Curious Blooms

A Tulip flower is blooming on the side of fallen log.

Silver Dollars bloom again this year. Silver Dollars are commonly found in Europe. Traditionally placed in wedding bouquets as good luck.

little blooms

Richard Fay planted the forest with his own hands...

Richard Sullivan Fay

History of Essex County Massachusetts: 

with Biographical Sketches, Volume 1 - Google Books

He commenced at once... "covering the hills with innumerable trees, many of which he planted with his own hands.  He imported larches, maples, firs, pines in large quantities, planted acorns constantly in his walks about the estate, and succeeded in converting a rough and somewhat unattractive landscape into a variegated forest, through which winds an avenue of great beauty, bordered by deciduous and evergreen trees distributed with great taste, and constituting a charming combination of variety and luxuriance of foliage"

little blooms

Romantic Blue Snowdrops expand the forest floor once again this year, reminiscing the old garden by Spring Pond which Richard Sullivan Fay once grew.  Snowdrops originate from Europe, and may have been planted here first in the 'new world'.

A Pussy Willow tree blossoms over the water of a little pond.  

(undetermined origin of species)

The tiniest little evergreen... is really a little fern...

Skunk Cabbage, near a wetland. 

Rare and interesting discoveries

On a walk this weekend with Leslie and Julia, we came across rare and other interesting finds.  Julia discovered cottonwood trees, which is common in the south, and a rare formation of two trees joined at the trunk.  We discovered Pink and White Lady's Slippers, other interesting flora, and another interesting stone.

This interesting stone slab is in the shape of a perfect arrow, standing upright.

Pink Lady's Slipper

White Lady's Slipper

Two different tree species, joined at the trunk.

 

Cottonwood covered the ground like snow.

Cottonwood

Cottonwood hanging strings.

Apple or Cherry Blossom

Interesting flora

Raspberry bush.

Exotic Flora

Purple Silver Dollar flowers are blooming near Spring Pond.  This flora is typically found in Europe.  A smaller white flower is growing nearby.  Is this another remnant of Richard Sullivan Fay's exotic arboretum from the 1800's?  In European tradition, purple Silver Dollars were placed in wedding bouquets for good luck. 

Sakura? Flowering tree

Today, a few flowering trees decorated the scenes near picturesque pools in different locations, on the hill.  The flora appears to be Sakura, an Asian Cherry Tree Blossom commonly found in Japan, China and Korea... a sweet surprise in the wild woodland of Richard Sullivan Fay's exotic arboretum.  This ornamental tree blossoms for a few days in early Spring, and does not produce fruit.  

Fay Garden

Update:  My mother helped identify this flower as a blue snowdrop, typically found in Greece.  Snowdrop flowers are native to Europe, stretching from the Pyrenees in the west, through France and Germany to Poland in the north, Italy, Northern Greece, Ukraine, and an old European area now in Turkey.  Snowdrops have been introduced and naturalized globally throughout the world.  This may be an import of one of Richard Sullivan Fay's exotic floral treasures, which might have been seen here first in the nation ( www.springpondwoods.com/p/exotic-flora.html ).  In most countries certain species of this flower are threatened.

Flowers cover the ground in Lynn, near the site of where the Fay gardens near the mansion once lay, overlooking Spring Pond.

More Galanthas: Snowdrop Flowers

  
 Snowdrop flowers are blooming in the area of the former Fay Garden.  As mentioned in the previous post:  The flower is native to Europe, stretching from the Pyrenees in the west, through France and Germany to Poland in the north, Italy, Northern Greece, Ukraine, and an old European area now in Turkey.  Snowdrops have been introduced and naturalized globally throughout the world.  This may be an import of one of Richard Sullivan Fay's exotic floral treasures, which might have been seen here first in the nation ( www.springpondwoods.com/p/exotic-flora.html ).  In most countries certain species of this flower are threatened.

Galanthas: Snowdrop flower

Snowdrop flowers were sighted by Leslie Courtemanche, while walking the trails.  The flower is native to Europe, stretching from the Pyrenees in the west, through France and Germany to Poland in the north, Italy, Northern Greece, Ukraine, and an old European area now in Turkey.  The flower has been introduced and naturalized globally throughout the world.  This may be an import of one of Richard Sullivan's Fays exotic floral treasures ( www.springpondwoods.com/p/exotic-flora.html ).  In most countries certain species of this flower are threatened.

Thank you Leslie Courtemanche for sharing this image.

More blooms

Several different types of Asters and other flora...

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 Thank you John G. for sharing this photo...

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Flowers

The old Fay Estate was once partially in Lynn, Peabody and Salem.  

Richard Sullivan Fay imported several rare plants from all parts of the world, and filled the Estate with exotic trees and flora, turning it into an arboretum to admire. 

A few of the flora around Spring Pond can be found in different parts of the season. Some of these (not all) are artifacts of exotic flora from the paradise of the tropics in the Mediterranean, Asia and other parts of the world.

Flower No. 1  Cephalanthus occidentalis - Buttonbush, Button-willow and Honey-bells.  A native plant worth walking to see, and found near wetlands.

Flower No. 2  

Flower No. 3  Solanum Ducamara - Bitter Sweet Night Shade.  Native to Europe and Asia, as seen in the Mediterranean.  Creates a purple flower first.  Then turns into colorful fruit balls.  (Pardon the windy day in the photo.  Thanks to Leslie for finding the name.).

Flower No. 4 (unidentified) Seems exotic. Blooms in June.

Flower No. 5   Philadelphus - Mock-orange.  Native species to Americas, Asia and southeast Europe.  Smells like orange and Jasmine. (Thanks to Jocelyn for finding the name.)

Flower No. 6   Commelina communis - Asiatic Day Flower.  Native to East and South Asia.  (Thanks to Leslie for finding the name.)

Flower No. 7  (native meadow flower?)

Flower No. 8

Flower No. 9 Pink Lady's Slipper , native species

Flower No. 10  Hatpins, native flower blooms when pond is exposed.  

Flower No. 11  Clethra alnifolia, Pepper bush, Native flower, has a sweet strong smell.  This shrubbery surrounds the pond.

Flower No. 12  Silene Latifolia, White Campion is native to Europe, Asia and Africa.  

Flower No. 13  Wood Hyacinth native to Europe and the Mediterranean region.

( Thank you to Leslie Courtemanche for sharing this photo. )


Flower No. 14 Eutrochium, Joe-Pye Weed is a native flower, herb, wildflower, butterfly plant, ornamental flower bed, and Native American medicine healer.   A camouflaged cricket stands on a leaf.  Thank you to Leslie for finding the name.

Flower No. 15  Jasmine! "gift of God", genus of shrubs and vines in the Olive family, native to tropical climates of the "Old World" of the Mediterranean

Flower No. 16  

Tragopogon dubius, Yellow Goat's Beard, a type of Aster, native to southern and central Europe, and western Asia. Found as far North as northern France. Found blooming in August. Thank you to Leslie for finding the name