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The optimist

February 18, 2025 by Webster Arboretum

The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose.

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    Daffodils reflected in the pond
    Daffodils reflected in the pond - JTA1201

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  • The Webster Arboretum

    websterarboretum

    Planting the seeds of inspiration.
    Brrrr!! Brrrr!!
    Dolores, our arboretum groundhog refused to leave Dolores, our arboretum groundhog refused to leave her burrow for Groundhog Day…so your guess is as good as mine.
    Spring is just around the corner? Spring is just around the corner?
    Winter scene at the arboretum #takeastroll #webste Winter scene at the arboretum #takeastroll #websterarboretum #winterwonderland #wintervibes
    Winter at the Webster Arboretum. Winter at the Webster Arboretum.
    Freshly fallen snow and winterberry at the Webster Freshly fallen snow and winterberry at the Webster Arboretum
    Beauty abounds- even in a blizzard! Beauty abounds- even in a blizzard!
    Enjoy the winter season at the Webster Arboretum Enjoy the winter season at the Webster Arboretum
    See the beauty of nature at the Webster Arboretum; See the beauty of nature at the Webster Arboretum; open year round at 1700 Schlegel Road in Webster
    I’m pretty sure a cow wouldn’t just slip on th I’m pretty sure a cow wouldn’t just slip on this plant, it would crush it. Cowslip is a flowering plant in the primrose family, and is native to Europe and Western Asia. These adorable flowers are symbols of magic, mischief, and comeliness. They can also symbolize adventure, youth, pensiveness, healing, rusticity, and grace. Cowslip is known for its medicinal and culinary properties, as it contains several medicinal components you can find in aspirin. It can be made into tea, wine, vinegar, salad, and many other things and is used to treat an enormous range of troubles from headaches to insomnia. Plant cowslip in the early spring, in partially shaded, well-draining soil. It works great as an edging plant in a garden or near a pond. You can find our cowslip in our medicinal herb garden. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    If you’re a night owl you might not be too keen If you’re a night owl you might not be too keen on our next flower, the daylily. The daylily is a flowering plant, and was originally native to the entire continent of Asia. Daylilies are symbols of motherhood, flirtatiousness, and wisdom. In western cultures, the colour of the flower greatly influences the meaning of a daylily. Orange and yellow daylilies are symbols of power and joy. Red daylilies symbolize passionate love. Purple has the meaning of wealth and royalty. In the East, daylilies have a different meaning. For the Chinese, these flowers are symbols of the bond between parents and children, as well as symbols of forgetting. In Japanese Hanakotoba, the art of flower symbolism in Japan, the flower symbolizes wealth, success, and power. The daylily’s latin name, hemerocallis, translates to “lily that blooms for a day,” in reference to the short lifespan of a daylily blossom. It’s an awful lot of meaning for one flower. Daylilies are easygoing plants. They should be planted in the late spring or early fall, but they can be planted in the summer so long as you keep an eye on them and water them when necessary. You can find our daylilies to the left of the main pond, and just beyond it. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    Grab a bud and come see the redbud trees at the Ar Grab a bud and come see the redbud trees at the Arboretum. Redbud is a flowering deciduous tree and is the state tree of Oklahoma. The tree is lacking in symbolism, but still has a few stories connected to it. Despite their name, redbud tree flowers come in both white and red. In Christianity it’s suggested that redbud might be the type of tree from which Judas Iscariot hanged himself after betraying Jesus. The story goes that the flowers of the tree were white before this, and turned red from guilt and shame after his hanging. On a more positive note, the tree was so beloved by George Washington that he had them transplanted onto his home gardens in Virginia. He probably fell in love with the trees' beauty and not the story about Judas. Redbud saplings should be planted in the spring. As with most bare root trees, you’ll want to soak the roots for a few hours before planting. Make sure you have a well-lit plot with well drained soil, and plant. Your tree will also want a tree guard in its early stages to protect its bark from nibbling rodents. Very little to no pruning is necessary for this tree, but if you do choose to prune you should do so after the flowers have first bloomed. You can find our redbuds in the front half of the Arboretum, at the gardens near the main building. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    You’d be dog-gone crazy to walk in this heat, bu You’d be dog-gone crazy to walk in this heat, but if you have to, wear sunscreen, drink water, and come see our dogwood trees. Dogwood is a flowering deciduous tree, and is the state tree of both Virginia and Missouri, as well as the state flower of North Carolina. These trees are symbols of rebirth, purity, and resilience. They can also be a symbol of affection. In red, the trees symbolize love, passion, aggression, and tenacity. Dogwood trees are also important in Christianity, as the tree was the type of wood used to make the cross which Jesus was nailed to. Dogwood saplings should be planted in the early spring. You’ll want to soak the roots for up to four hours before planting, and make sure that the soil is well drained. Dogwood is low maintenance, so you don't need to worry too much about pruning or additional care after planting them. Just be sure the tree has access to sunlight, and water twice a week if it’s excessively dry. You can find our dogwood trees scattered throughout the Arboretum. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    Foxtail lily, or eremurus, is a flowering root pla Foxtail lily, or eremurus, is a flowering root plant, and is native to Central Asia. These tall plants are symbols of endurance. Due to their height, wispy shape, and bright coloured flowers, they are sometimes called desert candles. They often grow to be a few feet tall, ranging from 6 to 8 feet at their full height. Foxtail lily should be planted in well-draining sandy or loamy soil, in an area with full access to the sun. This should be done in the fall, before the first frost. In your garden plan, be sure to leave a good amount of space between plants; about 3-4 feet. This is measured after the fifteen inch wide hole you’ll be digging for your foxtail lilies. You’ll need to plant them a little deeper than normal in a colder climate (around 6 inches), so be aware of the general climate you’re living in if you’re planning on planting them. In warmer climates you need only dig around 2 inches deep before planting. You’ll be filling most of the hole in with compost and garden soil either way, making sure that the crown of the root is visible above the ground.Also, foxtail lilies are not fond of being transplanted, so remember, there are no take-backs in the land of foxtail lilies. You can find our foxtail lilies around the front pond at the Arboretum. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    Some shrubs are like onions- they have layers. Com Some shrubs are like onions- they have layers. Common ninebark is one of these shrubs. Common ninebark is a deciduous flowering shrub and is native to central and eastern North America. Sadly, this plant has no known symbolism of its own. Common ninebarks name comes from the odd layered bark of the shrub, which peels back one thin layer at a time as the shrub gets older. This process is called exfoliating,and a number of different types of trees and shrubs do it. The reason for this isn’t known, but there are a few guesses as to why. The most common theory suggests that it is to clear off any mosses, bugs, and other issues on the exterior bark to make way for newer cleaner bark. Ninebark makes for a good erosion control shrub, and does well when planted on banks. It also does well as a foundation shrub for a garden or as a hedge plant. It can be planted any time between early spring and the start of autumn, and will flower best when planted in the sunlight. You can find our ninebark at the back of the arboretum. They flower very briefly so be sure to plan your visit carefully if you don’t want to miss them. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    What turns yellow in the fall and loses all of its What turns yellow in the fall and loses all of its foliage, but has needles instead of leaves? Larch trees! Larch is a deciduous conifer plant and one of very few deciduous conifer species in existence. Here at the arboretum we have a European weeping larch. Larch in general symbolizes strength, unification, and the ability to overcome obstacles. It can also be a symbol of death, rebirth, protection, endurance, and healing. European weeping larch like the one at the Arboretum was first found in the 1730s in England. It’s a naturally occurring hybrid plant which combines the native European larch and the newly introduced at the time Tamarack, or American larch. As with most plants, larch should be planted in autumn or early spring. It isn’t a plant for amateurs, as it can be delicate to the air quality, there's a lot of diseases that target it, and you have to do a lot of temperature control if you plan on growing it from a seed. If you do undertake the challenge, make sure to give the plant full access to the sun. It will also need some light pruning to keep it healthy. If you're pruning with the goal of making it a specific shape, you should prune it in winter or early spring before new buds form. European weeping larch can be bent around a post into a cool shape or left to grow into a mound shape. You can find our European weeping larch by the gazebo at the front of the park. (We left ours to grow into a beautiful mound) The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    It’s hard to find a flower as unique and beautif It’s hard to find a flower as unique and beautiful as bleeding hearts. Bleeding Hearts are perennial flowers. They were first introduced to Europe from Asia in the early 1800s, but were popularized in the 1840s. They arrived in North America soon after. Bleeding Hearts are symbols of compassion, romance, and a broken heart. These flowers have two very opposite potential meanings, so when gifting them you should include them in a bouquet with flowers of similar meaning to the message you want to convey. Lilacs are a great option for this since they can also symbolize love. ...Unless of course you want to tell someone your heart is broken; then maybe give them a black dahlia, which symbolizes betrayal and sadness. But why would you do that? These flowers should be planted in the early spring in a partially shaded area. They do not do well with large amounts of water so be sure to plant them in an area that has good drainage. We don’t have any bleeding hearts here at the arboretum, so let’s just say that they’re waiting for you to plant them! The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    You may be looking forward to seeing some daffodil You may be looking forward to seeing some daffodil blooms this month. Daffodils are perennial flowers and the national flower of Wales. These delightful flowers are symbols of inner reflection, hope, and creativity. They can also be symbols of renewal and forgiveness. These symbols do not apply when gifting just one daffodil though. A singular daffodil represents misfortune and unrequited love. You probably don’t want to give these flowers out individually for this reason. The unfortunate symbol likely comes from the origin of the flower's scientific name, Narcissus. Narcissus was a hunter in Greek mythology who was so obsessed with his own beauty, he refused to leave the waterside, so that he would never be parted from his own reflection. The lesser known story of this myth is the story of Echo, a nymph who was cursed by Hera to only repeat the last words she's heard. Echo was entranced by Narcissus’s beauty, but could never speak to him because of her curse. Her unrequited love for Narcissus is reflected in the single daffodils symbol. Daffodils are best planted in the fall, when the soil is cool. This prevents the plant from sprouting too early. Our daffodils can be found right at the front of the main pond at the Arboretum. Give us a visit and take a look! The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
    It’s the end of April and the time for lilacs to It’s the end of April and the time for lilacs to bloom is upon us. Lilacs are a flowering bush plant and the state flower of New Hampshire. Lilacs symbolize fresh starts, renewal, confidence, love, and romance. Just don’t get your idea of true love from the lilacs Greek origin story. The lilacs' scientific name, syringa, comes from a Greek myth about the god Pan. The story goes that there was a beautiful nymph whose name was Syringa, and Pan had fallen madly in love with her. Syringa had no interest in the god, and turned herself into a lilac bush to hide herself from him. Eventually, Pan came upon the lilac bush that she had become. Pan cut parts of the bush off, and made the first ever panpipes from her branches. Yikes. If you’d like to plant your own lilac bushes, we recommend doing so in either the early fall or mid spring. It’s important to watch the weather carefully before planting, since one frost could kill a young bud. Lilacs need ample sunlight and good drainage to grow. Once your plant has gotten going it should be able to handle itself quite well, with very little need for pruning and care. If you come visit the Arboretum be sure to check out our lilacs, which you can find just beyond the main pond bridge. The Webster Arboretum is a planned community park. To keep flowers like this one alive and thriving we need help from people like you. Fill out a volunteer form and get started with us today.
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