“I strolled along the beaten way,
Where hoary cliffs uprear their heads,
And all the firstlings of the May
Were peeping from their leafy beds,
When, dancing in its rocky frame,
I saw th’ columbine’s flower of flame.
…
I saw them a-flaming
Against the gray rocks;
I saw them in couples,
I saw them in flocks.
They danced in the breezes,
They glowed in the sun,
They nodded and beckoned,
Rejoiced every one.” ― from the poem “Columbine” by John Burroughs (1837-1921)

*

As I mentioned last week, on 21 May I visited both Tower Hill Botanic Garden, in Boylston, MA, and Garden in the Woods, in Framingham, MA, on a typical spring day with a high of about 70F.

Of the two, Garden in the Woods is my favourite, especially in spring, because it’s such a rambling woodland garden. It’s run by the Native Plant Trust, which conserves and promotes New England’s native plants. The Garden is “a plant collection that showcases New England native plants with complementary specimens from across the country …, on 45 acres sculpted by retreating glaciers into eskers, steep-sided valleys, and a kettle pond. A shaded brook and wetlands draw a panoply of animals and insects.” There are interesting plants in the gardens and for sale next to the little store at the entrance. (You can download their plant list and price list from links on this page.) There’s not a cafe per se but there is some prepared food in the store, or you can order a boxed lunch ahead of time.