I didn't post yesterday BUT

here I am today.  Actually, I'm old fashioned.  When the lightning started whizzing too close to me last night, I decided to back the heck out of Dodge and post today.

As requested by the various trees and bushes of Highland Park, I'll keep comments to a minimum (stop laughing - I can TOO keep comments to a minimum!) and put pictures up.

I was going to divided everything by type of picture (plant, tree, landscape-y stuff) but that's not me...soooooo

Here we go.

Remember where I was on 4/17 .  Now, across Reservoir Drive from there is another part of the park.  Lamberton Conservatory is behing me in this picture, and I'm looking at TREES!  LOTS of trees!

They look like "trees". But virtually all of them are of different species (Highland being an Arboretum and all).  This one is a Northern Red Oak.  How do I know?  I'm glad you asked.

Most of the plants have tags of some kind.  So if I'm saying something is a "such and such" it's not because of my tremendous knowledge (I know that's depressing...but....  :)

This mammoth beastie is a Hackberry tree.

To give you an idea of the height of these things, I decided to do a straight up shot.

Tree bark is incredibly varied and interesting (remember as you roll your eyes that I love rocks as well)

However, lest I make you insane with too many trees in a row, I'm switching for a few minutes to May 2.  These are rhododendrons (rhodies).  The day was grey for the most part, so the colors seem a bit flat...but I decided to take 'em anyway.

Flowers for the next few pictures:

Azaleas as well!

And rhodies.   I've just posted 'em any whichway so your minds can stay nimble while you try to figure out which is which!

This is a dogwood...(picture above)

A white lilac, variety Mildred Wilmont (my spelling is questionable...)

Just a pretty view.  The little burst of pink added some interest...gods, I sound like an interior designer.   No WAY!  

A regular gang of azaleas!  I had to squint  - the color was too bright!

This is another paperbark maple.  And friends.  Rhodie in front, cherry to the rear...

This little rhodie is only about two feet tall - talk about a lot of bang for the buck!

The sun was in an out - this is it being a little out on the azaleas!  MOST excellent!

Well, between Photobucket dieing every three minutes and now blogspot having a coronary, I'm going to post one last picture for today and try again either later tonight or tomorrow.  Thank heavens for "draft" functions, you know?

This is  a look down that little walkway that starts in Azaleas and walks out into Lilacs and others that are well up on the flank of the moraine (hill left by a retreating glacier).

I hope you've liked the pictures (and the fact that I didn't talk too much!   Yeah, the sound you hear is the trees, bushes, flowers and individual boulders clapping in relief!).  Have a great day!