Early Spring at Sainte-Anne's Hospital
On a brilliant, sunny day earlier this week, my husband Tom and I took a stroll through the grounds at Sainte-Anne's Hospital - Beauford's final residence. We visit from time to time to enjoy the peaceful gardens and imagine Beauford enjoying them as well.
It has been unseasonably warm in Paris this year, and we hoped to find a a multitude of colors and shapes in the flower beds and beneath the trees (some of which also flower) of the 7 hectares of green space that is managed by a team of 7 gardeners throughout the year.
We were a tad too early for this - there were loads of plants with green shoots in the beds along the main road that borders Parc Charles Baudelaire, but not as many flowers as we had hoped. We did find crocuses and snowdrops in abundance and the first daffodils of the season in this area.
Parc Charles Baudelaire - view from the street
© Entrée to Black Paris
Parc Charles Baudelaire - view from rear of park
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Crocuses in Parc Charles Baudelaire
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First daffodils
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Snowdrops
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A flowering tree in this park had lost almost all its flowers.
Bare flowering tree
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Fallen flowers
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Beauford would have been excited to see the vivid red of these English daisies.
English daisies
© Entrée to Black Paris
There was a fresh planting of pansies next to the lion statue in the park as well as around the sculpture of Daphne that is found in front of the pharmacy.
Pansies next to lion statue
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Pansies next to lion statue - close-up
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Flowers at the base of Daphne sculpture
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A few poppies had also emerged at Daphne's base.
Poppies at the base of Daphne sculpture
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Elsewhere on the grounds, we found a single cluster of white hyacinth along the covered walkway leading to the biology lab.
White hyacinth
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We found that trees and bushes near the chapel had pushed out buds and early flowers.
Flowering shrub
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Sumac
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Ornamental cabbages and a single pink hyacinth are growing in a wall planter near the rue Alesia entrance.
Ornamental cabbage and pink hyacinth
© Entrée to Black Paris
And we found a tree full of white flowers in front of the Benjamin Ball pavilion, which may be where Beauford's room was located.
White flowering tree
© Entrée to Black Paris
A cold spell is due to sweep through Paris next week, so we'll wait a while before returning for another dose of spring.
Read previous articles about Sainte-Anne's Hospital by clicking on the links below:
Beauford's Paris: Sainte-Anne's Hospital - Part 1
Beauford's Paris: Sainte-Anne's Hospital - Part 2
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 3
Sainte Anne's Hospital: An Oasis of Calm
Beauford in "Psychology and Art" - Part 2
Sounds of Sainte-Anne's Hospital
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