Sunday was not only Father's Day but also the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Being it was such an auspicious day, I went for a walk in the afternoon after the rain stopped. As I walked I noted that the dogwoods were still in bloom.
Interestingly enough, the "flowers" we admire on dogwoods aren't actually flowers at all. They are a special leaf (bract) that protects the true flower and only unfurls after that flower is formed. These colorful bracts have another purpose in attracting pollinators. For ease of writing, henceforth I'll refer to them as flowers.
Flowering Dogwoods are native to the East Coast area of North America but other varieties are found in China, Korea and Japan. Those I admired on my walk are flowering dogwoods and often hybrids cultivated for their beautiful and long lasting flowers.
This fine specimen is just across the street from our condo. I noticed its blooms in early May during my walks and it's the one that got me thinking about the longevity of the dogwood flowers.
As the white dogwood's blossoms age they sometimes become tinged with pink. Note there are only four petals instead of the usual five found on flowers. Maybe it's because these aren't true flowers but beautiful leaves instead.
I saw this red dogwood about three miles into my walk, not far from our Edmonds waterfront. If you look closely, you can see three of the four that were growing along the property line. The hydrangea in the foreground will burst into bloom before long. It also has long lasting blooms. I've seen some amazing hydrangeas already in full bloom.
This angle shows all four of the red dogwoods above, screened by the flowering hedge in the foreground.
I've read that the wood of the dogwood is hard, durable and crack resistant. It is still used for making custom golf clubs, spindles, forks and similar tools requiring special wood. I'm thinking of making a cane so will look for a choice peace of dogwood raw material.
Although dogwoods prefer partial or even full shade, I've noticed that many varieties thrive in full sun. Of course, full sun in our part of the country only occurs about 15% of the time. We are the cloudiest city in the country with 226 days of heavy cloud and another 82 days when clouds cover at least one-quarter of the sky. This according to the NOAA National Climactic Data Center. Humans might not like the clouds but the dogwood prefers that kind of weather.
This pink dogwood has a good combination of flowers and foliage. I also noted that it might have good raw material for making a cane. Although, I must admit the owner might feel differently.
This vacant lot is on Main Street, two blocks from the ferry terminal and just south of our post office. It has been vacant since we moved to Edmonds and has sported various odd sculptures and whimsical art displays. Last year on the Fourth of July, what must have been the family of the owner set up a BBQ inside the fence and had a party. Today after I left the post office I noticed this Holstein cow placidly gazing out at the passing scene. I decided that would be a good recipe for contentment in today's crazy world. Placid serenity is worth a lot.
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