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 with 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/blankets upon their backs were 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, and 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.

2019 May 8, 💐 🌷Visiting the Memphis Botanical Gardens Memphis, Tennessee

Hubby and I had a great time at the Memphis Botanical Gardens.
We did not see a lot of blooming plants, but we saw a lot of interesting plants and animals.
In the Japanese Garden, we walked across the half-moon bridge, where we saw turtles and goldfish swimming in Lake Biwa and  Canadian Geese strolling along the banks.

Half Moon Bridge in Japanese Gardens 

One of my favorite places was the Prehistoric Plant trail, where we saw a couple of stone dinosaurs in a sandpit where children could climb atop them.
Dotted along the path were signs about Primitive plants, Prehistoric Memphis, Stories in Stone, Flying giants, and Some things change, and some things stay the same.

Dinosaur in Sandpit 

In the Urban Garden, we saw the chicken coop that housed the Blue Buff Columbian Brahmas hens and a rooster.
Also in the Urban Garden were vegetables, blackberries on a trellis, grapevines, and Espalier Fruit Trees (the technique of controlling the growth of trees and shrubs.

Urban Garden

There were booths set up for school children to make things from the countries of  India, China, and Africa.
We saw a mother bird feeding her babies.

Mother birds and babies 

There were many fragrant plants to attract butterflies in the Butterfly Garden, with not a butterfly in sight.

Butterfly Garden 

There were orange and red azaleas, blooming Camelias, and purple hydrangeas.
The daffodils were sleeping, waiting for next spring.

Dogwood trees in full bloom, huge giant trees reaching for the sky, and small trees where birds could nest.

Bird hiding among leaves.

There were water fountains and air-conditioned restrooms throughout the Garden.
We stopped several times just to cool off, but hubby was still dripping wet when we arrived at the car.

Visiting Botanical Gardens 🌹🌸🌼🌷🌻

💐 🌷Bellingrath Botanical Gardens Theodore 2002 with hubby
Touring Bellingrath Gardens and Home means experiencing 65 acres of year-round beauty. Within this beautiful estate are gardens and landscapes that showcase their own specific variety of wonder

💐 🌷Huntsville Botanical Gardens 2006 with daughter *& granddaughter 

💐 🌷Huntsville Botanical Gardens 1997

💐 🌷Birmingham Botanical Gardens with hubby 2013

💐 🌷Taking a trolley ride through the Norfolk Botanical Gardens 1996

💐 🌷US Botanical Gardens in Washington DC with my grandson in 2002
It’s balmy year-round inside the U.S. Botanic Garden on the National Mall. Considered a living museum of plants, the lavish garden rooms are housed inside a glass Conservatory. Exhibits range from plants native to Hawaii and tropical territories, deserts, medicinal plants, orchids, and a Children’s Garden. The museum is free and opens every day of the year from dawn until dusk.

💐 🌷Birmingham Botanical Gardens with granddaughter & daughter  2009

The Gardens' 67.5 acres contain more than 25 unique gardens, 30+ works of original outdoor sculpture, and miles of serene paths. The Gardens features the only public horticulture library in the U.S., conservatories, a wildflower garden, two rose gardens, the Southern Living garden, and Japanese Gardens with a traditionally crafted tea house.

💐 🌷Norfolk Botanical Gardens with sibling 2010
The Norfolk Botanical Gardens offer many different signature and theme gardens for guests to stroll around, such as the Virginia Native Plant Garden, the BBristolButterfly Garden, and the Enchanted Forest.

💐 🌷Creation Museum Botanical Gardens 2016
The Creation Museum’s beautifully themed gardens and three-acre lake invite guests to enjoy more than a mile of paved and accessible trails. Crossover five bridges and view a variety of waterfalls as you explore the Koi Pond, Carnivorous Bog Garden, Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden, Rainforest Garden, a mining sluice, and more.

💐 🌷Huntsville Botanical Gardens 2016
Huntsville Botanical Garden is an oasis of calm and tranquility. The garden has winding roads surrounded by trees, flowers, streams, and waterfalls.

💐 🌷Callaway Botanical Gardens 2013
Callaway Gardens is a 6,500 acres (2,600 ha) resort complex located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, just outside Columbus, Georgi

💐 🌷Dothan Area Botanical Gardens with grandkids 2008
the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens consists of 50 acres of cultivated gardens, nature trails, and an undeveloped, wooded landscape.

🦋🦋🦋2016 September 8, Friday, Butterflies and Scarecrows in the Garden

Looked out my window this morning, and I saw a chipmunk scurrying around looking for food.
I grabbed my cell phone to take a video, the chipmunk was quick as lighting. I did get a few pictures.
I filled the hummingbird feeders with sweet, red, Nectar. 
They watched me from afar and waited until I went inside to start feeding. 
The hummingbirds are very territorial and will run off any other hummingbird trying to get nectar from their feeder.
I put sunflowers in my regular bird feeders. 

Hibiscus

Flowers still blooming

Stopped at my son's house to give Ava Grace a Happy Meal toy, apple slices, apple juice, and her bottle full of milk she had left a few days earlier in the week. 

Stopped at the Post Office in Rogersville to buy postage stamps (with trucks on them) and mail two birthday cards. 
Stopped at the UPS store to mail a package. 

Stopped at Chick-fil-A in Athens, where I bought a kid a two-piece chicken finger meal with a fruit cup, two fingers, ice cream, honey mustard sauce, and diet Coke for lunch.  

Chick-fil-a

Exited Chick-fil-A onto hwy 72 east toward Huntsville. 

Turning right onto Slaughter Road, turning left onto Old Madison Pike. 

I followed Old Madison Pike over I-565 to Bob Wallace, stopping at 

4747 Bob Wallace at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. 

Paid the entrance fee and began my walk through the garden

Huntsville Botanical Gardens 

My first stop was the Hobbit House, his door was shut tightly. 

Hobbit House
Our Hobbit House is inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien's book The Hobbit. Hobbits, also referred to as Hal-flings are small in size, have slightly pointed ears, are stout in stature, and have large feet. The life in houses that are built into the ground. They usually have round doors, like ours. Hobbits like to garden socialize and eat up to six meals a day if they can. 

Hobbit House 

Bird Nest 

Climb in settle down, and experience a birds-eye view in this larger-than-life bird nest. Birds, build nests from a variety of found materials, including sticks, grass, mud, feathers, horse hair, and even string. Northern Mockingbirds, Brown Thrashers, Northern Cardinals, Grey Catbirds, Blue Jay, American Crow, Bald Eagles, and Osprey build round nests with sticks, like this one. 

Next, I saw a larger-than-life bird nest. 

I walked into the bird's home and touched the egg. 

My next stop was the train village and there were scarecrows scattered throughout the village. 

Train Village with scarecrows

A new building going up at the park 

The Children's Garden.

Rabbit 

Girl 

Boy

Well
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
to fetch a pail
of water.
Jack fell down,
and Jill came
tumbling after.

Sunflowers

Maze Garden
Labyrinths and mazes have been a part of gardens since the time of England's King Arthur. Some of the World's most famous castles even have mazes.
Building a maze is harder than it looks, but we've given you everything you need to get started within the walls of our Maze Garden. 

Please No Wading 

Gold Fish 

Children's Garden 

I went inside the butterfly house where I saw three turtles sunning on a bolder. 

There was a Space Garden and a Dinosaur Garden.

Dinosaur Garden with a cool mist to walk through.

Throughout the garden were scarecrows and other sites.

Charlie Brown, Lucy in  Snoopy's Red Dog House

Frog

See Rock City Playhouse

Boathouse

Fort 

Walking through the garden would have been fun if it had not been so hot. 
Most of the time I was walking through the paths in the woods. 
I drove home from I-565 to I-65 to 72 West stopping at Arby's to pick up dinner. 

Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich 

Diet Coke