Spring 2009

March 21st brought Spring to Black Mountain on schedule and it has been glorious!  The perfect amount of rain and warmth for the lushest Spring I have ever seen here.  In April and early May the hills and our property were a bloom with azaleas.  A thick carpets of flowers over the azalea bushes were everywhere and the dogwoods graced us with an abundance of delicate blossoms.  Towards the end of the azalea cycle in mid May, one hot pink rhododendron decides always to bloom and the tulip trees show off their lovely yellow and orange blossoms.  Meanwhile the daffodils, jonquils and tulips bloom.   Throughout May and into June, iris join in with incredible displays everywhere one looks.  Also, throughout May and early June the forest and our property is filled with mountain laurel blooms.

The hillsides of our property are blanketed with mountain laurels in bloom.	A path that leads to our greenhouse is full of laurel.  The lower green bushes that can be seen on the right below the laurel blossoms, are azaleas, they were covered in vivid red-pink blooms during April.
This is the view from the dining room and patio.  The bushes in the foreground are all azaleas...a few lingering blossoms can be made out.  The laurels are in high bloom and the branches of the tree in the foreground on the left is the dogwood.  It has bloomed and is now leafing.	A close up of delicate mountain laurel blossoms on our property.

After the laurels fade toward the end of June, usually the rhododendron start their incredible displays throughout the area and on our property, lining our hillside and paths with their beauty during the height of summer.  But like the hot pink rhododendron that wishes to bloom in late April and early May, we have several orange blossomed rhododendrons that think blooming in late May and early June is the way to go.  Both of these rhododendron mavericks are enjoyed whenever they wish to bloom.  The orange rhododendron adds a nice break to the wall to wall white laurel blossoms.

A single beautiful blossom has bloomed in this cluster, the rest will soon follow.

Clusters of orange rhododendron in full bloom.

During Spring I also gave the house a well needed fluff and puff and retired all the winter decorations and displays and created spring ones.  Here is an example that is gracing one of the dining room buffets.  I try to keep seasonal flower displays on each of the four dining room buffets year round.  With such abundance on our property it is not hard.

The rest of the property is getting ready for a magnificent summer floral display.  The hostas I planted last fall have returned and are steadily growing and a few are now shooting forth stems that promise great beauty with various flowers.  The hostas can be seen through one of the dining room windows.

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