BBG : A Garden in May
Friday, May 7, 2010 at 6:00AM
Deborah Elliott in Birmingham Botanical Gardens, interesting places

Yesterday was perfect for a stroll through the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. While I couldn't possibly take in all sixty-six acres, I did see some of my favorite areas. Here is a quick tour.

First, a few of the more formal areas:

While I am impressed with the beautiful formal areas, my heart belongs to the woodlands.

There are paths wandering through fern glades, over bridges, and past bubbling streams. The long bridge is in a less frequented area and has always been one of my favorite spots.

The bog garden in the next group of photos has a wild beauty. If our back yards looked like this — and part of mine does! — we might think we needed to get rid of the weeds, but for Native Americans who lived on this site many years ago it was a pharmacy. A lot of the plants were used for medicine, and others were used for food, clothing, or shelter.

And here are some of the flowers blooming in the woodlands:

Finally,  I stopped by the vegetable garden. Volunteers were there, working. The vegetables grown here are used in BBG's restaurant and also are used to feed animals at the nearby zoo. As for the rabbit, he's the kind of rabbit a vegetable garden needs!

Spring is ending. The temperature was in the 80s, and the air was humid. I saw lots of bugs. By the time I finished my walk, I was sweaty and ready for my air-conditioned car! I am reminded there is lots to do in my own garden before the sticky vapors of summer arrive. 

Happy gardening!   Deborah

Article originally appeared on Deb's Garden Blog (http://debsgarden.squarespace.com/).
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