over this way, they seem to look right past us and never recognize the plant. Sitting here is fun – like being in on a big secret. It makes me giggle a little when it happens. By the way, that is a check mark next to my 12th resolution – have fun everyday at NBG.
Well, I’m going to have to head to more gardens and find more plants to meet to keep those resolutions. I want to find some place warm. Maybe I can sneak into the Tropical Display House . . .
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Norfolk,
Virginia 23518
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