When you are married to a biologist and botanist, botanical gardens become regular ports of call. We once took a trip to see a big one in St. Louis (and oh yes, to see James Taylor and Carol King as well). And so today, on our 36th wedding anniversary, I am beginning a series of three posts in Ann’s honor on the botanic garden in Durham, which did not really exist when we lived there in the late 70s. See the entrance to the place above, which is way up on a hill, on the south side of Durham.
Let’s start with a big tree— a monkey puzzle tree, which came to England by way of ship, carted here from south America. Here below is both the tree, and the inscription beneath it.
I am surprised such a tree can survive in this northern climate, but survive and thrive it has, like the more indigenous gigantic deciduous trees…
Trees that dwarf every flower in the vicinity..
But the trees are not the only thing that are big in this botanic garden…how about monster lily pads???
Or how about the world’s largest moth’s (trusting that you know that a myth is a female moth :)?
Or maybe your thing is gigantic fungi??? Try this on for size…..
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