150 Year Old Dogwood

This week I've been attending the Alabama Master Gardeners Conference in Huntsville, Alabama. The conference began Thursday, the same day the horrid weather moved in. Before it did, we all were able to take a tour of Huntsville Botanical Garden. And, for the 3rd year in a row I stumbled upon the 150 Year Old Dogwood in full bloom. My buddy, Carroll, is to the right which gives you an idea of scale.


Both sides filled with huge blossoms. I'm off to attend the last day but had to leave you with a little eye candy for your weekend.

Enjoy!

Huntsville Botanical Garden

Ancient Dogwood

I took my daughter to the Huntsville Botanical Garden to see the ancient dogwood bloom earlier this month. At the perfect stage of bloom, with leaves not yet showing, the dogwood was a show-stopper for everyone who witnessed her glory. People were sitting in the grass just gazing in its direction as she stood tall and bright in the sun like some goddess.





To get there, one walks along a pathway through a long green that's lined with trees and flowers. Turn left past the Aquatic Garden and there she is. However, her blazing white canopy is clearly visible long before you arrive. The sight that greets you above is her western side.


However, the prize to me is the eastern side where the massive trunk and branches peek through in grand silhouette. Walking up and ducking inside, you enter into a completely different world. The sunlight filters through huge white blossoms and dapples the ground, branches and trunk like a fairyland. All sounds are muffled, muted. Lying down beneath her and looking up is spiritual to me - I could stay there forever.


However, others want to do the same thing so I must share her with the masses. Her branches are so thick and heavy they touch the ground in places, and stretch out very much like Live Oak branches.

A view of the ancient dogwood and a distant pink dogwood through the Aquatic Garden.

A pretty garden bench surrounded by tulips and yellow flowers.

The Aquatic Garden

The Summer House
(this is where I was married)

The Garden is my all-time favorite spot. I may say that about a lot of destinations, but this one is good for my soul. Walking through the kaleidoscope of color, smelling the heady fragrances, touching textured blossoms and leaves, sitting by the fountains letting the wind carry the spray in your face, hearing the laughing children among the buzzing of bees and birdsong and wind in the trees is healing, spiritual, zen.

Face Lift

I'm ready for light colors and springtime so I changed my background color to white.

It's crisp and clean and uncomplicated.

There's no profound message today, no witticisms, nothing deep to ponder.

Just a pretty tree on a stark white background.

Simplicity.

Perfection.

Just breathe.