Crystal Hermitage, Thurs, 4/20/23

 

I know my last post was all about flowers, but -- look out -- here comes another one!  Additionally, we've been to Crystal Hermitage before, so this is not a new find for us.  Yet, when our good friends, Marlene and Cliff, invited us to this place of beauty, we were happy to say, "yes!"  After a cool morning, we arrived right on time for our 10:15 reservation.  Indeed, reservations are required, altho they weren't really necessary today.  We'd been advised that the "tulips were behind schedule," hence, we'd not encounter a crowd.  After one of the longest, coldest and wettest winters in many years, it's no wonder the tulips were slow to bloom.  Not to worry, we'd still see flowers, just not en masse as we've seen in previous visits.  Click here to see those (and arrow down past this post)!

Lovely intro!

Early spring flowers, like daffodils, put on good displays.

In my yard, mine have yet to show their faces.

For the first time, this year the wisteria, tulips, dogwoods, tree peonies, cherry trees and crab apple trees will all bloom together. They're calling it a super mega bloom!  Jimmy and Cliff stand beneath a massive wisteria vine that seemed to be waiting for the "go" signal to break into color.

Sure we saw tulips, but only a handful here and there of the 19,000 tulip bulbs planted.  You read that right -- 19,000 tulips!  It'll be gorgeous when they're in full bloom!  So many varieties!

Marlene and Cliff below the Mount Fuji Japanese Flowering Cherry.  This tree was a virtual white cloud, with a bit of fragrance to delight the nose 😍.  Quite a stunner in person.

After wandering in different directions, the four of us met up at the Moksha Mandir, a meditation temple, meaning temple of spiritual liberation.  Though you can't readily see them, rose-colored tulips mixed with blue and white pansies and blue periwinkle (Vinca minor) made a nice display in front of the temple.  Way down below, we could hear the middle fork of the Yuba, but I couldn't see it.

When Marlene and I looked at the glass cupola (kalasa) of the Moksha Mandir through our sunglasses (right), we saw a rainbow of colors.  Without sunglasses, the glass appeared sort of clear (left).  So we spent some silly moments trying to get the pic through the lens of our sunglasses, as you see above.

Make you hungry?  Perhaps for eggs?

No one was wading in this tempting pool.  I suspect the water was pretty darned cold.  We've seen kids wading in the water when it's warmer.

Another early flowerer -- the camellias were all a-bloom.

Love these!

The two red/pink flowers are camellias, and the big white dude with yellow center (another fried egg photo!) is a Japanese Tree Peony, but I do not know what's blooming, lower left.

Sweethearts, celebrating our 22nd anniversary!

The hyacinths!  Ohmygosh, their fragrance was tangible.  Everyone who came near, me included, said the same thing:  I need to plant hyacinths!

I really like the koi reflecting pond.  You can barely make out a group of orange/ish koi in the shadow at top right of the pool.  Not many flowers here, but it was so peaceful.

Spring was waiting ... as soon as temperatures warmed, everything, Everything! would burst into bloom.  Both nighttime and daytime temps have been abnormally cold, and nobody flowers in the cold.  I'm writing up this post five days after our visit.  Meantime, our temps jumped, leaped into the 70's for daytime and 50's for nights, and, just like that, the flowers and flowering trees in our yard exploded into color!  Even my daffydils.  Seemingly overnight.  I'm sure the folks that visit Crystal Hermitage in the next couple of weeks will be rewarded with thousands of beautiful tulips.

For us this trip was a nice getaway, with lunch, too.  We'd missed seeing our friends, through all the snowzilla woes and our traveling, and today was a perfect remedy for that.  A time to catch-up.  And with flowers!

Springtime, plus -- Thursday, 4/18/19

On Thursday evening, Jimmy and I joined Kial James of Nevada City Scenics and Mai Lee, Crystal Hermitage Marketing Manager for a private photo walk of Ananda Village and the most extraordinary Crystal Hermitage gardens.  This time of year, it's all about tulips!  What began 40 years ago as a small private garden is now frequently a top "​Gorgeous Gardens" stop in the West. Visiting the gardens is an annual springtime tradition in the Sierra Foothills for over 12,000 visitors.  Many of our friends make seeing the gardens an annual excursion.  Jimmy and I each carried a camera.

Imagine this:  Every year a new crop of Dutch bulbs is planted.  I've read that at the end of the blooming season, all the tulip bulbs are dug up and given away, but either it's a raffle or you have to be one of the first to sign up to receive bulbs.  I tried to sign up this evening, but the list was full.  Darn!  Maybe next year!  I've also heard that maple scones (to die for) are served, but we have yet to taste one.  Like I said, maybe next year!

The flowering cherry trees are frosting on the cake.

These photos are from the "red" Olympus camera, aka the underwater camera, which Jimmy wielded this evening.  Some of the 111 varieties planted are Brown Sugar, Louvre, Whispering Dream, Leen Van der Mark, Blue Berry Ripple, Amazing Parrot, Miranda (the Peony/Double, sorry, no photo), Hocus Pocus, Purple Dream, Virichic, and Happy Family (didn't find this one).

On a lower terrace is the radiant "Moksha Mandir" -- it was erected in honor of Swami Kriyananda’s life (the founder of Ananda).  In this sacred mandir, Swamiji’s remains were placed in their final resting place.

St Francis of Assisi.

The grounds include a lovely chapel, modeled after St. Francis of Assisi’s chapel in Italy.  Weddings are frequently held in here, as well as outdoors amid the flowers.

Crystal Hermitage gardens aren't huge like other tulip extravaganzas in the country.  Consisting of winding pathways and terraces filled with flowers for everyone to enjoy, the gardens overlook the forested North Yuba River Canyon (above and below).  In the photo below you can make out a bit of the river at center, near the bottom.  Above, I've got my camera aimed and ready!

We visited Crystal Hermitage gardens the first time in 2013.

We weren't sure what the flowering tree was, but guessed a weeping cherry.  The Japanese maple in the foreground was aglow with new leaves.  Ponds and pools add to the overall beauty and tranquility.

Kial was kind enough to take a group photo and forward a copy.

Can you spot me and Jimmy?

After leaving the gardens, we drove/walked to the nearby ridge for sunset views.  Ananda Village is set among 700+ acres of rolling foothills in Nevada County, and quite a picturesque backdrop for the wonderful tulip display.  The gardens are open all year ... lucky us to live close enough to make the trek several times a year if we chose to.  My prediction is ... we'll come back again soon.  I hope you enjoyed our pictures.

Springtime! Thursday, 4/18/19

When Kial James of Nevada City Scenics proposed a photo walk at Crystal Hermitage Gardens (part of Ananda Village) for Thursday evening 6-8pm, Jimmy and I jumped at the chance and signed up.  For a small fee, we'd be free to roam the gardens, sans the daily throngs of people eager to see the tulips, take as many pics as we could stand, and simply enjoy the tranquility of the gardens.  Oh boy, the weather had finally warmed and the sun had shone much of the week, so the flowers would be bloomin' like crazy! 

Roughly 45 people were able to attend, and what a treat we were in for.  "We planted over 111 varieties of mid- and late-season Dutch bulbs this year,” said lead Gardener, Nancy Mair. “We blend tulips with a rainbow of complementary pansies, wisteria, rhododendrons, azaleas, peonies, dogwood trees and the fabulous cherry trees, so that guests enjoy a different garden in each terrace.”

Blue Berry Ripple is the berry/white tulip in the foreground.

Throughout the month of April 2019, folks are able to enjoy the glorious color and serenity of 17,000 tulips in bloom for Springtime at Ananda at Crystal Hermitage. Since opening to the public, its garden’s beauty has been enjoyed by over 48,000 visitors from around the world.  As you might imagine, weekends are packed.

The sensational kwanzan sekiyama cherry trees were blooming, both pink and white (above and below). These are the same as the famous Washington DC flowering cherry trees.  Standing beneath either was like being in a cloud -- so glad we didn't miss this!

Tulips are the most popular spring bulbs and many gardeners reserve a special place for them in their garden, a spot of bright color; I have mine planted in a large pot.  Currently, over 3,000 registered tulip varieties exist, which are divided into fifteen groups, mostly based on the flower type, size and blooming period.  As I mentioned, 111 varieties are represented at Crystal Hermitage. 

I was being splashed!

Tulips generally signify perfect love, and different colors often carry their own significance. Red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while purple symbolizes royalty. White tulips are used to claim worthiness or to send a message of forgiveness.  In these gardens, seeing the many shades of tulips tiered together with lobelia, alyssum and pansies was breathtaking!

Another view of the cherry tree.

The late afternoon sun highlighted the trees below.

The “Moksha Mandir” means temple of spiritual liberation.
It wasn't open during our visit.

The group as a whole either drove or walked to a ridge to catch the sunset.  We were a tad late to see the sun actually sink below the horizon, but we enjoyed the onset of twilight.  The surrounding hills remain a deep spring green, thanks to cool and rainy weather.

Jimmy watching the big ol' full moon rise.

We wondered if we'd be the only two people with point 'n shoot cameras, but, no, a few others showed up with small cameras, or their phones or a tablet.  Many, however, did have large cameras and tripods.  We used our two working cameras, a black Canon and a red Olympus; aka, the black camera and the red camera.  These photos are from the black camera which I use.  Tomorrow I'll post pics from the red camera.  It was a marvelous evening.

WOW! A Wednesday Surprise -- April 24th

How can a person feel bad/lousy in such surroundings?  Not possible!  Last week, a friend named Jane asked me to go with her and a few other ladies to the Ananda Tulip Festival, but our hot tub was being delivered that day and I wanted to be home for that.  I sweet-talked Jimmy into going Wednesday morning.  Neither of us had ever visited this place, nor had we even heard of it before last week.  Located about 20 miles north of us amid green rolling hills, Ananda Village is situated high above the North Yuba River.  Beautiful terraced gardens, expansive vistas, and peace of mind await every visitor.  It was a lovely, serene setting; the flowers were out of this world. Jimmy not only didn't mind being here, he was as appreciative of the beauty as I.

10,000 tulips?  That's what I heard.  Wow!

Not just tulips, either.
Here we sit in the midst of fragrant candytuft (et cetera).

Vibrant color in every direction! 

Not a tulip, tho I'm not sure what 'tis.  Wait, sure:  It's a whopper!

Another day with not a cloud in the sparkling blue sky enhanced our flower garden experience, and the cameras liked what they saw, too.

Isn't this delicate, fringed tulip just THE most incredible sight?    

Nor did we step from one area to the other merely aiming our cameras;
we sat on benches provided, relaxing and admiring.

A peony the size of a salad plate.

 

Some of the wisterias were 35 years old and had trunks the size of small trees.
What perfume - buzzing bees filled the air....

Being midweek, not too many other people were present, but we were asked several times by kind folk if we'd like our picture taken together.  OK, and thank you very much.  Nice, huh?  We watched a little girl (4 yrs?) step into this pool, but the water was too chilly.  The larger swimming pool close by and in full sun had a shallow, warm wading area perfect for a little girl.  She happily skipped to it.  BTW, the blur of white in the upper right hand corner is a solid mass of dogwood blossoms.

We stopped at a cafe on the grounds and bought sandwiches, which we ate under a spreading cottonwood tree.  Then  we ambled to the car and drove home, delighted to find a new site to occasionally visit.

Besides, people need a break from everyday chores (and yanking out St Johns Wort)!