Maudslay magic

Yesterday afternoon I headed to Maudslay State Park, hoping to walk trails covered with azalea and rhododendron. When I last visited in early May the color was close to the ground, pops of yellow, white and purple from crocus, daffodils, and periwinkle. Yesterday the color was everywhere!

The park was originally the 450-acre Moseley Estate. The estate was acquired by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1985, renamed Maudslay and is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It's a wonderful place to visit at any time of year, with the months of May and June highlighting the azalea and rhododendron bloom.

Signs at the entry to the trails showed an expected schedule for spring bloom. Here's the list for May: flowering dogwood, hawthorn, pink azalea, lilac, Dexter hybrid rhododendron, Catawba rhododendron, and lily of the valley. Flowers expected in June include flame azalea, swamp azalea, lady slipper, ox-eye daisy, mountain laurel, and Rosebay rhododendron. Can you guess that I plan to continue visiting through the month of June?