This is a rhododendron (or “laurel”) for certain, but given its location in a sanctuary where native plants were rescued or relocated from other places, I’m not certain this is a common local species. The flowers were small, the clusters tight and conspicuously globular.
And with the rain that day, each funnel-horn of five petals looked as if it were made of the thinnest translucent glass, almost as if the Blashkas had created this one in their glass studio a hundred and twenty years ago. (Blashka the elder had started his career making glass eyes, if I remember correctly, and went from that utilitarian form of creativity to the most remarkable nature-reproductions you can imagine!)
So here is nature imitating art.
I’d never heard of the Blashkas before, but their glasswork is absolutely breathtaking. It’s so frustrating that, in spite of going through several pages of Google image searches, I haven’t yet found any really hi-res images. At the resolutions available, you just can’t tell the difference between art and nature! Thanks for the link.
Lovely photo, Fred. Those rhododendrons are just glowing! And, oh my, those glass flowers are stunning. It’s obvious that the Blashkas had a deep love for their subjects.