April 5, 1016
While I was visiting my daughter in
Pittsburgh, I checked to see what public gardens were available. I
found Pittsburgh had a Botanical Garden so scheduled time for a
visit.
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| Add caption |
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| Jonquils |
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| Jonquil |
This garden is very much a work in
progress. It is being built at the site of an old coal mine which is
still leaching very acidic water full of aluminum. The garden has
built a treatment field for the water and now has a pond that is no
longer acidic and in which water lilies can grow. Of course, I was
way too early to enjoy the waterlily blooms.
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| Bridge of the lotus pond |
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| View from the opposite end of the pond |
The garden is also spending a lot of
time developing a wonderful children's area with lots of buildings
and other artifacts. And on a trail leading into the woods from this
area, I found a wonderful dragon.
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| Work continues at the bottom of the children's garden |
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| A building for the children to explore |
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| The garden dragon |
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| Some birds are always in the children's garden |
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| I was glad to see wildflowers blooming along the trails |
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| Forget-me-nots? |
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| Some not-so-welcome garden visitors -staff are building fences to save their plants |
Another area in the woods had wonderful
thatched roofs on tall tree stumps and quirky little houses that
looked like they should belong to faeries or some other wee people.
I also enjoyed a pile of wood, that was intricately painted and in
front of which there was a dog built from the same wood.
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| Stumps with thatched roofs |
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| Closeup of carving and painting |
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| Some of the fey houses |
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| More spring bulbs |
There is also a meadow which I think
will be beautiful in summer. But most of this garden is just native
woods with soft trails through it. I enjoyed a peaceful walk of about
three miles on the trails. I only found blooming bulbs but expect a
lot more will be in bloom by late spring.
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| The gazebo overlooking the meadow area |
The area just behind the garden center is the most formal and is used for weddings and other events.
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| A huge fireplace anchors the formal garden |
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| These were the only tulips in bloom |
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| I think these are some very fancy jonquils |
The garden also includes an historic farm and has some sheep and chickens.
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| The three resident sheep |
I can't wait to continue to visit this
garden and watch its development.
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