It’s Blooming April Already
2024 seems to be flying by. The first quarter is over, winter is behind us, and it is now April. Spring is breaking out here in Maryland. It is time to stop and smell the flowers!
But where to go to smell them?
For me, spring means it’s time for a morning or two at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. A college friend of mine first introduced me to Brookside Gardens when I was at the University of Maryland. At the time, I remember thinking, with all the places to walk around campus why are we driving out to Wheaton to take a walk. Being 20 at the time, I had yet to truly appreciate the effect that nature could have on me. Well, it only took a few minutes of walking the peaceful paths, watching the different colored squirrels race around the forest floor and the variety of gardens and views to understand the value of the trip from campus.
I did some nature traveling at the end of college. Multiple photo trips to the Rocky Mountains, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Maine Coast, Vermont, the Shenandoah, my first trip Rickett’s Glen to name a few and I thought hiking through the great outdoors was the way to spend time. By the time I hit 50, I realized that nature had sort of slipped away from my life. Years of 9-5+ work, second jobs, raising the kids, and coaching youth sports had not left enough time in my life nature hikes.
About this time, I realized that I didn’t have to fly somewhere else to enjoy time in the great outdoors (Although I still enjoy doing that!). There are so many great places to visit right here at home in Maryland. Places I didn’t even know existed, even though I’ve lived here most of my life. In April of 2012, I rediscovered Brookside Gardens. I made plans to meet up with a couple of friends there for a morning photo shoot in the gardens. I met up with Tim, a friend and fellow hiking photographer, who I’ve known since high school and Deborah, who first introduced me to Brookside, and we spent four fabulous hours of spring photography. I had such a blast that I make it a point to go every spring.
For me the highlight of spring at Brookside are the tulips. Every year they design a different tulip presentation and I look forward each year to see what they have come up with for that spring. Of course, there is so much more to see, from the Japanese Garden to the wooded paths to the azalea garden to various ponds and more. It’s at the top of my spring must see list.
Brookside Gardens is located at 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902. Best of all it’s free. Right now, the tulips are at full bloom, the leaves are out on the trees and the daffodils are fading. The Azaleas will be up next.
