Through the Seasons at Ned Wolf Park

Eric Sternfels sent in these photos today, of a beautiful community-created garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania called Ned Wolf Park. We’ve visited this garden a couple of times before (Revisiting Ned Wolf Park) and it is always a pleasure. This garden is special because it is created and maintained by volunteers in the community, so everyone can enjoy this beautiful space.

Starting in early spring, the garden is filled with low carpet of blue chionodoxa (Chionodoxa forbesii, Zone 3 – 8) flowers.

Orange tulips are cultivar of darwin tulips called Tulipa ‘Dordogne’ (Zone 3 – 8). Darwin tulips are one of the groups that tend to perenialize and come back year-after-year it grown in good conditions.

A pink tree peony (Paeonia hybrid, Zone 3 – 8) is paired with Amsonia ’Storm Cloud’ (Zone 4 – 9) and Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ (Zone 4 – 9).

An unnamed german iris (Iris hybrid, Zone 3 – 8) is surrounded by Cotinus ‘Grace’ (Zone 4 – 10) with dark purple leaves that complement this iris and the clouds of small flowers that will develop in the the fluffy seeds that give the cotinus the common name of “smoke bush.”

Iris tectorum ‘Alba’ (white Japanese roof iris, Zone 4 – 9) is shown with Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ (Zone 4 – 9).

This Echinacea is the variety ‘Pica Bella’ (Zone 4 – 9). This is a compact version of the wild purple coneflower, and according to research by Mt. Cuba Center, one of the varieties that pollinators love the most.

Nigella ‘Cramer’s Plum’ (annual) has showy white flowers which then develop into these incredibly beautiful seed pods.

Wider view of part of the park in summer, a perfect spot to sit and catch up with friends and neighbors.

Pink fall leaves on a very old Burning Bush, Euonymus alata (Zone 4 – 8)