King of Flowers
Irene Khin Wong
What I love about the month of May, besides it being the month of my birthday; are all the blooming plants and flowers.There are lots of exciting cheerful blossoms starting to show, as April showers bring May flowers! My favorite May flowers are Peonies. As spring approaches, I love watching the shoots sprout in my garden and always it amazes me when their delicate petals are in full bloom.
Just a hop on the subway or a train ride can put you in the feeling of a country side as the Brooklyn Botanical Garden or another outing favorite of mine that we do annually is to go to the Chanticleer Garden in Pa. Our weekend trips to the Berkshires is botanical garden with full of different shapes and shades of peonies - from striking velvety burgundy to soft petal pink blossoms that just lift everyone’s spirits. I love to create bridal bouquets with peonies, since this exquisite flower is a
symbol for nobility; and widely known in the imperial palaces of China as the “King of Flowers”. I learned to know the name “Mao Dhan”, rather than Peony as a child growing up with my paternal grandmother, who is very traditional Chinese and shares the love of this gem of a flower with me.
Here are other great places to visit:
Duke Farms (Hillsborough, NJ) With free admission, this living habitat is privately owned by the Duke family who felt that New Jersey was too industrial and sought to build a refuge for nature by purchasing land and creating Duke Farms.
Hollister House Garden (Washington, CT) This beautiful garden will transport you to the English country-side, complete with Ivy-adorned cottages and hedges. They also host events such as Rare Plant Sales.
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| Orchid and Peony Bouquet by Saffron59 |
Just a hop on the subway or a train ride can put you in the feeling of a country side as the Brooklyn Botanical Garden or another outing favorite of mine that we do annually is to go to the Chanticleer Garden in Pa. Our weekend trips to the Berkshires is botanical garden with full of different shapes and shades of peonies - from striking velvety burgundy to soft petal pink blossoms that just lift everyone’s spirits. I love to create bridal bouquets with peonies, since this exquisite flower is a
symbol for nobility; and widely known in the imperial palaces of China as the “King of Flowers”. I learned to know the name “Mao Dhan”, rather than Peony as a child growing up with my paternal grandmother, who is very traditional Chinese and shares the love of this gem of a flower with me.
Here are other great places to visit:
Duke Farms (Hillsborough, NJ) With free admission, this living habitat is privately owned by the Duke family who felt that New Jersey was too industrial and sought to build a refuge for nature by purchasing land and creating Duke Farms.
Hollister House Garden (Washington, CT) This beautiful garden will transport you to the English country-side, complete with Ivy-adorned cottages and hedges. They also host events such as Rare Plant Sales.
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| Lovely Statue at Duke Farm |