What I Love About the South

Today I went walking with camera around my yard to see the wonders. Snowdrops are already blooming with many more to come.

The native azaleas are still showing some colorful leaves and the fat buds of blooms for next year.



In the side garden there are more snowdrops peaking up through the leaves. Love these cheerful flowers that bloom throughout the winter for me in mild years.

Here they are peaking out under Italian Arum, the mossy rock is snuggled up tight to a Lenten Rose, that will also bloom about Christmas and keep on blooming until spring arrives.

Next to the driveway are Burford Holly berries. Robins, mockingbirds and others are beginning to feast on them already.

This i a little Japanese ground cover that sports red berries. They are great in floral arrangements.

One of my favorite tree/shrubs is this pink camellia. It blooms in early October and keeps going until killed by a hard frost.



These are Nandina berries that the birds love. They have already lost berries to marauding flocks.

The Burkwood Viburnum has a few lovely leaves left. Some will remain all winter until the new leaves push them off.




The privet bush has wonderful dark blue berries that the birds love. They make great additions to the winter arrangements.


Coming along the right side of the house is what we call Kroll Stroll. You can see two of our favorite camellias -- Misty Moon -- blooming here in front of the house.

My favorite camellia is Misty Moon. It is blooming early this year. Usually the other two camellias are bloomed out before M Moon begins. And often it is hit by the cold weather and we get little blossom for all its wonderful buds. This year it is spectacular.

It starts a fairly dark pink and then opens to a more delicate hue.



Here are a few pictures of Misty Moon flowers and buds. Love the open face of this camellia.








From the back deck a couple of blooming trees brighten the winter.









At the back deck another favorite tree blooms periodically through out late fall and winter in any warm spell. It is a Japanese plum tree called: Prunus Autumnalis. The buds are dark pink and open to almost white.







These are our earliest camellias to bloom. This is a view looking down from our upper deck.

Today, as my DH and I left for church in light weight tops, he pointed out the blooming snowdrops beside the driveway. What a joy! I grew up in the South, then spent 25 years in Iowa and Ohio before returning to Charlotte. At this time of year, I would have had ice on my driveway for more than a month, maybe two, in Iowa. I learned to love the snow, but I always missed being able to go outside and see flowers in bloom.

So I took a walk around my yard today and I found lots to enjoy. Hope these photos will brighten your day as well.

Nancy