These rhododendrons in bloom (in the cemetery where I often walk) drew my attention to the old stone cross between them, and I went round to the other side to check what it looked like from there.
It's an old family grave, five people with the same surname buried there between 1895-1952. No longer in care of the family, but returned to the church. Still well looked after - I supposed for a combination of historic intrerest, and the gorgeous rhododendron.
While azaleas are now fast getting past their prime beauty for the season, the rhododendron are at their very best just now - so I decided to go and visit them all! (Or almost, anyway...) All the photos below are of different rhododendron trees and bushes, all over the cemtery.
And all of them surrounded by a buzz of busy bees...
Finishing off with a different display of purple. A sign informed me that this old grave is now used as an example of using perennials for decoration.
It's a beautifully-kept graveyard.
ReplyDeleteIt really is, Janice.
DeleteI love this old cemetery and always eagerly await the changing of the season photos that you have shown us over the past 15 years. I don't remember ever seeing these trees look this beautiful. gorgeous!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSandra, the rhododendrons are spread out over the whole grounds and depending on sun/shadow etc it varies a bit when they spring into full bloom. But on this occasion I was struck by seeing purple "everywhere" and it occurred to me to go and take photos of them all at the same time :)
DeleteThere’s something quietly moving about how the vibrant rhododendrons breathe new life into the resting place of those long gone
ReplyDeleteRo, it often strikes me when walking there how this place is full of life (plants and trees and birds) although at the same time it's a resting place of the dead.
DeleteIt is amazing that they are all purple! You made a beautiful inventory of (almost) all of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the black thing at the base of the stone cross (second picture)?
Meike, it's probably not a coincidence - the more I walk around this place, the more I appreciate how much care goes into the "garden architecture" of it. The "black thing" is a marker showing who is responsible for the care of the grave. Graves can either be personally looked after by family, or one pays a fee to have them cared for by staff, or when there is no one to do that any more they are "returned" - which also means that (after a certain number of years after the last burial there) the space can then be reused by someone else. In the meantime, staff still cut the grass to keep it neat - but no extras like flower beds. Certain graves of special historic interest may be preserved as memorials though. Anyway - the "markers" are for cemetery staff to know which graves are their responsibility. (But also how I know that this grave was returned rather than still cared for by descendants.)
DeleteHow stunning they all are! Purple seems to be one of the dominant colours of Spring. It's very noticeable here, too, with all the Bougainvillea in bloom. There are other colours, but purple is traditional.
ReplyDeleteCarol, here lilacs is another source of spring purple. But in that cemetery, and also in the city park, it's the rhododendron that dominate just now!
Delete