NC Botanical Garden

On Friday, to celebrate Darwin Day, my husband and I attended a lunchtime lecture entitled “The Evolution Of Biodiversity: History or Science” at the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

Charles Darwin, circa 1871, by Oscar Gustave Rejlander (1813-1875)

There were snow flurries during the talk but by the time we walked to the car only the cold remained.

We did not take time to explore the garden that day, but as we hurried back to the parking lot, we admired the light on the grasses fronting the parking spaces.

NC Botanical Garden

NC Botanical Garden

Upon returning home I noticed a camellia on the side of the house was blooming. It has been too cold. How is that possible? Well, the days are lengthening and, before it turned cold this week, it actually had been very warm.  Three flowers were open. Because of cold weather this camellia failed to bloom at all last winter. Tonight’s low is predicted to be 15°F.  Who is feeling lucky?

Camellia x ‘Coral Delight’   Synonym: Camellia japonica x Camellia saluenensis

I have been taking this winter one day at a time. Even so, winter is passing by quickly. In a couple of weeks a friend and I will travel to Virginia for the hellebore festival at Pine Knot Farms.  Making plans around here in February is usually a sure-fire way to invite an ice storm into town, but definitely this year we are feeling lucky that we will make it.

Looking ahead, April is promising to be a great month. I already have tickets for some  Art In Bloom events at the North Carolina Museum of Art early in the month. The Chapel Hill Garden Club’s biennial spring garden tour takes place the last weekend in April, featuring seven private gardens. I am already signed up to be a garden guide at one of the gardens for the spring tour.

And, not everything special is a garden event. Also in April our daughter is coming to visit from the west coast.  March will be busy but I am feeling lucky.