Botanic Gardens

Tower Hill Botanic Garden

Springtime visit to Tower Hill Botanic Garden to see the field of Daffodils

John M Poltrack

30 Apr 2019 — 2 min read

Monday was a good day for a road trip to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, because it was the only day of the week that predicted to be rain free. I was anxious to visit in April in time to see the Daffodil field in full bloom.

I have my suspicions about the presence of poison ivy in the field. I suspect that this is ruse created as a result of people trampling flowers. Note the kinetic sculpture by George Sherwood, one of many that dotted the gardens.

The "Farmhouse" at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. It is located on the edge of the lawn garden which has a pathway running underneath two curved pergolas.

I was inspired to create a pollination house as a result of seeing this structure near the main entrance.

Pollination House for Mason Bees

Pollinator House for Mason Bees (Osmia bicornis) located at Tower Hill Botanic Garden

Mason bees do not live in hives, they are solitary creatures. Fertile females lay eggs in the holes and crevices of these wooden pieces, after that they deposit some pollen/nectar as food for the developing larvae. The bees seal the holes are with clay, sap or mud. Male bees are the first to emerge and after mating they die and the process repeats. Nature is not kind to the male gender.

The Greenhouses

View of the Orangerie from the Systematic Garden at Tower Hill, Botanical Garden

I have visited Tower Hill in the winter to enjoy the two greenhouses, the Limonaia (Lemon House) and the Orangerie (Orange House). It follows logically that I saw a lemon fruit in the Limonaia and an orange fruit in the Orangerie.

Truly, Tower Hill should be a destination for anyone who loves gardens. There are 171 acres to investigate and I only scratched the surface.