A walk around the neighborhood — Petworth Blooms
/If you’ve found yourself walking around our beautiful neighborhood admiring the flowers and wondering what you’re looking at, we’re here to help. Welcome to "Petworth Blooming,” a popular series featuring some of the most common plants and flowers seen around Petworth. Follow and support Steve at PetworthBlooms.org and see more photos at @petworthblooms on Instagram.
With the weather changing, it’s still a great time to take a stroll through Petworth and visit a few of our parks! There’s lots of cool stuff to see in our neighborhood’s green spaces, and along the way as well.
Follow along as we check out the sights…
We’ll start our tour at the 4th & Buchanan Triangle Park. This little park features a couple of benches, and a stone-lined grass circle. Right now the abelia bush at the corner with New Hampshire has some deep red color, which contrasts nicely with the yellow-brown grass-like leaves of Siberian iris. The low winter sun creates interesting shadowy textures as the rocks arc through the garden.
Along the sidewalk with New Hampshire, an oak-leaf hydrangea shows off its stunning fall color. The deep burgundy color and the veiny texture of the leaves make this shrub a real show stopper.
Right in front of the hydrangea, the seed heads of ironweed are arranged in fun fluffy balls. The feathery texture captures the winter sun’s light right now, but winter’s gusty winds will soon disperse them out to the wider world.
Close to the corner of 4th and Buchanan, the last few seed heads of a Little Bluestem grass are still holding on. The wind has already transported most of them away. In the background, the yellow leaves of Eastern Bluestar glow in the afternoon sun.
Leaving our first park, we now head down the New Hampshire hill toward Grant Circle. Just after crossing Allison Street, the backlit leaves of a Flowering Plum tree greet us. In the background, the silhouette of a large Elm tree carves up the sky.
The first thing anyone sees upon nearing Grant Circle this time of year are the gingko trees. Their brilliant yellow contrasts so perfectly with both the sky and the evergreen trees in the park. This particular day, it is the gingkos on the east side of the park which are in peak color.
Walking around to the southern section of the circle, the red berries of an American Holly form a delightful little cluster. Watch out for the pointy leaves though!
Right next to our Holly friend, a Fragrant Aster is one of the few plants still blooming this late in the year. The center of each lavender flower starts off yellow before turning a deep red after being pollinated.
Moving north from Grant Circle, we head up Illinois to Sherman Circle. Most of the trees here have already dropped their leaves, but the large Red Oak on the east side of the park is still holding on.
Of course oaks are known for more than their leaves! This year the red oak on the west side of the park has a bumper crop of acorns. Perhaps a squirrel will be generous enough to plant one in your yard.
In the middle ring of the circle, the crabapples are dangling from bare branches. The birds will wait till later in the winter to snack on these little morsels.
Continuing north now on Illinois, we come to Lorenzo Allen Park, where an orange Dahlia is stubbornly holding on until the first heavy frost hits us.
Just a few steps away, another holdout from summer! A grasshopper is warming up on the sidewalk, ready for a glamor shot. Lookin’ good buddy.
At the north end of the park, there’s some decent fall color on one of the Crepe Myrtles. The dark seed heads will hold on after the leaves have fallen away.
Leaving Lorenzo Allen park and heading east on Hamilton, a furry friend is celebrating the season by stashing acorns. Didn’t want me to take a photo of him in action though, other squirrels might have figured out his hiding spot!
Heading south on 7th Street now, a late blooming Camellia is putting on a delightful little display right next to the sidewalk.
Half a block farther up the hill, a Japanese maple and a Norway maple are both catching the sun beautifully.
After walking a couple blocks east on Emerson and crossing over Kansas, we arrive at the itty-bitty triangle park at 5th Street. Here we find another Fragrant Aster surrounded by orange Marigolds.
Looking closely yields an exciting find! A bee-mimic fly is checking out one of the marigold flowers.
We’ll end this walk wandering back down Kansas until we hit Delafield. The Ginkgo trees of this one-block street are framing the view toward 7th St wonderfully. What a beautiful neighborhood.
So what's blooming next in Petworth? We’ll talk about that next time!
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If you like the flowers at the small pocket parks and Circles in our neighborhood, you have Steven to thank! Consider donating to PetworthBlooms, and help Steven expand, diversify and maintain our gardens throughout the neighborhood.
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