Abloom in Brooklyn, NY

Strolling under the warm rays of an early afternoon sun.

Starting the day in Park Slope, a brownstone lined neighbourhood in Brooklyn…

… enjoying a cup of artisinal ‘pour over’ brew from Cafe Grumpy. NB: Nothing grumpy about the coffee, freshly roasted from beans hand-picked in Las Flores. Layers of flavour notes: peach nectar and apricot, dried currant and vanilla – its a nice feeling, being transported to this Honduras coffee plantation with every sip.

A coffee-to-go in one hand, and a camera – in the other…

…  a balancing act of sipping and snapping. Pots of colourful plants line the exteriors of corner bodegas; their flowers make for photogenic subjects.

Magnolias against million-dollar brownstones; a photo worthy of a million words.

More pink hues. Splashes of colour on the pathways of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Encountering some fuzzy red blooms – try saying Calliandra Emarginata three times over. These beauties hail from Honduras too, and they are part of the Bean family. Go figure.

Hardly noticing the lack of lilies in the Lily Pool Terrace; so easily distracted by the background vista – a panorama of blooms graces the Magnolia Plaza. A sheer abundance of flora.

Awash in snow whites and pastel pinks – a Plaza awoken after a winter’s slumber. New Year; New You; the space takes on a new version of itself in the lead up to spring.

Beauty – unfurled, uncrumpled, up close.

Daffodil Hill ~ so apropos.

An homage to Tim Burton, firmly planted.

Further along.

A cherry blossom tree. The first in bloom along the Cherry Esplanade, it enjoys the certain appeal of celebrity.

A glorious tree, worthy of the attention.

In the Shakespeare Garden.

Another cherry blossom garners its fair share …

…  more subdued however, than that of some neighbouring turtles – lazing about, uninhibited, along the shoreline of the Japanese Pond.

A leisurely stroll later.

Visions of delicate peach-tinged blossoms.

Stumbling upon a puff – as bright as an orange – in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. True story: called Powder-Puffs, these tender flowers are native to Africa and deceive with their bristle-like appearance.

The bright yellow face of a daisy; bringing to mind a quote by Henry David Thoreau:

Earth laughs in flowers.

Foggy impressions in the Tropical Pavilion.

Half-expecting a toucan to be hovering in the vicinity of this gigantic banana tree leaf.

Walking in on a prickly affair in the Desert Pavilion.

Orchids, thriving in the Aquatic House. Here, temps and humidity levels aren’t far off of those experienced in a Bikram Yoga room. Very nearly sweating.

Ahhh, finally – sighting a lily upon exit.

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. ~Chinese Proverb

Breathing in the fresh air again.

Admiring Early Stachyurus, elegantly draped.

Passing by wall flowers. Late afternoon; a setting sun.

Departing; strolling into a cast of shadows.