How Does Your Garden Grow?

Well we had a taste of Spring this past week with temperatures hitting 80 in January! My garden is as confused as I am, not only have the Spring bulbs popped up overnight but some of them have budded out. I hope the cold doesn't get them.

The Spirea I got from Patsy's garden so many years ago is putting on flowers and so are the Forsythia and my one lonely Azalea. As I was looking for photos for this post I ran across last years pictures of Mama's Apple tree; oh how I will miss it this Spring.

I hope you enjoy looking through some of my favorite flower photos, many were taken here at home but others were taken at gardens throughout the country including the The Victory Garden at Callaway Garden.

The Violets were transplanted years ago from Mr. Black's garden, they have spread throughout my front yard and while many people now consider them a nuisance, I love them and look forward to them spreading more and more.

 

 From fields of wildflowers to a singe bloom, I have been obsessed with photographing flowers for decades. I have been known to crawl out of a bank onto a muddy shore, scramble and yes even fall down hillsides for the perfect shot.

Field on Reynolds Road Barnwell SC

 

Flowers from my garden here in Snelling. I started out with one Four O'clock given to me by Frank's daddy long time ago. I fell in love with them at first sight and have grown, pink, yellow, stripped and even polk dot ones that the fairies must have painted.

Four O Clocks from my garden

 

 Water Hyacinth in Frank's pond

 

Althea in front my one lone Azalea

My mom's Rebel Yell Camellia

 Dorie with a wild Dogwood bloom, Upstate SC

 

My beautiful Dogwood tree that Mama gave me. It was but a mere stick when she brought it home from the flea market and I swore it would never grow. I believe it did so to prove me wrong. I remember driving through Alabama once and the Dogwoods were in bloom, the woods were white with them. Mom and I were amazed. We live on the beach and they didn't grow there.

 

Branch in full bloom 

Mama's Apple tree in full bloom. I cried when we cut it down but it was diseased and suffering. Perhaps we will plant another this year...

 

 

Queen Anne's Lace growing by the fence.

It took me forever to get one my favorites to finally take hold.

Wildflowers I have photographed throughout the South...

 

 Native Azalea, Fair Play SC

 

 Wildflowers on the hill in Fair Play, SC

and yes this is the shot I was after when I tumbled down that hill!

 

And then there are things that just caught my eye:

Not a flower, but a precious little cedar growing in the shadow of a majestic old Magnolia.

 

 A bouquet of roses.

 

Strange plant I saw in Panacea, FL

Anyone know what it is?