Spring is in full swing, and the hot temperatures of summer are already here. We are hitting 90- degree days, and May  started off fairly dry.

So what does all of this mean for Hurley Park? Well, we have had to work harder on fixing irrigation lines and making sure that newly installed plants are flourishing.

The park has been famous lately with all of the prom photos being taken, and prom guests had plenty of photo opportunities with the flowers blooming.

This brings me to my next point about what has been blooming in Hurley Park.

The azaleas have been in full swing, and most are on their way out. The rhododendrons have been beautiful with the red and purple colors dotting the shaded areas.

The irises are starting to bloom in many of the gardens, and they are a welcome sight to the creek beds.

While you are near the creek beds, see if you can find any crawfish — they are very active this time of year.

The Southern favorite, peony, is in full bloom with its pastel pink petals and bright yellow stamens. They make even the cloudiest days bright and cheerful. I always love smelling the flowers, but I can’t get too close.

More than once, I have had someone ask what the yellow/orange dust was on my nose/face. You can find the peony blooming in the Lib and Ed Taylor Garden on the corner of Annandale and Hobson roads.

Visitors may have also noticed that the veterans entrance garden on the corner of Lake  and Annandale drives have been replanted. The newly installed plants are pineapple sage, celosia, purple angelonia and white portulaca.

These plants are fairly hardy, drought tolerant and should provide us with a summer full of gorgeous blooms. Being in an area so close to the road where heat is a constant, these plants have to be tough to survive our brutal summers.

All of this talk about blooms reminds me about an important note we try to remind all of our guests; please do not pick the flowers blooming in the park.

I know it seems trivial and that you may only pick one or two flowers, but if everyone did that, we would not have any flowers left for the rest of the park guests to enjoy.

This was a staple that my grandmother instilled in me. Now, Hurley Park has the same message. With everyone having a smartphone or camera within their fingertips, take a photo; they last much longer.

For more information on Hurley Park, visit https://salisburync.gov/Government/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks/Hurley-Park, like us on Facebook and Instagram, or call us at 704-638-4459.