In Which We Go Play In The Stumpery

Today it cooled off enough that we could venture outdoors, so Connor and I went for an adventure!  I've wanted to go visit the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and the adjacent bonsai garden in Federal Way since I heard about them several years ago, but this is the first time I've actually managed to venture out.  It's about a twenty acre park, and while most of the rhododendrons were finished blooming for the year we got there at the perfect time to see the blue poppy meadow blooming.  I didn't even know such a thing as a blue poppy existed, but they are gorgeous!  I think we'll go again next week, and take the camera this time so if they're still open I can get a few good shots for you.  The garden was full of gravel paths and not terribly accessible, I'm sad to say, but I was able to maneuver the little guy's wheelchair pretty much everywhere except the alpine garden, where the paths were just too steep.

The azalea garden was also gorgeous, and there were plenty of other really neat plants to look at-- including all of the ferns in the Victorian Stumpery, which has to be the best name for a giant pile of stumps and ferns ever.  I have a couple of stumps in my yard and I think I'm going to call them a stumpery just so I can say that word all of the time.  Stumpery stumpery stumpery!  Whee!

Anyway, so we had a great time walking around the garden and looking at the stumpery and whatnot, and of course I had to pick up a couple of plants at the attached nursery because it's physically impossible for me to visit some place selling plants without picking up at least one.  Then we drove back towards the house, stopping off at the cheese shop and the bakery and the library on the way. 

I think the little guy will sleep pretty well tonight!

~Jess