Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Gather Ye Blossoms While Ye May (Part Two)

Central Park Conservatory Garden

The sun returned, and we went in search of blossoms once again.
 

We didn't expect to find tulips in bloom.

One here or there, perhaps, but not like this.


















Despite the encroachment of blossoms, the great bones of the Central Park Conservatory Garden are still well in evidence.

In the midst of the ringed beds, the maidens are dancing, though their fountain isn't flowing yet.

The daffodils are out in force, a torrent of bloom.




Forsythia and even a few of those early magnolia blooms cling on.




Beyond the garden, in the park at large, the ducks are enjoying a big city brunch.
















Or simply, as we did, enjoying the day.


Listening List

For something completely different from the sidebar music, download the I Care If You Listen Spring Mixtape hereit's free!

On the mixtape, you'll find
  • Crash Ensemble:  Streetwalker (Donnacha Dennehy)
  • David Crowell:  Point Reyes
  • Young Magic:  You With Air
  • Lawton Hall:  Hypothetical Patterns of Public-Private Conflict (performed by Contemporaneous)
  • Loney, Dear:  The City, the Airport
  • Brooklyn Rider:  Seven Steps
  • Thad Anderson:  Lines
  • Ben Russell:  The Hunt

22 comments:

Rubye Jack said...

Oh, for the life of a duck. That's such a cute photo of her going head first feet up into the water. Aren't these flowers just so very perfect! Thanks for sharing these Susan.

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello Susan:
Of all the spring bulbs, tulips are perhaps our favourite and we love here the combination of the orange with the blue of the Muscari. It has always been a wish to go to the Dutch bulb fields at this time of year - something which we really should do as we understand them to be a magnificent sight.

As for the duck, what an absolutely splendid image.

John said...

Hi Susan,
A riot of flowers and colour! The daffs are almost over here, but we have the tulips still to come. Forsythia is one of my favourite Spring flowers, always reminds me of home when my Mum has some in a vase.
J
Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES

David said...

Yes, the daffs are mostly over, but I was given a (remaindered??) tub of narcissi and grape hyacinths which flourishes when all the rest have gone. Our great joy now is purple wisteria, which is racing ahead on south-facing walls. Lovely pics again, needless to say. Down head, up tail.

Britta said...

Dear Sue,
the diving duck is so cute! And the photo fantastic. So much joy in the air - the daffodils are so beautiful, as the other flowers.

Suze said...

'Breaking News: John Adams Commissions New Work by Dylan Mattingly'

That is wonderful!

I was going to say that my favorite image in this post was one of the daffodils but then I saw the duck plunging headfirst. What a shot!

Friko said...

Spring is the most beautiful season of the year. A feast for the eyes and a lift for the soul, which has been dressed in drab greys all winter long.

Tulips are such elegant plants, I like them in smaller bunches, which show off their grace, too much of anything is rarely as appealing as one specimen on its own. I've never seen the bulb fields in Holland, I wonder what I'd think of them.

You are lucky to have splendid Central Park, enjoy the sun while it's shining. It's been very wet all day today in Shropshire.

theconstantwalker said...

Wonderful images of spring Susan.

Scott said...

Hi- I don't know if I got anywhere with the download or not. No worries, I'll just crank Anna again. The amazing thing about her, even though she is pouring it out of her soul, she keeps that reserved,professional countenance.
It is so cool that your out hunting down blossoms and spring. I've enjoyed all the comments. Everyone seems psyched.
I know a lot has morphed. In his own way Olmstead was genius. I see a great combo of flow and formality. Much like he accomplished here on a micro scale in Portland's Eastern Prom.
Your pictures are so vibrant. It's no wonder were all so excited for this hopeful season. Thank you so much.

Thomas Deneuville said...

Thank you for sharing the link to the mixtape, Sue!

klahanie said...

Hi Susan,
Fabulous photos and accompanying captions. Indeed, thoughts of spring captivate me thanks to your blooming post :)
And now I've got this urge to go and visit Stratford Upon Avon. The title of the past two postings may just have influenced me.
Take very good care.
Gary

David said...

Forgot to mention what great news that is about the Adamses commissioning Mattingly. The conductor, Carolyn Kuan, is a wonder - I came across her at the Orkney Conducting Course, where I was playing a very peripheral part, and though there were many talents there she was The One Most Likely To.

Blush to say that I don't here a new voice comparable to DM in Judd Greenstein's Acadia, now I've listened to it. Some lovely sounds, and a sense of the big open spaces, but perhaps a tad generic? Maybe you need to experience it live.

David said...

'Hear', dammit, not 'hear'.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan .. I love tulips and they've been glorious this year .. our daffodils down south are almost over ... but everything is in that holding time .. some colour, promises of more, yet leafing too .. great photos .. cheers Hilary

Steve Schwartzman said...

Texas does a fair amount to promote its native wildflowers, so I'm wondering if you're aware of anything comparable in New York (my childhood home state). The flowers you found on your excursion—tulips, daffodils, forsythia—are Eurasian in origin. Does the High Line perhaps include some native New York species?

Nance said...

A lovely seasonal melange of sight and sound!

This far South, the blooming is much more sequential. Such a riot of blossoms all at once would make me drunk with the perfumes, but then...who would care?

Susan Scheid said...

Rubye Jack: Glad you enjoyed that ducking duck! It certainly made me laugh, which is why I simply had to put it up.

Hattatt: Isn’t it interesting, too, how color combinations that might otherwise be thought of as loud are simply brilliant in a fine garden?

John: Forsythia is such a welcome sign of spring, and up here, anyway, it’s in bloom when there’s little else so colorful around.

David: I was back in Central Park last week, and the wisteria is just starting to come into bloom on the grand pergola. Happy days, wave upon wave of spring.

Britta: Gotta love that duck! Joy in the air, and underwater, too.

Suze: Isn’t that great about Dylan Mattingly? So nice of you to note it, too. Delighted you enjoyed the ducking duck.

Friko: I think I agree with you generally about the tulips. Because of the structural “bones” of the Conservatory Garden, the big swaths of tulips seem to work, particularly if the tulips are varied, though complementary, in color.

Andrew: Thanks!

Scott: I didn’t realize Olmstead designed gardens in Portland. I must remember this should I get up to your beautiful Maine again, which I hope to do someday. I like what you say about Anne Sophie-Mutter, and we certainly can’t go wrong listening to her play Beethoven, can we?

Thomas: Well, thanks to you for putting the mixtape together and making it available to us all!

Gary: Glad you enjoyed the “blooming post”!

David: Isn’t that wonderful about Dylan Mattingly? How great of you to note it, too. I’d love to be there for that premiere, as I’m sure you might expect. As for Acadia, as you could see, I’m smitten with that piece. What can I say? The music sends me floating right over that part of Maine. Though this isn’t intended as a comparison in musical terms, thinking about this reminds me of being transported to those beautiful Rome fountains you photographed and wrote about, accompanied by Respighi’s music. Music as magic carpet . . .

Hilary: I love how you put this, “some colour, promises of more, yet leafing too.”

Steve: I think the High Line does include native New York species. I’d hoped to get back there to see what was coming up on my latest trip down to the city, but didn’t get a chance. I don’t know what else New York might have to offer; must keep an eye out for that.

Nance: Interesting the difference in the bloom “schedule” where you are—though I do think even up here things are a bit mixed up this year. The profusion is a bit tipsy-making, I agree!

ShySongbird said...

Hi Susan, it's lovely to see all your colourful blooms. Spring is such a wonderful time. Lovely too to see the blue sky, ours are grey and showery at the moment after an unusually warm spell in March!

Seeing your mention of the Glamorgan Music Festival on your sidebar I wondered if you see the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World contest on tv over there. It is held every other year and is due again next year. If you like the classical voice I'm sure you would enjoy it, I love it!

Liesl Garner said...

Such a fun site! I look forward to seeing more from you. This is truly lovely!

shoreacres said...

I grew up only a half-hour's drive from Pella, Iowa. Settled by the Dutch, it still holds a yearly tulip festival, and though the fields aren't as massive or impressive as those in Holland - or Michigan, for all that - they're still wonderful. So are the Dutch pastries!

I do love the ducks. In my years on the docks they've been my constant companions. The babies are starting to show up now, though they have a rough life and a high mortality rate. I understand that gar and herring gulls have to eat, too, but still... It's a little distressing to see a duckling pulled under by its feet!

On the other hand, if every duckling lived - well, you can imagine what that would be like!

Susan Scheid said...

Shy Songbird: Wonderful to see you there, and glad you enjoyed the blossoms, too.

Leisl: Pleased to meet you, and thanks for the follow!

Shoreacres: Always great to hear from you. Here I was in Iowa for many years, and I never cottoned on to the tulip festival!

Bente Haarstad said...

Your flowerpictures are so beautiful, especially the first tree. And the diving duck is realy funny (even if it is ordinary days work for him I guess).

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