More Springtime Azaleas

We arrived back in Tallahassee after attending a meeting in Colorado for almost a week.  The azaleas all around town were blooming nicely when we left.   I was so afraid we would return home having missed the spectacular show the azaleas provide each Spring.  Fortunately, they still seem to be in full bloom even though we have been home for several days.

Before heading out to church last Sunday I put the camera in the car with the thought in mind of trying to take some more azalea photos after church.  My sweet husband took us to breakfast at our local Village Inn restaurant.  They have the most delicious veggie omelets, but it seems everything they serve is very good.

After our breakfast we enjoyed driving around looking at the azaleas still blooming so beautifully.

 

A local Tallahassee neighborhood.

Azaleas have been called the essential Southern plant for your garden and is the South's favorite shrub.  I checked the hardiness zones for azaleas and the range is from zone 4 - 9.  So I am assuming they grow up north also.

 Beautiful salmon-colored azaleas at the entrance to Dorothy B. Oven park here in Tallahassee.

A wall of azaleas line this entire segment of roadway for about a mile.  They are quite a sight to see as you drive the entire distance of this roadway.

In 1845, the largest collection of azaleas could be seen at the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens located up the Ashley River from Charleston, South Carolina.  After all these years 40 of the 86 original selections can still be seen when you tour the plantation which is open to the public.  I would love to visit that plantation.  For more information on the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens you can visit the below link: 

 http://www.magnoliaplantation.com/

Azaleas are easy-care plants.  They need to be planted with the root ball slightly above soil level.  They prefer partial sun or filtered shade beneath tall trees.  When watering, water the leaves as well as the root zone.  They need well-drained acid soil.  Young plants can use an Azalea/Camellia fertilizer, but most adult plants do very well without any fertilizer.  They are also very disease resistant.

 Azaleas surrounding the pond at Christ Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee.

 Azaleas at the side yard of the same church.

 Returning home and looking at the azaleas through the front gate.

 The azaleas follow the driveway on around on each side.   The plants not getting much sun do not thrive and bloom as nicely as the plants with more sun.

 There is a circular driveway with azaleas filling the inner circle of the driveway.

 Front yard azaleas.

 In the below photo the ivy growing up the tree in the middle has been growing there for about 30 years. 

Ivy is another one of my favorite plants.

In the below photo is "Oscar" the cat.  He or maybe she came to visit one day several years ago and never left.  He is so sweet and we are so glad he adopted us.  He looks like he is coming to find out what I am doing.

In the below photo is my favorite little statue surrounded by azaleas.  We could not resist getting this statue because his little face reminded us so of our youngest grandson with the angel face and curls.

I love that sweet little face!

Well!  I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the azaleas blooming around Tallahassee.  And, I hope you have pretty Spring blossoms blooming wherever you may be.

Wishing you a very nice weekend filled with many blessings.