This is the last installment of photos from our visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Unfortunately my photos only take our visit up to approximately the halfway point, sorry. My camera battery was starting to lose its charge (I need a second battery) and I wasn’t sure I was getting decent shots, so I put my camera down and just experienced the gardens in real time.
After we left the English Walled Garden we passed by a hillside planted with zinnias, black eyed Susan, and those lavender fluffy annuals you see at all of the garden centers in the spring. Sorry, I don’t know what they are, never paid attention to them. Maybe you know? This hillside is covered with daffodils and tulips in the spring!
I love zinnias and black eyed Susan and have grown them before, have you? The zinnias growing on the hillside were all the red variety. The photo above shows another variety of lavender flower growing amongst the two stars. I cannot recall the name of this one either.
At the end of this hillside garden, my daughter spotted a squirrel in a tree. The little guy drew us both over to it. We were careful as he didn’t seem too afraid of us. When I lifted my arm he thought I had a treat and started to come over to me, but he was still cautious. I didn’t let him get too close, and luckily had nothing to feed him.
At first, he seemed to be hiding behind a branch, but quickly came out to see if we had any treats.
We worked our way towards the Japanese Garden which is on three tiny islands with only the first two open to the public. An arched bridge carries you over to the first and largest island. This garden is flowerless and a place I never appreciated until a few years ago. It is very orderly and is supposed to be peaceful. I’ll bet that on a weekday you can get the full effect of this garden, but on the weekends with little ones running around, nope, didn’t happen.
One of the highlights of this garden are the two structures that are connected by a neatly raked sand garden and well placed rocks. At one end is a hut with built in table/chairs. At the other end is a little look out structure. In the spring this space is filled with cherry blossoms!
I thought this bark was interesting in the Japanese Gardens. Sorry, I didn’t get it’s name.
Well, that’s all from our midsummer visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens.
Everyone have a great day! Bye for now!
Cindy Rice Designs 
Cindy, thank-you for the beautiful pictures! What a nice holiday for you and your family! Gardens are a very nice way to relax and take in the beauty of the flowers and the grounds.
Hi Sonia,
You’re welcome, I am glad you enjoyed my photos. I love this place so much that I would consider moving closer just so I could visit more often. Have a great day!
I love all flowers and your photos are really beautiful!
Thank you for the visit!
The squirrel is very adorable!
Have a good day! Here, it’s raining again….
Hello Catherine,
Thank you, glad you enjoyed my photos. It’s always fun to share places that are part of our world with you who live much farther away. We got a very tiny bit of rain yesterday evening. It wasn’t nearly enough to help the grass, but it was better than nothing. Hope you are having a great Thursday!
After that Marin County squirrel attack last year, we’ve become a bit more cautious of the cute fluffy guys. He is cute though.
Love the flowers. Yes, I have grown Black Eyed Susan’s and Zinnias. They grow very well here in CA. They do take a lot of water but are such great producers all season.
My Meadow Dolls has Sun Kissed Patti up for July. She is very cute and tempting. The shipping is pretty high though.
Hi Joy,
Yes, I did go and read about the squirrel attack after you mentioned it, so we are more cautious now. They are so adorable, though, that it’s hard to ignore them. Patti is sure cute, but I am set for awhile. Penny and Patience are looking at me with sad eyes. I have my next five dresses planned and not one of them is for them. The Little Darlings are getting way too much attention these days. Shipping charges are usually crazy high for BJDs I have noticed.
Cindy, Love love the photos! Lots of inspiring colors!
Hi Heather,
Thank you! I love hearing from you! Hope you have a great Sunday. It’s getting quite dark here this am; we’re in for a stormy day today.