2022 April 26-29, Trip to Knoxville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN

 Travel to Knoxville stopping at Baxter's Botanical Gardens, which is only open to the public during April as part of the Dogwood Arts Festival in Knoxville. 

Baxter's Azalea Garden

In the garden, we visited The White Garden, the Maze, The Bluebird Garden, the Lotus Pond, the Dogwood Rambol, the Gazebo, the Azalea Garden, the Iris Garden the Asian Garden, The Ellipse Garden, the Fuji Garden, the Balustiade Garden, the Hannah Garden and the Birds of Baxter's Garden. 

We spent about 30 to 45 minutes here. 

We then traveled to Pigeon Forge and checked in at Margaritaville's The Island Inn.

We walked around the Island and stopped at Mellowmushroom for dinner. 

Mellow Mushroom at the Island Pigeon Forge, TN

We ordered a Hawaiian Pizza with a drink and spent $30.57.

Day 2 Wednesday, April 27

Ate scrambled eggs, 2 slices of bacon, fried potatoes, biscuits with strawberry jelly, and cranberry juice for breakfast at the hotel.

We rode to the Trolley Center at 186 Old Mill Ave beside Patriot Park where we bought tickets to take the trolley to Dollywood for the day. The cost for all day was $3 each.

We bought senior tickets at Dollywood cost $166.10 for the day. 

All through the park we saw flowers designed in character form. We saw Busy, Busy Bees, Ring-tailed Rascals(Raccoons), Family Times (bear family), Round as a Peacock, Turtle, frogs, butterflies, Coat of many colors, Colorful umbrellas, Duck days, The Dolly wood Tree, Fines Farm, Doctor I. B. Painless Dentist, and Topsy Turvy.

Wildwood Grove at Dollywood 

We rode the train and carousel. 

We bought cinnamon bread with coke at Dollywood Grist Mill and spent $15

We ate supper at Huck Finn o green beans, catfish, creamed potatoes, and shrimp.

We stopped at the Margaritaville Store where we bought 2 tee shirts. 

Coat of Many Colors Flowers

Day 3, Thursday, April 28

Today we ate breakfast at the hotel Muffins, sausage, & potatoes.

We rode to Old Mill Park where we saw pigeons, geese, and mallard ducks.

We rode to Parrot Mountain and paid $53.11 for tickets where we saw and fed many exotic birds. 

Parrot Mountain

Some of the birds we saw were the red-billed Tucan, Swanson Tucan, Keel-Billed Tucan, Kookaburra, Scarlett McCaw, Catalina McCow, African Pied Crow, Von Der Dickens Hornbill, Green-wing McCaw, Sun Conure, Mustache Parakeet, Golden Conure, just to name a few. 

We ate lunch at Firehouse Sub where we ordered a small Steak and Cheese meal and a Medium Italian Sub meal. $21.75

We rode back to the Trolley Center at 186 Old Mill Ave to buy tickets to ride the trolley to the Gatlinburg Trolley Center.

At the Gatlinburg Trolley Center, we rode the trolley to Gatlinburg. We had a very entertaining driver which made the ride enjoyable. 

Ankeesta and Black Bear 

We bought tickets for Ankeesta where we rode the sky-lift up the mountain. $58.08 We bought a lemonade and walked around then we took the Treetop Skywalk beautiful view. 

We rode the sky-lift back down the mountain and walked around Gatlinburg stopping at Bubba Gumps for supper. There we ordered Forrest Seafood Feast which we split. Which included shrimp, fish, fries, and Cole slaw. 

Forrest Seafood Feast at Bubba Gumps

We took the trolley back to Gatlinburg Trolley Center and from there to Pigeon Forge Trolley Center.

At the Old Mill, we bought Relish and a self-rising Corn Meal. $12.91

Day 4, Friday, April 29

We ate breakfast in the hotel bacon, eggs, biscuits, jelly, fried potatoes, and cranberry juice.

We traveled home stopping in Athens for Gas.

2021 Aug 10, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens Nashville, Tennessee

Hubby and I traveled the backroads to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville, TN via Natchez Trace getting off at the Leipers Fork exit. Hubby parked the car near the entrance and showed the girl at the ticket counter our online tickets.

Pink LEGO Dog 

The first thing we saw as we entered the gardens was a big pink dog made out of Lego blocks. We walked down a long winding sidewalk down several sets of steps to the Train Exhibit, inspired by the Little Engine Who Could.

In front of us was a couple with a very independent little girl with a head full of curls, who was about the age of 2 or three years of age. What a magical place as you enter the land of trains and Fairy mushroom villages. The train exhibit was built of rough timbers and five train tracks totaling over 800 feet of track. As we walked through we saw trains going over bridges and through tunnels, we were in a magical land of trains.

We saw beautiful yellow lilies floating in the lily ponds. We saw pink, orange, white, and red roses busted with life in the Rose Study Garden.

Roses

We saw art pieces made of musical notes made of wire. We saw many Yellow and Black swallowtails on the butterfly bushes.

Yellow Swallowtail 

We saw a red lion, a zebra, a blue bear, colorful birds, a red turtle, a green lawnmower, and a man working in the garden, all made out of Legos. Also, LEGO rabbits were spotted throughout the Bradford Robertson Color Garden. We walked around the mansion, but not inside. Workers were repairing the pool in front of the Mansion in the Martain Boxwood Gardens.

Cheekwood Mansion 

There were waterfalls, ponds, and creeks running through the gardens. We did visit the Art Bark exhibit, which was crayon sculptures by Nashville artist Herb Williams. Inside the visitor center were restrooms, drink machines, and a beautiful rose LEGO sculpture. We took a break to cool off, drink a soda, and use the restrooms before beginning our journey home, We did not walk the entire gardens but had a wonderful time. We traveled home along the backroads this time taking a different route. We came out in Columbia, TN. We got a late lunch of fish at Long John Silvers and took it home.

2021 Sep 26, Day Trip to Huntsville Botanical Gardens Huntsville, Alabama

Arrived at 11 AM just as the gardens were opening. My first stop was the Purdy Butterfly Gardens where I saw several Gulf Fritillary Butterflies, red-spotted Admiral butterflies, Zebra Long-wing butterflies, monarch butterflies, great southern white butterflies, the white peacock butterflies, and the common buckeye butterflies. I spotted several Blue Jays and heard a woodpecker but never saw it. I also heard several other species of birds and saw a snake as I was coming out of the wooded area. I walked through the vegetable garden where I saw just a few including one big orange pumpkin and a few vines with fruit dangling on them.

I saw the fruit of Japanese Persimmons hanging on the trees. On the tree next to them was a thorny tree with Trifoliate orange fruit hanging on it. I also saw lying on the ground an osage orange, so you can see there was plenty of fruit for the animals. I spotted a praying mantis on a small limb. I saw several turtles swimming and lying along the bank of the pond.

I saw pink and purple blooming asters and mums of purple. I even spotted a pink rose. I spotted a gray heron and several turtles lying on the bank near the butterfly house. Uncaged: Birds, Nature & You along with Night Blooms still fill the gardens.

Some of the scarecrows that I saw were: Santa’s Helper, Mr. Antsy Pants, Zooey the ZooKeeper, It's a Girl Scout Vibe, Frida Kahlo, The Scarecrow Dietitian, Terry Lewis “Herb’s wife:/Herb the Birdman, Papa’s Pumpkins, Mr. Crow the Birdwatcher, Dog Day Bride, Collaborative Carl, We can do the job, Snow Fairy, Betelgeuse Scary Spirit, Sir Night fo make it right, Faith, Service, Diversity, Page Turner, Autumn, Larry If I only had a spaceship, Rooted,

Mr. Morgan, Bill the birdwatcher, Johnny Apple Seed and Demeter, Find Your Space, South Huntsville Sam, Auntie Smile, Miss Mary, La Ofrenda, Rosie the Refunder, Discovery Daisy, Lady Golfer, Noah, Cedrick Crow pin, Meets the Adams Family, Tiger, and Crow, & Voting Violet. I saw several people in line to go into the park as I was leaving. I spotted a lady with a Nikon camera so, I walked up to her and told her where I had seen the heron and all the butterflies that were not inside the Purdy Butterfly House. She asked me about my camera and I said I had been taking pictures for many years. She said she had just started with her new camera. It started out a cool morning by afternoon it was hot. I walked back to the car ate the bowl of nuts and the diet Sprite that I had brought and rested a few minutes before starting the hour-and-a-half drive home. That morning I had stopped at Wheeler Dam to see the waterfowl. There were several people fishing and more coming to fish. I asked a young man about the waterfowl and he said there were a few but a couple of days back they were more than he had ever seen there. I guess I miss them. I did get a couple of shots of a heron catching a fish.

2019 Jun 4, 💐 🌷Trip to Atlanta Botanical Gardens and the Imaginary World of Alice's Wonderland

Today started out in the upper 60s and cloudy it was a great day for traveling. We were up before the sun and on our way by 5:30AM for a 4 1/2 drive to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. 

We took the scenic route through Huntsville, Scottsboro, and several small towns to Atlanta Ga taking I-75 into downtown. 

 Veteran's Memorial Park Chattooga County Georgia "Dick Dowdy's Park" Summerville, GA
is where we stopped to take pictures of the War Memorials of Chattooga County, Couey's Log Cabin, Summerville's Train Depot, and the turntable.

Veteran's Memorial Park Chattooga County Georgia 

Couey's Log Cabin

Train Turntable

Summersville's Train Depot 

We spent several hours strolling through the botanical gardens looking at all the breathtaking plants and Alice in Wonderland Characters.

We ate breakfast at McDonald's in Scottsboro and dinner at Red Lobster in Oxford Alabama. 

Admiral's Feast 

We also took the scenic route home. From Cullman, we took I-65 to Athens, then 72.
We did stop at Wendy's for a chocolate frost.

Hubby did not want a frosty so we stopped at Dairy Queen for a creamsicle. 

We were home by 8:30PM

We were halfway to Atlanta when I realized I had forgotten to bring my cell phone and my sunglasses at Red Lobster. 
(Valley Head, Alabama where we stopped to take a picture of Valley Head Drug Mural is where I realized I had left my cell phone at home)
I had to use hubby's cell phone to take pictures and airdrop them when I got home. I did go back to get my glasses before we left the restaurant. 

I had a great day.

Imaginary World of Alice's Wonderland 
We were greeted at the Admissions desk, paid our fee, were given a garden map, walked through the double doors, and began our whimsical journey looking for treasures.
We were looking for eleven characters from the Imaginary World of Alice's Wonderland

Our first encounter was PEGASUS the flying winged horse, a child of Olympians & Poseidon.

Pegasus was covered in brown plants, and his wings, tail, and mane were covered in green plants. He appeared to be in a slow Trott.

Pegasus 

At the Kendeda Canopy Walk, hidden by a canopy of trees and shrubs, was the Mammoth.

The Mammoth was covered in Greenery, except for his white tusk, which helped keep him hidden from view

Mammoth 

Earth Goddess was nestled in the Cascade Gardens next to the cascading waterfall.

The Earth Goddess's face and hand were comprised of green plants.

Her hair covered in multi-color plants, flowed down her head onto the ground.

Her eyes were closed and water flowed through her fingers as the serenity of it all touched her soul. 

Earth Goddess 

The Giant Phoenix was perched along the wall of the Astor Overlook. His body was covered in brown plants. The tip of his feathers was covered in green plants, and his wings spread wide.

Eyes of an eagle, hungry enough to eat a man.

Giant Phoenix 

Sea Maid (Mermaid)

Sitting in the fountain near the Rose Garden we saw a beautiful mermaid.
The sea-maid was covered in green plants and her brown(plant) hair flowed down to her waist, her tail folded beneath her.

A trio of camels lined the Anne Cox Chamber Flower Walk.
They were composed of brown bushy plants, with a little greenery on their faces. The mats/blanket upon their backs was covered in multi-colors of green plants
On one of the camels sat a rider his upper body was covered in greenery, his pants a reddish-brown, and his boots matched the matt. 
The baskets the camels were carrying were covered in red, green, and brown plants.

Camels 

The camels were covered with green mats carrying baskets of red, purple, green, and brown.
Stepping carefully along the flower walk.

Dragon

We saw the larger-than-life, fire-eating dragon standing guard over the plants in the Rock Garden, ready to breathe fire on offenders. 
The dragon was covered in a mixture of greens, &  browns with brown spikes down his back. His upper wings were brown the underside green. A fierce creature to behold. 

the White Rabbit

The not-so-white rabbit's body was covered in green plants, his ears, and nose in pink plants, and his boat was covered in reddish-brown plants. Atop the cane in his hand was his tall green hat.

Floating in the pond among the greenery sat the not-so-white rabbit. It was the rabbit that Alice had followed down the rabbit hole.

The Queen of Hearts Chess Game

Within sight of the not-so-white rabbit stood the Three of Hearts, the Ace of Hearts, the chess players on a green and white chessboard lined with heart-shaped green and brown trees waiting to capture Alice but Alice was asleep in the nearby garden. 

The Shaggy Dog is sitting at the Garden House waiting for someone to stroke his long green fur.

Cheshire Cat and Sleeping by Alice 

The Cheshire cat was sitting in the tree watching Alice sleep.
Alice's dress was covered in blue flowers, her hair in yellow flowers that surrounded her face as she lay sleeping in a bed of flowers, grass, and red, yellow, and white mushrooms.
Her face, socks, and belt were covered in green plants.
The Cheshire cat was covered in multi-greens with pink inner ears, big blue/green eyes with a wide mischievous grin that showed his white teeth.

At the Botanical Gardens 

We saw Picture plants Although pretty on the outside, the interior of a pitcher plant is quite sinister for visiting bugs. Once lured into a cup (a pitcher) by sweet-smelling nectars and flashy colors, the insect is greeted with downward-pointing hairs. Insects are captured by slipping and falling off the hairs and into a liquid at the bottom of the pitcher. They die by drowning in this liquid. Acids and enzymes then break down the insect into a soup, which is used by the plant for nutrition.

Picture Plant 

We saw Water lilies, Roses, Catci, tropical plants, and eatable plants. Plants inside hothouses, in a dry climate, in humid climates.

We saw turtles, male California quails, and blue, green, and yellow poison dart frogs. 

We saw trees of different species and sizes, fountains, and several eating places closed except for one.

Chihuly Glass Art

Orchids

Water Lilies 

A couple of pieces of Chihuly Glass Art one hanging in the great hall(greenish-yellow tubular glass shapes) and another atop a fountain (blue swirling glass) in the Rose garden.

The garden's directions were easy to follow, and the foliage & flowers were breathtaking. It was a trip worth taking. 
I took hundreds of pictures and still could not capture all of its beauty.