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| Monday, July 20, 2015, 11:36:15 PM |
Some people spend a lot of time tending their flower gardens. When possible, they grow them outside; if not, they have constructed greenhouses to protect their work. Some are simple, some elaborate. But they all do it for the same reason – to have a beautiful place around their homes to sit, relax, and enjoy the colorful outpouring of their labor. I have visited some places that had fantastic gardens – the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and the Governor’s Mansion in Williamsburg, VA come immediately to mind. The gardens in Silver Springs, FL are wonderful, all year around. Many amusement parks also have colorful displays to break up the monotony of concrete and steel. I was never very good at making flower gardens grow. And I have spent a lot of time and money trying to do so. Azaleas? Dead. Oleanders? Dead. Roses? Yes, them too. Now, I have been very successful at growing vegetable gardens and always looked forward to the blooming of the sweet peas, green beans, tomatoes, and peppers. The last few gardens I put in, I ringed them with different varieties of sunflowers – now those I could make grow. But just a flower garden? I am hopeless. Since I started driving, though, I have found many gardens along the paths I travel. Lady Bird Johnson started a roadside beautification program in the 1960’s. And I have been a happy beneficiary of her efforts. Starting in the spring, miles of Texas highways are lined with bluebonnets and red clover and Indian paintbrush and dozens of others that I know not what they are. Nearly every state in the nation has since followed suit, designating areas as “Do Not Mow” because of the flowers planted there. North Carolina comes quickly to mind, with miles of day and tiger lilies and poppies in a riot of hues lining the roads. It is a visual treat to drive along these routes and never fails to put a smile on my face. So, you see, gardens are where you find them, even if you are blessed with a brown thumb like I am. And the point of this blog? Well, sit back and let me tell you. I was parked at a small truck stop one evening in Paris, TX. My legs needed a stretch, so I climbed down from my cab and took a walk through an abandoned lot behind the parking area. I quickly ran back to my truck and grabbed my phone so I would have a camera. In this weedy, dust filled, untended parcel of land were some of the prettiest flowers I have seen. I was in heaven as I walked along, taking about two dozen photographs of all the different flowers I saw. I would like to share with you some of the best of these. An small overview     Beauty, my friends, is where we find it. Even in an unused dirt lot in north Texas. We just have to take the time to look with open eyes and hearts. |
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