What’s in Bloom

“I am sure it is a great mistake always to know enough to go in when it rains.  One may keep snug and dry by such knowledge, but one misses a world of loveliness.”  ~Adeline Knapp

Don’t let the rain keep you locked indoors, get outside and see the beauty that’s blossoming on the Greenway.

Wild Stonecrop (Sedum ternatum ‘Larinem Park’)

When one mentions Sedum or Stonecrop in the context of gardens, they are usually referring to Showy Stonecrop (Hylotelephium or Sedum spectible) the late-summer blooming variety originally native to Asia. Wild Stonecrop however, is a late-spring blooming perennial native to the Southeastern US. Growing only 4-8” in height and tolerant to a wide variety of sun and moisture conditions, Wild Stonecrop is quite a versatile plant. Despite lacking the height and bright flowers of its exotic counterparts, it shares the same succulent foliage and interesting flower structure. It can currently be seen flowering in the Wharf District Parks.

Wild Stonecrop

Batalin’s Tulip (Tulip batalinii ‘Bright Gem’)

The Batalin Tulip is another entry in the Greenway’s collection of “species” or Wild Tulips. Low growing but with stronger perennial qualities, it  is a spring-flowering plant growing 4-6” in height and originally native to Uzbekistan. The species named for Alexander Theodorowicz  Batalin, a Russian Botanist who was once director of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden. The variety ‘Bright Gem’, which can currently be seen flowering in Dewey Square Park, the Fort Point Channel Parks, and the North End Parks near Endicott St., is known for having a brighter yellow center than the typical wild form.

Batalin Tulip

Dwarf Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’)

Native to Korea, the Korean Spice Viburnum is a spring-flowering shrub well liked  for the neat globes of white flowers appearing in the late spring, but especially for their fragrance. In the wild the shrub grows to approximately 5-8’ in height, though the Dwarf forms planted on the Greenway should only reach 3-4’ at maturity. Korean Spice Viburnum can currently be seen flowering in the North End Parks.

Korean Spice Viburnum