Kingwood Center will have new hours for 2014.

It will be sad not to see the first signs of Spring at Kingwood Center this year..... or the late fall in November.... or be able to walk the Grounds in December when the house isn't open.

Starting January 1 Kingwood Center will have the following hours of operation:
Closed
January, February & March

April 1 - October 31
Grounds: 9 am - 7 pm daily
Greenhouse: 9 am - 6 pm daily
Kingwood Hall: May 10 - September 27, guided tours are offered every Saturday at 11 am & 2 pm.  (Please call to confirm availability).
Please note - Kingwood Hall is only open for guided tours.

November
Kingwood Center is closed to the public to prepare for "Christmas at Kingwood".  "Christmas at Kingwood" starts on November 29th.

December
Kingwood Center is open for "Christmas at Kingwood" every Thursday - Sunday from 3 pm - 8 pm starting November 29th through December 28th.

Pumpkin Glow

Kingwood is decked out for the Pumpkin Glow.  A great idea started by John Makley a few years back and now designed each proceeding year in more of a fashion as a money maker endeavor.  Buckeye Garden Club decorated the front gate for a couple years, but this year they switched out decorating the front gate with the Kingwood Hall Doors.  So Late Bloomers, who in past years did Kingwood Hall doors decorated the front gate as well as the corner of Trimble and Park Ave.  What a great job.  

 

 

Tricky Spring Blooms in Autumn

Hanging out at Kingwood yesterday morning.  I noticed that some of the flowers were trying to trick me that Autumn hasn't arrived.  Luckily, I know these flowers well and was not fooled by their  blooming trickery.

Autumn Crocus



Double Blooming Iris

Then I happened upon this 'Erin Prairie' Daylily.  What? A daylily budded and blooming in October?  This I don't remember.  Looked it up on backyard gardener and it does say bloom time is early spring to fall (but in October??).  Well, there ya go.  Guessing what time of year this picture was taken could be very tricky! 

 

 

at the Duck Pond

 

Headed over to Kingwood today to see what was going on.  Looks like one of today's projects was to clean out the duck pond.  The duck pond was originally built as a water reserve for a fire to the house.  But as it is now a duck pond, it needs regular cleaning.  I had a high school friend who did this as a seasonal worker many years ago.  It was his least favorite project at Kingwood.  I imagine the task has not improved over the years.  They were in the draining phase during these pictures.

 

 

I always think it funny that originally it was used to prepare for fire and now it is used to make sure the fire hydrants are working properly.  As that is how they fill the pond back up.

 

 

Sunken Garden

 

Holly bushes on the outside boarder of the Sunken Garden were removed last year at this time.  The Sunken Garden is one of Mr. King's original gardens.  Plans are to plant a non-invasive Privet outside boarder to bring the garden back to its former planting for next year.  Although originally planted in roses, I would think the plan is to continue planting in tulips and annuals. Without the Holly bushes the area seems much more open. 

 

 

 

 

I SPY

Walking back to the parking lot...

 one of the peacocks was making quite a commotion. 

 

Can you spot him?

 

No?  Ok, can you spot him now?

 

 

 

Well, here he is, high up on the tree branch....

 

 

Peacock Family

Baby is turning into an Adolescent. 

Entire family was out at the feeders this morning.

 

 

Not the best picture, but to get them together was like hearing cats..

or well peacocks!