Winter Walk in Huntington Park

This is the second year that Les at A Tidewater Gardener has challenged garden bloggers to take a walk or bike ride in their neighborhoods. This is my submission to his Winter Walk-Off Challenge. I started my walk at a rose pruning clinic the Peninsula Rose Society was holding at the Huntington Park Rose Garden. This park is a little over two miles from my home. The rose garden is over 40 years old, has about 30 beds, and probably close to a thousand roses. This is an organic chemical free rose garden.

It was a wet heavy overcast chilly day today but we all were given the opportunity to prune. I learned a lot and the rosarians never tired of answering questions. Some of the rosarians are in the background as well as the gazebo. It was a good turnout on a not so pleasant afternoon.

After the clinic concluded I thought I'd use the park for my winter walk. I visit it often with my grandchildren. They love Fort Fun. This has been rebuilt within the past year and is great place for kids. Not only do I enjoy watching them but it is on a bluff overlooking the James River so there is a breeze on the hottest days.

It was deserted today. First time I've ever seen it kid free.

It has a sponge material or wood chips covering the ground--keeps them clean and bruise free.

The next stop when were at the park is the steam locomotive.

 I never get tired of walking around this incredible massive locomotive.

Also located in the park is the Virginia War Museum. This museum has an impressive display of weapons and vehicles from 1775 to the present.

These are just some of the machines that are outside of the museum that kids can touch and crawl on.

And this 8" railroad gun fascinates me too.

Next I walked to the beach area. Not often do you see pine trees on the beach but they are better than an umbrella on a hot day.

The beach is deserted today.

Even this sea gull on the volley ball net seems to be questioning my sanity out on this dreary day.

Nobody fishing today on the pier. This is the old James River Bridge--seems pretty narrow by today standards for two way traffic. The crab tanks are empty too. They use these to hold the crabs until they shed their shells and quickly harvest them for soft shell crabs.

 No boats at the boat landing.

 This is a picturesque pond in the park--named for a past city manager.

The fishing pier here is empty too.

 

This park is only about 60 acres but really serves the public in many different ways.  There are a number of memorials to those that served or died. This stone remembers those who perished on the USS Scorpion.

This stone is dedicated to Chaplains who died on a troop transport ship in the Atlantic during WWII.

 This eternal flame burns for those who died in the Viet Nam War.

 A memorial to those who survived Pearl Harbor.

 And this is "The Hope" dedicated to those who perished in the Holocaust.