On Good Friday my family and I made a late afternoon visit to the Cloisters. I hadn't been up to the museum in more than a decade, so it was almost like going for the first time. While the art was, of course, impressive, I was most captivated by the gardens, which were just starting to show signs of life.
It makes sense that the gardens are stunning, the word 'cloister' actually refers to an open-air courtyard surrounded by covered passageways in a monastery. The museums name essentially means "the gardens." Plus, the museum's literature notes that the gardens were one of the main attractions when The Cloisters opened in 1938. If you get a chance, it is well worth a visit. Here are some of my photos from the day we visited.
This unusual flower looked like it could be some rare kind of tulip.
A view of one of the gardens and the covered walkways beyond.
Another unusual flowering plant growing in the cloister.
A young espalier tree was just beginning to bud when we visited, and its older counterpart was more fully abloom.
This espaliered tree is just about the most amazing things I have ever seen in a garden. Ever. Really. It floored me.
A closer detail of the tree's blossoms.
One of the garden's quince trees is surrounded by a medieval style wattle fences.
I loved the brickwork in this garden and the upright bricks as edging -- major inspiration for my imagined renovation of our front garden.
A wider view of the wattle fences and brick pathways.
An attractively groomed shrub (I believe a box tree) that reminded me of something out of Doctor Seuss.
