Bryn Mawr College is a flower child’s dream. I chose Bryn Mawr not only for the sense of community it provides, but for the beauty of its campus. The one word I used to describe campus when I left my admissions tour last Spring was magical. This magical, whimsical aura is created by the weeping trees that line the pathways in the shadows of the castle-like dormitories. I soon learned upon my arrival that we have a school flower, and that is a daisy. We cherish our flowers here — from May Day flower crowns to floral arrangement Presidential Pop-Ups. Let’s explore the spots on campus where these blooms reside.
- Rhoads: Lavender
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I recently discovered that the purple flowers to the left of Rhoads are indeed lavender. My friend had a mason jar filled with these purple blooms, and I was delighted that I didn’t have to go to Provence, France to get some — so we set out on a nightly walk to pick lavender! I picked a bouquet, and the lavender dust soon clung to my fingers. I then got fresh water in a cup, put the stalks in it, and placed the bouquet on my fireplace mantle. It is a lovely new addition to an already lovely fireplace in the Pems.
- In Front of the Pems: Weeping Cherry Blossoms
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Cherry blossoms are my favorite part of springtime, and I can’t wait to see them bloom along the pathway near Pembroke West come April. The trees already look beautiful in their early autumn green form, but like the image all Bryn Mawr students see when logging into their student account, the pink hue of these trees tops any other color. There are many varieties of cherry blossoms — plum blossoms, apple blossoms (name any fruit, and it may be a blossom). However, Bryn Mawr has Weeping Higan cherry blossom trees. They create a billowing sweep of tangling blooms along our walkways that leave you feeling like you are in a fairytale.
- Goodhart Auditorium: Hibiscus
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A flower typically seen in tropical environments, you can find fuschia hibiscus in enlarged pots right outside the three doors to Goodhart auditorium. The doors are pretty without any floral arrangement in front of them, but these large pots and blooms draw one’s eye to the beautiful architecture of Goodhart, particularly the arched doors. Hibiscus were even known as a symbol of “sophisticated beauty” in Victorian-era Europe. Can Bryn Mawr get any more beautiful?
- Wyndham Alumnae House: Black-Eyed Susans
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Hello, yellow! Mistaken for daisies often, which have yellow centers and white petals, black-eyed susans have black centers and yellow petals — bumblebee colors! In addition to the many flowers outside the first-floor windows and doors of Wyndham Alumnae House, black-eyed susans are the most populous. On crisp fall days this semester when you’re lounging on Wyndham lawn and looking at the foliage on trees, don’t forget to take a peek at these blooms.