Braving a Gale to See (and SMELL!) the Azaleas

A rowdy wind was whipping up whitecaps on the Hudson River today, as I stood on the shore of the Sherman Island Boat Launch, canoe on my shoulder, eyeing what could be risky waters. Did I dare buck the wind and waves to head out to those little islands not far offshore, islands that called to me like my own personal Bali Ha'i?  This would be my first paddle of the year, and I wasn't sure yet if another year on my aging body would have sapped my strength as I struggled against the wind. But then I remembered what bloomed on those islands this time of year, and off I went.

Close to shore, the wind abated, and I eased along this familiar riverbank, delighted to see old friends like these adorably dainty little Bluets, tucked in among dramatically gnarly tree roots.

My dismay at seeing so many invasive honeysuckles this year was lightened when I spied these tall green stalks, the first of many I soon would discover.  By the end of June, these stalks will be topped by the gorgeous big yellow flowers of Great St. John's Wort, a spectacular native wildflower that is classified as Rare in New York.  Looks as if it has found a happy home here along these shores, despite the challenge of invasive species!

 Even before I spied this cluster of bright-pink flowers, I could smell their exquisite fragrance as I neared the middle of the three small islands.

Since about 15 years ago,  the first time I discovered the abundance of Early Azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum) on these three islands, the habitat has changed considerably.  Due to both flooding and the persistence of beavers, what was once a woodland shaded by Paper Birch, Red Maple, Quaking Aspen and White Ash is now a sun-drenched shrub meadow, dominated by Black Huckleberry, Low Blueberry, and numerous ferns. One year, the beavers had even sheared off the azalea shrubs down to the ground, but still they persisted, having regrown even more abundantly than before.  This vibrant-rose Early Azalea shrub seems to stand in defiance of the evidence of beaver destruction looming over it.

Everywhere I looked, I spied yet another shrub bursting with beautiful flowers, this one surrounded by ferns.

This one nestled in among a thicket of Black Huckleberry.

The huckleberry flowers were a treat to see in their own right, with both buds and open flowers a deep ruby red.

If you look closely at the flowers, you can see the fluid-tipped glandular hairs on the flower tubes,  the source of the intense fragrance that distinguishes this vibrantly pink Early Azalea from the very similar Pinxter Azalea (R. periclymenoides).

This solitary cluster of blooms surmounted a single woody stalk.  Whatever the force is within these flowers to thrive against many challenges, I am certainly grateful to find that they not only persist out here, but  absolutely thrive. And on all three of the islands of this miniature archipelago, a group of special islands, indeed!

I could have stayed out here for hours, but the wind was growing ever more fierce, and with thunderstorms predicted shortly, I knew it was time to head for shore. I made it safely, of course. But I'm awfully glad I ventured out here today, despite the risk.