Peonies at their Peak

Please take a walk with me, it will do us both good.

Tree peonies in the Japanese garden

I went to the Montreal Botanical Garden today, specifically to see the peonies. We were there a couple of weeks ago, when it was lilac time, and I made a mental note to try to come back about now. I’m glad I did because the two hours I spent there did me so much good — and I want to share some of this beauty and peacefulness with you.

Azaleas, ferns, and cotoneaster horizontalis (the shrub in the foreground) in the Japanese garden.

The last of the lilacs.

There were some families, also out for a walk.

And some couples, like these wood ducks, happily swimming in slime they seemed to find very yummy.

And the obligatory Canada geese.

A redwing blackbird, for M.K.

Delicate yellow flag wild iris, on the bank of the marsh.

You can hear the nesting blackbirds in this video from one of the marshes. I was lucky not to get dive-bombed. And the common yellow water lilies were blooming.

Tender pink tamarack (larch) cones forming on a branch at the edge of the marsh.

I saw so many Eastern painted turtles! And polywogs!

More peonies. This is an herbaceous variety aptly named “Clair de lune.”

Glorious, huge tree peonies in the Chinese garden.

This is the one that really knocked me out — a tree peony named “Nike.” I did a drawing of it, but the photograph captures what’s so special about it — that incredible salmon/peach color.

We need beauty and nature so much right now. I hope you can find some in your life, and that this virtual walk gave you some moments to breathe freely today.