Larch Tamarack Trees Among the Beech

As well as copper beech trees (see previous post), there are a number of tamarack trees aka larch, in Mississauga's Rhododendron Gardens. And all these large trees are more than happy with the copious rain this spring.

Tamarack (Larch) Mississauga, Ontario

Tamarack, like beech, stand out from the usual pine northern forests, with their distinctive foliage, looking almost lacy against the broad leafs. Tamarack is a deciduous evergreen : It drops it's leaves in the fall. (To see Fall photos, go to this post http://snapshot-travel-blog.blogspot.com/2008/11/larch-tamarack-maple-oak-trees-late.html)

Tamarack (Larch) needles

Lavishly green in spring and summer, these needles will turn yellow and orange come fall.

Grove of tamarack (larch) in Spring

About 50 feet from Lake Ontario's shoreline, is another stand of tamarack. It's as if they all seeded themselves, which most likely they did.

City gardeners and volunteer planters have been very busy planting trees, roses, several hundred rhododendrons, and much else. Rhododendron Gardens is fast becoming one of the City of Mississauga's great gardens. That it is sited along the shores of Lake Ontario, where native Canada geese, ducks and swans bob and dive in the waves, well, you can't BUY a water feature like that!

Update April 2009
I happened to be in Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens today, down by the lake, and saw the tamaracks are sporting their new spring growth. Here are two pictures to show how they look in early Spring.

Close up New Growth Larch / Tamarack

First Hints of Green - Larch in Spring, Ontario

Now I have all four seasons in the cycle of the larch. Well, not actually one for winter, but just imagine no leaves at all, and you have it!