Beautiful Parks and Views in Memphis

View of the Hernando de Soto Bridge from Tom Lee Park

The first day of the Memphis Fling took us to the edge of the Mississippi River. Two parks offered beautiful views of the surrounding area, including lovely walkways, native plants, and views of the Hernando de Soto Bridge, sometimes called the "M" bridge.



Tom Lee Park spans 31 acres, with a planting design that prioritizes biodiversity, seasonal interest, and long-term resilience. It's named after Tom Lee, a Memphis resident who rescued 32 passengers from a capsized steamer in 1925. Passing by in his small wooden skiff, Lee's rescue was all the more remarkable because he couldn't swim!



Visionary Point, closed when we walked by, offers a climb to a higher spot for an even loftier view.



Fellow Flingers were anxious to learn more about the history of the city and its riverfront parks.

Not far from Tom Lee Park is the Memphis River Garden, providing native habitat that nurtures pollinators, birds, small mammals, and human visitors. While we were there, many native plants were on lush display in various stages of growth, including the native Swamp Roses (Rosa palustris), included in my previous post. Others included:

Baptisia australis

The lush seedpods of Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis),

Echinacea tennesseensis

Flowers of various Echinaceas, including Tennessee Coneflower (E. tennesseensis), and 

Monarda fistulosa

Developing blooms of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).

Our first tour day in Memphis was rewarding. And I must say the city's gardens, overall, exceeded my expectations. Stay tuned for more memories of a wonderful trip to the Bluff City.

Wordless Roses at the Memphis Garden Fling

[Note: All Roses shown here, and many more, were blooming in Memphis during The Fling. Most are horticultural hybrids. The last, I believe, is the straight species Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris), native to much of the Eastern United States.]

A Simple Early Summer Bouquet

I prepared a very simple vase this week, for reasons I'll share at the end. Thanks to Cathy for hosting In a Vase on Monday.

The star of the show is Ornamental Onion Allium 'Globemaster.'



Just as lovely, and supporting the star, is Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum). The blooms are a little more open than last week, but still good elements for the arrangement.



The Viburnum foliage is fun, too. It forms the framework, along with the three Hosta leaves.



The Siberian Irises (I. sanguinea) are blooming now, as well, so I included a couple stems in the arrangement.



Here's a view of one out in the garden.



So, it's a simple collection. Head on over to Rambling in the Garden to share your garden arrangements, and to see others from around the world.

I'm taking a little break from blogging for a few days, as I'll soon head to the Garden Fling in Memphis, Tenn. The Fishman is caring for the puppy, kitty, and garden while I'm gone. I'll have many things to report on when I get back!

Monday's Vase: Experimental and Tried-and-True

It's a time of transition from spring to summer, including for garden plants and blooms. The elements for arrangements are plentiful, and will continue to expand in the weeks ahead. Thanks to Cathy for hosting In a Vase on Monday.

For this week's vase, after a little research, I've included some blooms and foliage I haven't used much in the past, along with some reliable standards.



I've used Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum), but perhaps not enough. It's a perky bloomer that brightens the bouquet, and its Maple-shaped foliage adds visual interest, too. The vase life is somewhat short (four to seven days), but that's long enough to make it worthwhile.



I don't recall cutting Wild Geraniums (G. maculatum) previously. They're beautiful flowers and currently very plentiful, in nature and in the back garden. I was surprised to learn they have a long vase life, so I'll likely use them more in the future.



Another native wildflower I included is Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum). While it apparently has a short vase life, it adds some nice filler to the arrangement for a few days.



Moving on to standbys I've frequently used for arrangements: Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) adds structure and brilliance to any arrangement.



Angelonia (A. angustifolia 'AngelDance') is somewhat understated, but lovely as a spiky companion in the grouping. It has a short vase life but, again, worth it for a few days of beauty.



Hosta leaves add structure, depth, and visual interest. I don't know what species or variety this is. So many Hostas were here when we moved in more than two decades ago, and I've never purchased any new ones.



The combination of elements seems to work, and most of the cuttings even perked up after several hours in the vase. Yay.



I'm cheating a bit, including this little vase of Lilies of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). They're finished blooming now, and this vase was from a few days ago, but I enjoyed the simplicity.

Finally, I share some blooms I wish I could include in the arrangement...





We have two Korean Lilac shrubs (Syringa meyeri), which, because of unseasonably cool May weather have been blooming much longer than "normal." Experience has taught me that, sadly, their blooms only last a couple of days in a vase. But their beauty, scent, and form make them the current stars of the garden.

Head on over to Rambling in the Garden to share your garden arrangements, and to see others from around the world.

For those in the U.S., have a meaningful and blessed Memorial Day.