Electric Shock Iris

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We've been fortunate to enjoy many irises blooming in our yard this year. They've bloomed earlier than normal, and it seems that the blossoms have lasted longer than normal. This is Electric Shock, and I like the beautiful blue color.

Roaring Fork in the Smokies

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Betsy and I paid a visit to the Smokies this past Monday. We decided to drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail since it has been several years since we've taken it. We made several stops (as usual) along the way, and I got an opportunity to experiment with my new variable neutral density filter. The picture above is one of my first attempts at photography with exposures lasting several seconds. I'll have to admit I rather like it.

Sonia Rose

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In a normal year Betsy and I wouldn't see any of our roses in bloom until after we got back from the beach in early May. But everything is blooming earlier than normal this year, and the roses are no exception. Sonia was the first of our roses to bloom. The blossoms are a pink blend with a fruity fragrance. Sonia is one of our container roses and we've had it for several years.

Honey Glazed Iris

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Our iris have put on quite a display this year. They do a wonderful job of providing us with beautiful color after the daffodils and tulips are gone and before the roses start blooming in earnest. This is Honey Glazed iris, which has brightened our yard for several years now.

Our Front Yard

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This picture of our front yard was taken toward the end of March. In addition to the flower beds you see in this picture. there is another round flower bed around a red bud tree on the other side of the driveway, a flower bed parallel to the road near where I'm standing, and a long flower bed along the left side of the house. Those are roses in the containers in the driveway.

Wildflower Along the Trail

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On a recent visit to North Carolina, Betsy and I left the interstate to drive into the Harmon Den Wilderness Area in search of a waterfall. After driving along Forest Service roads for nearly four miles, we started hiking up a trail toward the waterfall. Unfortunately we were on the wrong trail (we later found the correct one), but we did find this pretty wildflower.

Spring in the Glade

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I couldn't resist the temptation to post another picture of our red bud tree blossoms. This picture shows our house, flag and the sky looking through the branches of the tree. No wonder we think the Glade is a beautiful place to live.

Hell's Fire Iris

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I can't help wondering what happened this year. Our iris usually bloom toward the end of April. This iris, Hell's Fire, bloomed on March 31. I'm not sure how this iris got its name, but I think it's pretty in spite of it. We now have several iris in bloom.

From My Archives: Spring Has Arrived

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It's usually a sure sign that Spring is here to stay when our red bud trees bloom. That's especially true when the sky is a beautiful blue.

This picture was taken in April, 2010.

Sempervivum

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We have Sempervivum (hens and chicks) scattered about in several locations in our yard. These succulents look good throughout the year, and they do well in rock gardens and in places where nothing else seems to grow. This 'hen' is along the edge of one of our rose beds.

Mount Hood Daffodil

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Most of the daffodils in our yard have yellow petals with trumpets of different colors. Mount Hood is the only daffodil we have with both white petals and a white trumpet. The trumpet gets more white with age.

Little River

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The distance from Townsend, Tennessee, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, along Little River Road in the Smokeys is less than 20 miles, but it usually takes Betsy and me two or three hours to make the trip. That's because we usually stop at every pullout along the river to enjoy the view. I snapped this picture in March, 2008.

Inside the Tulip

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I don't often take a close look at the inside of a tulip blossom, but this makes me want to look more often. A Purissima (white) tulip was wide open in our yard on a sunny afternoon when I captured this.