Rhododendrons blooming near the kitchen building of Anichkov Palace

I have long wanted to catch rhododendrons blooming in the garden of Anichkov Palace, but until now I have not been able to come to this garden on the right day. Rhododendrons usually bloom in late May and early June, but the exact bloom time depends on many factors. This year, I finally arrived at this garden on exactly the right days when the rhododendron flowers were in full bloom.

Rhododendron bushes are planted against the semi-circular wall of the Kitchen Building. This service building was built by architect Carl Rossi in the 1810s. The kitchen building was built at the back of the site, it separates the garden of the Anichkov Palace from the household yard. Rhododendron bushes are planted along the wall on the garden side, and lilacs grow along the walls of the kitchen building on the other side. The lilacs are also in bloom now, so the view from the other side is also beautiful.

Rhododendrons are beautiful in all seasons, the bright green leaves are pleasing to the eye in any season. But in late spring and early summer, the multicolored clouds make this species magical. Rhododendrons of three colors are planted in the garden: white, light pink and dark pink. The white rhododendrons are the first to bloom - they have now finished blooming. Then the white rhododendrons are joined by light pink rhododendrons, and the dark pink rhododendrons are the last to bloom.

Having admired the flowers enough, I decided to walk around the garden of Anichkov Palace, as well as to go around the palace and photograph this building from different angles. Anichkov Palace was built in the middle of the XVIII century in the style of classicism.

Anichkov Palace is located on the main street of the city, on Nevsky Prospekt, but its main facade is not facing the main street, but towards the Fontanka River. Once before the front entrance to the palace a rectangular harbor was arranged and a channel was dug, which connected this harbor with the river. Now on the site of this harbor is a large flowerbed.

At the end of the walk, I once again went to the kitchen building to admire the blooming rhododendrons. Soon these beautiful flowers will fall to the ground in a pink waterfall, and peonies will bloom in a neighboring bed. Some flowers will replace others throughout the summer, the work of the gardeners of the Anichkov Palace garden always fascinates me.

This is my entry for the #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.