Flower and seed heads of ornamental grasses throughout the grounds are
showy. The many specimens in the Kemper Flower Border provides a unique
opportunity to compare different species and cultivars for winter effect.
Fruits of the many hollies throughout the grounds are still quite showy.
Flocks of robins are feasting on the American holly (Ilex opaca)
fruits this week.
As the flowers fade outside, they come to life in the Shoenberg Temperate
House. Bright yellow Clanwilliam daisies (Euryops pectinatus
'Viridis') cheer the eye, and the sweet fragrance of Wintersweet
(Chimonanthus praecox) warms the nose. Red cyclamen (Cyclamen
'Royal Scarlet') and paperwhites decorate the tiled Moorish garden.
Fragrant olive trees (Osmanthus fragrans) fill the Linnean House
with their rich scent. A few early camellias are blooming, giving a hint
of the color that will brighten the house this winter. Camellia
sinensis, the commercial source of tea, is in bloom. Cyclamen and
poinsettias decorate the beds below the camellias.