Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Solid gold


Headed for Iowa City early today, so here's yesterday's view of the forsythia that covers an embankment in Yocom Park. If you climbed the stairs obscured by exuberant growth here and turned south, you'd find yourself in a solid gold tunnel.


The forsythia, usually the first explosion of color in the subtle silence of early spring around here, has seemed especially brilliant this year. But it may not be more so than usual.

This is a shrub that looks best in the spring when allowed a good deal of freedom. Standing alone, rather than massed, the effect is like a foutain of color --- or gold fireworks.

Some trim it into regimented shapes in order to impose summer order, but something's lost in doing that. 

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