Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Saturday, September 7, 2013

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

I recently went on a B&B outing to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum near Chanhassen, Minnesota.  B&B in this case stands for Barb (Mrs. T.) and her  lifelong friend Betty Boop.
 
The Arboretum features more than 1,100 acres of magnificent gardens, model landscapes, and natural areas-from woodlands and wetlands to prairie-with extensive collections of northern-hardy plants. You can tour the Arboretum on 12.5 miles of garden paths and hiking trails.   Or walk the  close in gardens   or drive Three-Mile Drive to see more gardens and collections.  For over a hundred years this extension of the University of Minnesota horticulture department has  developed northern cold hardy plants which have changed Minnesota and world agriculture for the benefit of all....
Rolling hills and in the distance one  of Minnesota's "10,000" lakes.
Whether it's flower, trees or shrubs old or new varieties everything is labeled and much is being field tested...
The entrance to a beautiful Japanese garden.
Our State flower the Showy Pink Ladyslipper.  What a great place to spend a summer afternoon or get married for that matter as there were several weddings going on all at the same time....
 

30 comments:

  1. What a beautiful place, with lots of room to move and explore and not be so far off the beaten path that you have to rough it!

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  2. so pretty! and i like your b&b. :)

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  3. My son's wedding was at the Arboretum. We had a lovely time at the rehearsal, outdoors, of course. But on the day of the wedding, the weather was cold, windy, and rainy. Normally, they don't allow events inside the big building, but they allowed the wedding to take place in there because it was too nasty a day for regular garden visitors anyway. It all turned out just fine.

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  4. Arboretums are one of my favorite facilities. I could spend many hours wandering threw them. My daughter took me through the Morton Arboretum in Chicago. It was a treat.

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  5. What a lovely place. You could get lost there and love it.

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  6. Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing it with me. :-)

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  7. Well, another "goodie" for my ongoing list of must-sees!
    Thanks for sharing
    :)

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  8. I like these kinds of places. I also liked the Japanese gate picture as I have passed through many that were similar when I was in Japan for 3 years.

    Here is a link to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. I visited it back in 1973 and was fascinated. It started out as a minded=out gravel pit, as I recall, and then the planting began...

    http://www.butchartgardens.com/visit

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  9. A lovely area, I wasn't aware of it

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  10. That's amazing! A wonderful place for a walk, or a drive...

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  11. I'm always intrigued by the beauty and the caring that goes into such an enterprise.

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  12. Ya' got to love a man that takes his sweetie and her best friend out for a site seeing trip!
    xo Catherine

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  13. It's on my list of must-sees. Thanks for the reminder and the photos!

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  14. What a beautiful place and still in bloom yet. You make me want to take the 3 hour trip here to see the one near Little Rock. Sure wish it were closer.

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  15. Hee hee -- B&B. I imagine it would take two ladies to keep you in line Ray.

    And as for the pet toys -- it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. :)

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  16. If I'm ever up in that area I'll sure go by and see it. I'll probably need more than one afternoon!

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  17. What a perfect place for an escape. It looks wonderful. So much to see and explore. It is nice that you had the company of two lovely ladies.

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  18. This looks like a place I would really enjoy. That is a great photo of that Lady Slipper.

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  19. I was invited to a private tour by one of the Head Horticulturists...the traffic is horrid so we never went. It is great place to see what grows and doesn't grow in Minnesota. The seed trials usually have to survive on what rain mother nature provides:) Cute name Betty Boop:)

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  20. I'm hoping to see St. Louis MOBOT again sometime before winter sets in up north. The public gardens down here are not something that just takes your breath away.

    Do Master Gardeners have anything to do with the upkeep at the arboretum?

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  21. We live a half hour from the western NC Arboretum and we go often. Of course, last week a convict doing labor there escaped. Made me feel a little less safe.

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  22. What a lovely Arboretum! We have lady slippers in Maine too - such an extraordinary plant.

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  23. I love arboretums. When was in San Diego, they had a lovely arboretum in Balboa Park that I used to frequent. In Albuquerque, we have a Botanical Park and it is quite nice but a little far from my house for regular visits. I suppose that is why I like to walk the trails and identify the wildflowers nearer my house.

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  24. "several weddings going on" I don't know why that struck me funny but it did :) Love the LadySlipper, very pretty. I am impressed that there are 12 miles worth of trails. Good for them.

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  25. This looks like a beautiful place. No wonder couples choose the site for weddings!

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  26. Mr. Troutbirder Sir:
    i'm steve of Janie and steve's blog and would be interested to read your recollections/diary on angling any stream in the park, particularly before Lake Trout and Whirling Disease arrived. I only go back to '98 on the Yellowstone River and Slough Creek and just this year explored the Lamar Valley.
    thanks and all the best, steve

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