Monday, March 30, 2009

A different view of the zoo

We've been going to the zoo often lately to see Emerson, the tiger Scott "adopted" for me for Valentine's Day. This time, I decided to pay attention not only to the fauna, but also to the flora.

You can tell that some of the plants have been around for years, if not decades, and many have been allowed to naturalize:
Purple and white wisteria is all over the place. So is trumpet vine:
Yellow irises thrive in the marshy areas:
Scott thought these cypress knees were really weird. I thought it was cool that the zoo didn't try to chop them down.
Bamboo (to the right -- ignore vulture):
The newer plants at the zoo were obviously chosen for toughness. These are all plants that can take heat, humidity and drought. Once established, they will require almost zero care.
Pretty pale pink camellias:
Prickly pear cacti:
Japanese maples and azaleas (in the background):
Peaceful, isn't it?

4 comments:

Susie said...

It looks like a really nice place. We've never been to the zoo. Well my hubbie probably has years ago but not me.

Ginger said...

Susie,
They do a lot with what little resources they have. For example, they are getting away from traditional cages and moving to larger, more natural habitats (with grass, trees, etc.). I used to think that zoos were cruel, but I've come to see that they play an important role in saving endangered species (particularly through breeding programs).
Our zoo isn't big and fancy, but they have some cool animals. Some of my favorites are the red panda, and all of the big cats! Scott likes the monkeys :)

Dirt Princess said...

I love it! I love that you have a TIGER!!!!! Very cool! Looks like a very nice zoo. Is this in Jackson?

Ginger said...

Dirt Princess,
Ha ha yeah it was a cool v-day present! You get a glossy 8x10 of your animal, a certificate, and a notice that you don't get to take the animal home - LOL, duh!

The zoo is in Jackson. Not in the greatest part of town anymore, and terribly under-funded... but I still like it!