Viles Arboretum, Augusta, Maine May 2012

 In the middle of the Hosta exhibit, there was this clump of Forget-me-nots.  I will not forget the Viles Arboretum because it is a natural exhibit that survives the different weather happenings here in Maine.

 A pleasant trail through the Arboretum.

 An adirondak where people could go for a picnic.  However, I would be rather afraid to use it due to the heavy infestation of ticks this season.

 Yes, they grow dandelions here among the wild strawberries (to the left of the dandelions)

 The end state of the dandelion.  In Japan they call this "Tampopo".

 They used to have a piggery here, but no longer. Just the iron railings that composed the stalls to enclose the pigs.

 The pond at the arboretum.  Later in the day they were slated to hold a Frog outing where people could participate in observing the various species that inhabit this pond area.

 The little red boat is almost invisible in this picture but it was a cause of consternation to the little boy who had floated it out on the water.  It had lost its sail and was now subject to whatever breeze came along and the hope was that the boat would return to shore.  That is not generally what boats do when you want them to.

 There were some lone Iris plants at the entry way to the trails.  Most of the Iris in the city have finished blooming.

We went to the Viles Arboretum.  I was expecting a large well appointed Greenhouse type exhibit of the plants of this area but instead it is an open air exhibit with trails leading to various vantage points and planted gardens.  They have a Hosta exhibit that is wonderful.  I did not realize that there were so many types of Hosta that grew.  In one area of this exhibit, they have Forget-me-nots interspersed with the brilliant greens of the various Hosta plants.  In another area they have landscaped a peaceful place for meditation and there is a pond area as well.  A Big Brother and his little Brother were there sailing boats on the pond, but one of the boats had lost its sail and so it was just idling away its time in the middle of the pond and not responding to their wishes to return to shore.  I guess this little red plastic boat had found freedom and it was going to  stay free for as long as possible.