Bonsai

Bonsai II, originally uploaded by susanvg.

On the way into the greenhouse that housed the butterfly exhibit, I passed through an area with a number of bonsais. The Montreal Botanical Gardens has a large collection of bonsais, some hundreds of years old. Each pot is a world in miniature.



It takes much loving care to nurture these trees into this size and these shapes. Many of the bonsais in Montreal are only available for viewing from May to October. I'll have to make another visit to see more of the collection.

Spot the Butterfly

Spot the Butterfly, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A visit to "Butterflies are Free" at the Montreal Botanical Gardens kept me smiling for a long time. It's a magical experience as the butterflies flit around, stopping to feed from the riot of flowers or to rest.

So delicate, their thin legs perch while they reach into the flowers, imbibing the nectar. Some flap their wings so they seem a blur as they drink. Others seem to perch.



The sun was streaming into the greenhouse giving plenty of warm spots to stop and soak it in.



Huge moths, hatching from cocoons, spread their wings and flew off.



These and more butterfly photographs can be found here.
With much difficult news from around the world, we need to find our oases of peace and tranquility. This was certainly one of them, even with the multitude of people who were also enjoying the experience.