Welcome Flora and Fauna

The Morris Arboretum, the setting of more than a few of the photographs I've taken and uploaded into Flickr, has a Swan Pond. I took this photograph on Mother's Day, May 9, 2010. You can see the sole swan swimming, rather forlornly in the pond.



The pond was designed and installed in 1905 by John Morris. The idea may have come from the popular 18th-century landscape design style of the English romantic landscape which often included a classical temple reflected at water’s edge.

"Files from that time period indicate the Morrises purchased a pair of swans in 1923, for $82.50. Mute Swans mature at four years and usually mate for life. Females lay an average of six eggs in the spring at two-day intervals. Cygnets, or baby swans, hatch after 35 days and can swim after one day. Adults share rearing duties and are extremely protective – they may even injure a person if provoked."


This photograph was taken on October 10, 2011 and I was saddened to learn that the old swan had gotten ill and died. She was badly missed.

This spring, the Arboretum had a pair of female mute swans donated to them by Nicholas and Athena Karabots. The one-year-old swans, who are sisters, were in need of some names, so the Arboretum had a "Name the Swans" contest. I hoped someone I knew would enter the winning names.


Photograph from the Arboretum's website.

Over 600 names were submitted - and the winning names are Flora and Fauna entered by Steph Cohen! If the weather "behaves" this weekend, I plan to go to the Arboretum and take my own photographs of them.

As to the names, "Meh." :)