One of the reasons I love public horticulture is the opportunity for new experiences. This past Saturday afforded me just that. We had a booking for a private tour for a group with visual impairments. I did my best to prepare for this unusual engagement, but in the end I was left surprised and pleased while wholly out of my depth. They taught me that bright colors are best. To say "look at your 12 o'clock" instead of "look ahead" .
What smells like a skunk and looks like a pineapple?
And, no, it's not a pineapple that was sprayed by a skunk.
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August is upon us and with it brings not only the hum of Dog Day Cicadas (Tibicen canicularis), but fabulous summer flowers and the bugs who love them. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) has kindly allowed me to use it as a model in many of the following shots.