Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Gorgeous Tulips and Azaleas

NO---this is not our home  (wish it was--ha)!!!!  These pictures were taken on April 3, 2012 when we were on the way to Balsam Mountain Inn.  This is the BILTMORE HOUSE and GARDENS,  one of our favorite places.  We just had to stop by to see what was blooming now at Biltmore....

WELL--even though the rain was coming,  we still were able to get some great pictures of the beautiful Tulips and Azaleas in bloom there now.   Hope you enjoy our pictures, but be sure to click on them for larger views.  The picture above was of one side of the Walled Garden area... I loved the way they arranged all of the tulips and other blooming flowers.  (I used my Photoshop Elements program to erase all of the people around!!!!)




Look at all of these AZALEAS...  We took a short walk in order to get some pictures of the Azaleas... This was a perfect time to see them!!!!




This is neither an Azalea nor a Tulip... BUT--since I had never seen one like this before,  I just had to share it.  Its name is a DWARF  FOTHERGILLA.    Isn't it grogeous?




I took this picture of George standing in front of some beautiful lavender-colored AZALEAS...  I'm not sure that his shirt blends in with that color ---but it will blend in with our last picture today!!!




This is the Arbor --which is the main walkway between the two big areas of flowers in the Walled Garden... Aren't the Tulips pretty along this area?




You can tell how much I loved the extra little walk to see the Azaleas at Biltmore. SO pretty!!




These next two pictures are my favorites from this visit to Biltmore...The first one was taken by me from the Arbor facing those gorgeous white dogwoods at the top of the picture.... While I was taking more pictures in the Walled Garden,  George hiked up to where those dogwoods are and took a fabulous picture of the Walled Garden from above.   (Again,   I took out all of the people and the cars from these pictures.)




Here is the opposite look from the picture I just took.  George is up by the dogwoods looking down into the Walled Garden...  Isn't this just AWESOME????  I'm so glad that he went up there to get a 'total' view.....  (Storms were coming.  Can you see the dark sky above???  We did make it back to the car BARELY... ha)




Finally,   here is a picture we took (with the tripod) of us in front of the Tulips at the Walled Garden at Biltmore... NOW--our shirts blend in !!!!!! (These shirts are ones we bought a few years ago when we visited Cloudland Canyon State Park in GA.)

Biltmore is amazing --especially if you are 'flower lovers' like we are... There's something different during every season... It's just one of our favorite places to visit...

Have a beautiful day!!!
Hugs,
Betsy

66 comments:

Ms. A said...

The sky does look a bit testy in the next to the last photo. Everything looks so amazingly beautiful.

NatureStop said...

Betsy...such beautiful flowers and the tulips are lovely...You both look great!!Thanks for sharing...a joy to be visiting your blog!

Beth said...

The Dward Fothergilla look like fuzzy caterpillers standing at attention!
These photos are gorgeous, Betsy!
I esp. like the one of you in your colorful shirt with the background of those awesome azaleas.
Lovely way to wake up this morning--oatmeal, coffee, and your pics. :>)

Andrea said...

Yes Betsy, those are really marvelous colors, and the uniform colorful too. Despite those flower beauties, i still prefer your header!

Hootin Anni said...

These images of such beauties just takes my breath away!!!! I love the 'labyrinth' like design of the landscaping...and that white 'feathery' flower is awesome, I've not seen them before but once [on another blog recently] ---they remind me of Bottle Brush [but those blossoms are red].

I really really enjoyed this Betsy, as I'm an avid flower lover. You two, by the way are such a sweet, loving couple...I like to see that!!!

BOTTOMS UP is my Wednesday post link.

Have a glorious day!

Connie said...

Magnificent photos, Betsy! I love the azaleas. Wow! :)

penny said...

Thanks for the tour through the gorgeous Biltmore gardens, Betsy.
Love the shots of you and George.

Janice K said...

What can you say but "Oh, Wow!" Great job with the photoshop too!

linda m said...

My favorite picture is of the Walled Garden. All the pictures are beautiful.

Anonymous said...

What a gorgeous place to visit, thank you for sharing. I love the main walkway in the Arbor, this is what I want to do in my backyard just off the porch...some day!

Great shots of you and George, you both looks so happy together!

Sylvia K said...

What gorgeous and colorful flowers!! What a great day this must have been for both of you! And what fantastic captures!! They are really breathtaking! Terrific place to visit particularly in the spring. You guys look great! Easy to see you're enjoying your day! Wonderful! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

Sylvia

I Am Woody said...

OMG! You don't know how happy I am that you told me the name of that bush, Dwarf Fothergilla. Years ago when Vol Fan had a lawn care business, he had customers that wanted to regularly change their landscaping. If he was able to remove the plants carefully, he would bring them home and plant them at our house. We had six of those plants along a fence in our side yard and never knew the name!! We loved them and people often asked what they were but we couldn't tell them!

Fun60 said...

I loved the colour of the azaleas and those amazing tulip beds. I went out walking yesterday in Kent, England to look at the bluebells which are spinging into life in the woodlands. more muted colours here than your terrific vibrancy in the garden.

Unknown said...

I am so glad you bought these passes so you can continue to take us with you when you visit the Biltmore. The Dwaft Fothergills is adorable. We just planted the tree in our yard, or otherwise known as Granddaddy Graybeard...

TexWisGirl said...

holy smokes! absolutely spectacular!

Ashwini said...

Lovely pics!!! The place looks gorgeous!!

Dorothy said...

Gorgeous pictures, Betsy!!! Wish I were there!!

Anonymous said...

I always enjoy visiting your blog, Betsy. I just love those colorful flowers at the Biltmore. I have Adobe Photoshop, but did not realize I could delete people and cars from my photos! Lol.

Unknown said...

A beautiful Poat

Rohrerbot said...

Wow Betsy, these are really nice arrangements of color mixed into the design. I like that you both do these things together as a couple. I'm hoping down the road that I will be able to do this more with my other half. Our work schedules never match up, but this summer we have 2 weeks together so that will be nice. You guys look great as do the colors.

Chatty Crone said...

That was gorgeous - I love the spring flowers - they are so pretty - a little bit like Heaven. George looks like a bee in the flowers - lol. sandie

Shug said...

Oh...I do love that Fothergilla...have never heard of it before, but it is certainly unique and gorgeous...
Enjoyed this and I sure appreciate you and George for showing us all this beauty...
hugs,
Shug

Sally Wessely said...

Those gardens are just amazing. Really, they are just as beautiful as the amazing garden in Amsterdam.

You and George fit in anywhere, but you look very coordinated in the final photo.

Christine said...

Betsy the Biltmore gardens are absolutely wonderful. I love the bright riot of color!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

I still think George and his green thumb should apply for the job of gardener at Biltmore. Whoever is gardener there now, though, does a fantastic job. They must employ a landscape architect. These are all gorgeous, and you've introduced me to a new (to me) flower with that Dwarf Fothergilla.

Betty Manousos said...

oh my word, betsy! these are terrific shots!

what a lovely garden! such beautiful blooms!
thanks for brightening my day!

big hugs!

myletterstoemily said...

you always take the most beautiful photos
for the most extraordinary places!

thank you for sharing.

nanny said...

All of these pictures are beautiful but those red and white tulips are my choice!!!

Becca's Dirt said...

Beautiful place. Great pic of ya'll. Those azaleas are loaded. And the tulips are so pretty.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I want to go, I want to go.

The yellow T shirts are just right, you 2 stand out.

Karin said...

Feast for the eyes - so beautiful! Bet they have more than just one gardener though, right??!! That's a lot of work - so glad they open it up for visitor. Wonderful that you could visit again!

Lady Di Tn said...

These photos were pure Eye Candy for us flower lovers. Peace

Ann said...

I'm glad to hear that no photographers were soaked in the snapping of these shots...lol
That arbor is gorgeous. It looks so inviting and all those tulips, just spectacular

Rose said...

My goodness, these are gorgeous! Would love to see all those flowers in person.

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

I would just walk around overwhelmed with all those flowers. Beautiful. You two got some great photos!

Unknown said...

Such beautiful color! It will be interesting to see how our flowers and trees do with the two frosty mornings we are experiencing this morning and tomorrow morning. Some will take a pretty good hit with the temps in the high 20's ;-( I will just come back and look at your lovely flowers if mine start to wilt.

Serenity Cove said...

As soon as I saw that thumbnail I thought to myself, Betsy must have been at the Biltmore Gardens:) Those gardens are just unbelievably gorgeous!

It's been so cold the last few days I'm starting to get upset. I figured we would pay for all that warm weather we had in March:(

Sharon said...

You were there on Wednesday after we were there on the previous Saturday - I can't believe how much further the azaleas had "popped." Beautiful! I'm back in NC doin some hiking in Cataloochee. Hope to find time to run back over to Biltmore and check out the tulips and azaleas once more time. Ah, the joy of season passes!!! Can't wait to see where you're off to next.

Ruth Hiebert said...

WOW!! and again,WOW!!! So much beauty in one place.It is amazing.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Gosh, Betsy, you are MUCH thinner than last time I saw you. You are just fading away!!! I love all these pictures, especially the Dwarf Fothergilla, that's a new one on me!!! The arbor is beautiful, too, and all the gardens and design.

HolleyGarden said...

Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Those tulips! Those azaleas! That arbor! Simply amazing!

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Gorgeous pictures Betsy! I love spring flowers--tulips, dogwoods, and azaleas! I have never seen the dwarf fothergilla before, but it's gorgeous!

happyone said...

All the flowers are so pretty. I couldn't even pick out a favorite.
It looks like you have reached your weight goal. You look great and of course so does George.:)

Glenda said...

Such awesome beauty! You look so trim and fit, Betsy! I always enjoy seeing pics of you and George amidst the beauty you find!

A Colorful World said...

All these pictures are just wonderful! The gardens at Biltmore are so beautiful...they remind me a little of the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Have you ever been there? LOTS of Azaleas and Dogwoods and other lovely flowers! The two of you look like you are having a wonderful time!

pembrokeshire lass said...

Hi, enjoyed your flower photos...you are further ahead with azaleas etc than we are here in Wales! My daughter and I , with the kids, went to look at some but they were just beginning...timidly...to open their eyes. the camellias were beginning to say farewll for another year. I will become one of your followers so that I can enjoy more lovely gardens with you! You might want to take a look at mine...it's starting to try and recover from 4 years of neglect!! Thanks. Joan

Anonymous said...

Amazing colors in these photos, Betsy. I especially love the last photo of you and George. I like your Cloudland Canyon shirts - we've been there once many years ago. Wishing you a very nice day.

Brenda said...

Your photos of your Biltmore trip is just amazing! I love all the beautiful colorful flowers, trees, and bushes. You know, as long as I lived up around that area, I have never been to Biltmore. I really need to make the effort on my next visit. The Dwarf Fothergilla are quite a look! I have never seen those before. I wonder if they come in different colors? I love the last photo of you and George. You both look very sweet together. It's always a pleasure to visit you.
Hugs,
Brenda

Beth said...

Hi, Betsy. Well, I keep saying we need to go to Biltmore since we live only 12 or so miles away. But until I do, I can just visit vicariously through your beautiful photos! Your pictures of Biltmore beauty are really lovely, and I'm so impressed that you know how to erase people on Photoshop Elements! :-)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos. I have only been to the Biltmore just before Christmas. I'll have to make a return trip someday during the spring.

Tracy said...

Betsy, my friend, you are just becoming a shadow of yourself! You look marvelous but I know you feel even better!
I love the photos...azaleas are absolutely gorgeous! My favorites are the light pink (imagine that!) but your photos are all beautiful! hugs my friend...

Anonymous said...

Such an amazing burst of color!

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Wow! Betsy, these photos of the Biltmore House are splendid. I love the tulips, azaleas, the trees, and all the flowers. This is such a wonderful posting. I haven't been to the Biltmore House in years, but this sure put me in the mood to visit it soon. Thanks for sharing such incredible beauty.

Terry and Linda said...

I would LOVE to see that in person! Heck I would love to be a gardener there!!!


Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Faye said...

I'm sending your blog link along to my friend Janice who's visiting the Biltmore next week, Betsy. I'm afraid she won't have these wonderful views that you've captured since spring is moving along so quickly.

The Biltmore was one of the first formal gardens I ever visited. Still remember how everything was groomed up to the treelines. First time I saw pine needles used as mulch. Still a favorite.

penny said...

Thanks for stopping by, Betsy.
Have a wonderful weekend. Be well and happy.
:)

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh, so much color!!! I love this place and it's gardens....I wish it was closer to me. :)
xo

Nancy said...

Biltmore is one of our greatest treasures here in NC and you certainly captured the beauty of the grounds....So glad you were able to come through and stop to enjoy all those gorgeous flowers......

You and George are so cute....

Tami AKA My Kid's Mom said...

I think the arbor is my favorite! They're all beautiful!

Cicero Sings said...

Another blogger I read recently posted about visiting this place. A very popular place and with good reason!

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, I sometimes tease my husband by stating that I'll have a grand garden such as this one at the Biltmore or the one at Buchart's Gardens in Victoria, Canada. He rolls his eyes. Just kidding. Your photographs are very pretty! Beautiful place. Have a wonderful Friday!

Carletta said...

Those fuzzy little flowers are new to me and I quite like their uniqueness.
It's mind boggling to see all of those flowers and know the upkeep that must come with keeping it so beautiful. They do a wonderful job.
Your shirts do blend and I like how yours picked up the same color behind you there in front of the azaleas.
Beautiful post Betsy!

diane b said...

Blogging is so good because I can visit these gardens with you and see all those beautiful flowers. The tulips and azaleas are magic.

Janie said...

Cute photo of you and George. Your orange shirts blend wonderfully with the tulips.
The flowers are just gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

I love Biltmore; hope we make it back there one day! I loved the picture of you with the colorful azaleas behind you. The picture of you and George in front of the tulips is wonderful!

Mary said...

Why, Betsy....I was sure all those gorgeous flowers were the result of the hard work you and George do in your gardens :-) LOL...I'm sure you guys could get hired on as gardeners if you wanted to be around those flowers all the time :-)