Spring seems to be here at last for good. This week the azaleas have burst into bloom along the driveway circle, with the larger white one and the light pink both fully opened up now.
Down the driveway, the later bloomers are coming out now too. Another couple of whites bloom along with multiple pinks and a few corals.
Out in the countryside, our apple trees bloomed about two weeks ago, before the two nights of freezing weather. We hope the damage wasn’t extensive. Pretty white blossoms are on this tree, while others will have a pink blush.
The orchard here had a later blooming variety.
It was a great excuse for our British Car Club to meet for a drive to see the blooms. Almost two dozen cars were eager to get out of the house on a warm and sunny day.
We set out on back roads, winding our way around to the section of Henderson county that has a lot of orchards. Apples are the primary product of this county. The apples on the right side of the photo below had only a few blooms left, mostly green leaves were showing now.
We left the apple valley area and headed into the mountains just a bit.
Lovely arbored roads with lots of shades of green.
More apple trees came into view with a mountain ridge in the background. We had a lovely drive, and then had an outdoor meal with friends before cruising back home.
Back home, we are able to get our pots back to the veranda for the season. These lovely purple pansies are so pretty and survived two nights of freezing cold nicely in the Carolina room.
The birdcage has its pot growing nicely with the celosia getting taller and the little two tone pansies filling out.
The hanging baskets are all putting out these showy blooms in bright yellow with crimson details.
The bleeding heart did well, too.
Lovely purple violas bloom profusely, much to the delight of our local bee population.
In my teacup planter, the petunias seem happy.
These pansies are out front on the brick planter. My veggies made it through the freeze too.
Then, my favorite white iris bed began to put on its show. Gorgeous aren’t they?
I have a dozen pictures of these blooms close up. They are pristine white with faint yellow beards. Lovely to behold!
The most special flower of all, the lady slippers, are both blooming now. It is such a miracle that they are here, and I marvel at the spectacle of them. They need such exacting conditions, and I hope that these two will become more next year. While I’d love to help them along, I am afraid that anything I do will destroy the delicate balance of their requirements. So I do nothing, and watch.
Springtime goes on, and more flowers are yet to come. More drives with our car clubs are planned, and we’ll begin hiking again soon to see the rhododendrons and mountain laurel on the trails. I hope your world is full of color, be that spring flowers or autumn leaves. What is going on in your garden?
From My Carolina Home 
Thanks for sharing these pictures of your spring flower bonanza. We are not yet at that stage, and sharing yours is uplifting.
The white irises are stunning!
Happy May! This week I cleaned my balcony and window ledges of the “pollening” – yuk! And the next day washed down all the windows. I’m ready for some porch sittin’!
Wow, on the Lady Slippers!!!
Looks like you had a lovely drive, and all those blooms are just gorgeous – especially that white iris! The azaleas are beautiful. And rhododendrons-funny story!! When I was a home health nurse, I passed a house several times a week that had a yard full of them. I had never seen one and had to know what they were. So one day I stopped and rang their doorbell. I know the lady probably thought I was nuts, but was very kind and we talked a little while about their beauty. Thanks for that memory, Carole!!
Gorgeous flowers and photos! The azaleas are among my favorites, and my hubby was admiring the bleeding hearts, remembering his mother’s favorite flower. I have 4 azaleas in my flower garden and they are in brilliant bloom this year. Probably the best show they have given in 5 years! I love the variety of colors you have in the azaleas. Glad your potted plants and veggies survived the cold snap. We are having a wild spring with near 90 one day this week followed by overnight temps in the 40’s. Your drives with the car clubs must really make your spirits raise, and seemingly feel “back to almost normal” again. 🙂
Beautiful pictures. My bleeding heart came up and with small hearts while still cold in the Northeast. I still have late blooming daffodils, iris leaves but no buds yet, and hosta just peeking out. New daffodil bed bloomed late but should be better established next year.
I love photos of lady’s slippers. They are a rare site and I have not seen any in the mountain property in years. Maybe this year. They bloom so briefly and the plant is similar to others and can be overlooked. Cannot be cultivated, just appreciated and protected.
Gorgeous photography, Carole. The colors are vivid and wonderful. In my garden I have some Rhodies getting ready to bloom, Azaleas and pink and white dogwoods. Do you have dogwoods? As you probably know, the pink ones get all their blooms in a profusion of color before the leaves come on, quite spectacular outside my sewing room window. Also our lilacs are blooming nicely, bigger and fuller than they have ever been. Conditions have been just right, I guess. I am not planting many pots this year, but have some geraniums on the deck for color. It’s raining here today in southern OR and I’ll be working on the cosmetic case sets.
Oh my gosh, what a fun drive. Springtime has definitely arrived, in all its’ glory, where you live. Those azaleas are amazing.
I love watching Spring evolve in your neck of the woods. It’s the prettiest “travelogue” ever. Your climate supports some incredible Spring beauty. When I lived in Michigan we had a similar evolution of Spring. I used to say that the lines at the garden shops in April & May were longer than the lines at Disneyland. We were all so ready for a new season.
Yesterday I potted up the 2 roses out of 9 that survived winter in the ground. This is the second year of not being able to sustain the roses here in northern NM that are planted in our back yard, even with care and amended soil. However, I have been spectacularly successful with roses in pots and have several beautiful David Austin roses that have flourished for two years, with no special care in the winter. So, into pots went my two surviving roses: Lava flow and Doris Day. We’re having our front courtyard and backyard completely re-landscaped this summer so I’m looking forward to that.
A beautiful drive with those trees to see, apples coming on soon, and your flowers, down here I have a purple bearded iris flowering, it should be waiting until at least our November, Your white ones are delicate and truly lovely, next time there is a garden sale, in November, and it is HUGE, with specialist iris from a well known local family, I will have to try and get to his stall first.Enjoy being able to go out and be with friends.
Here in Ontario, Canada my tulips are in full bloom and most of the perennials are up and grown profusely.
Lovely ride in spring! We had snow last night, it didn’t stick, & the spring peepers sang through it. It’s a beautiful sunny day, cool but the bumble bees are out busy pollinating.
As always I love to see your beautiful flowers and gardens. How you must enjoy getting out in your car to wend your way along all the leafy country roads. Must make you feel so free!
Here in New Zealand we are approaching Winter but as I live in the North of the country it is not as bad as what the south will experience. :))
Happy May! The azaleas are just gorgeous and what a lovely drive. Everything is just beautiful in your neck of the woods!
Those white Iris are GORGEOUS!
Beautiful Spring drive!
Your blooms are absolutely dazzling, both on the road and at home. I’ve never seen white iris so pristine. (Irises are a favorite of mine, always reminding me of my aunt Iris.) I love bleeding hearts too (they remind me of my grandmother and her large bushes!). Odd — the association blooms have! What a beautiful post, Carole,
The blossoms are lovely.
And what a beautiful day for a drive. Love seeing all the fresh green leaves.