By the pond

And, yes, the green background is a pond
(the one in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden
at the Brooklyn Botanic) and, yes,
it really is that color.

[To see more flowers from around the world,
visit Today's Flowers at An English Girl Rambles.]

Spring is springing

Or at least it was until the temperature
dropped to 25°F (-4°C) a few
days ago.  I put this shot on Instagram and
an observant friend commented 
that it looks like Snuffleupagus from 
Sesame Street.  I agree!

[Linking back to Weekend Reflections
and to Pink Saturday.]

ABC Wednesday—W is for "weeping cherry tree"

There's something so romantic about a
"weeping" tree—especially one in full bloom.
This weeping cherry overhangs a tall kasuga lantern
at the entrance to the Brooklyn Botanic's
Japanese Hill and Pond Garden.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

It's been spring for more than a month
(and snowed here the first day of),
but for me the season doesn't really start
until the flowering trees burst into bloom—like
this weeping cherry in the Japanese Hill
and Pond Garden at the Bklyn Botanic.

{And if you're celebrating May Day in Paris today, 
I hope someone offers you a brin de muguet.}

[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Just through this gate (coming from the
Japanese Hill and Pond Garden at
the Brooklyn Botanic) is their famous
Cherry Esplanade—two allées of cherry trees
that were planted after WWI, a gift from
the government of Japan.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

It's rare on a weekend—even late in the
day—when you can take a shot of this bridge in
the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden at the
Brooklyn Botanic with not another person in sight.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

one fish, _ _, _ _, blue fish

This koi (I assume) lives in the pond at the
Japanese Hill and Pond Garden at the
Brooklyn Botanic.  I've never seen one that
looks like this—have you?

[To see more things that are blue, visit Smiling Sally's meme.]

Red Maple

It's part of the spring color—seen
here from the viewing pavilion in the
Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden
 at the Brooklyn Botanic.

To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday? If so, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

When I went to visit my "backyard" garden (Brooklyn
Botanic) recently on a sunny but very cold day, it may
have been the very first time I was able to take photos in the
pretty little lakeside pavilion of their Japanese garden
with not another soul around to wander into my shot.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

This is the Brooklyn Botanic's famous Japanese garden 
(the first to be created in an American public garden, in 1915).
It was designed by Japanese landscape designer Takeo Shiota and 
is considered by many to be his masterpiece. Among the
architectural elements used by Shiota are bridges, a
viewing pavilion, and a torii, or gateway (seen here).

[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

Twice as Nice

Bright pink cherry blossoms reflected in a tranquil pond—
I'm not an especially religious person, but if more people 
found God in the springtime, I could certainly see why.

[To see more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.
For more of the Saturday PhotoHunt, visit Sandi's meme.]

another Brooklyn tree . . .

. . . and all my favorites seem to grow in the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This one is in the
BBG's Japanese garden, a lovely, peaceful
oasis at any time of year— but most especially
in the fall and winter, when visitors are scarcer.

[This post is part of That's My World Tuesday;
see more here.]

園 *

* Which, as some people probably already know,

means garden.  This is the lovely, tranquil

Japanese garden that's set within the Brooklyn

Botanic Garden.  It's one of my favorite places

in any season, but right now—wow!