Spring Wildflowers and Native Plants

A recent trip to North Georgia and North Carolina was an opportunity to photograph native azaleas, rhododendrons and wildflowers.  Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens in Hiawassee is located at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds on the shore of Lake Chatuge.  There you will find over 400 varieties of rhododendron.  Fred Hamilton, Sears Roebuck executive and Atlanta resident, started the garden in his back yard, but after years of growth, he realized he could no longer take care of all the plants.  So the plants were transplanted to their current location.  For directions and more information:  http://www.georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/rhododendronfestival.php

Robbinsville, NC, is the location of the Blue Boar Inn on Lake Santeetlah and a great place for a weekend retreat.  Nearby is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, one of the largest contiguous tracts of old growth forest in the Eastern United States, the area is administered by the U. S. Forest Service.  The forest is abundant with wildflowers in the spring and this year they were spectacular!

  

Desoto State Park Wildflowers

At the end of April, I went on a road trip with Doug and Beth Powell to Desoto State Park in Northeast Alabama.  Desoto is located at the end of the mountain range that is Lookout Mountain and is known for the abundance of wildflowers and numerous waterfalls.
However, the 80 degree weather in the South in February and March had forced the wildflowers out of hiding early and we found very few blooms.
All was not lost, however, as the mountain laurel and rhododendron were blooming beautifully and the hiking trails were great exercise.  The waterfalls were still flowing and Desoto Falls was especially impressive.  Mountain laurel were blooming in abundance near the falls and around the lake created by the dam above the falls.
Adjacent to Desoto State Park is Little River Canyon, a national preserve and the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi.  Here the trail next to the river revealed a few wildflowers, but the best was the beautiful Jack in the Pulpit pictured here. 

Marie's Flower Garden

Sometimes you find great photo opps in places you don't expect!  Last weekend I met 3 high school friends who I hadn't seen in years in Chattanooga for a girls' weekend.  We had a great time staying on the Delta Queen and catching up with each other.  On the way home, I visited my sister whose flower garden had started to bloom.  She has a variety of wildflowers including Shooting Star, Dwarf Crested Iris, and Virginia bluebells and perennials like Columbine, Canterbury Bells, and Bleeding Heart!  Marie's 6 year old granddaughter, Lillian, got into the act, telling me which flower to photograph next and using the remote to make the shot!  What fun!

Upcoming Exhibits

There's only a few days left to visit Puppy Love, a photography exhibit at The Novel Experience bookstore in Zebulon, Georgia, which benefits local animal shelters and guide and assistance dogs for soldiers returning from combat.  One of my photos was juried into the exhibit and I plan to be at the closing reception on February 25.   Here's a link to the Puppy Love exhibit on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Puppy-Love/309180192457241?sk=wall

The same day I have a solo exhibit opening at The GardenKeeper shop in Marietta.  I'll be exhibiting flower photos from gardens as well as wildflowers from some of my travels.  The GardenKeeper is a wonderful little shop filled with flowers, garden accessories and unique birdhouses.  The exhibit opening is Saturday, February 25, from 2:00-5:00.

Hidden Treasure in Tennessee

In August, I visited my elementary school friend and college roommate, Janie Craig, who lives in Fayetteville, Tennessee. She agreed to accompany me to a Tennessee Natural Area called Short Springs near Tullahoma. Short Springs is on a country road a few miles outside the town of Tullahoma-if you blink you will miss the water tower and sign which mark the spot! The trail to Bobo Creek is an easy short walk to reach Lower Busby Falls. This area is unique because of the shale layers which look like someone has carved out steps on the edge of the creek and in the cascades.


After hiking down a steep trail to get to Machine Falls, we almost missed the falls. We had to walk along the edge of the creek and around a curve in the creek to see the 60 foot high Machine Falls. Even in the dry August, this area was lush and green and beautiful. I would never have expected such a beautiful area from the nondescript entrance to the area. I plan to go back in the spring when according to the website this is one of the "very best spring wildflower locations in the state".