Pink Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Here are some of the photos I took on my recent trip to the Carolinas. Since the only thing blooming in my yard when I left was snowdrops, it was like leapfrogging six weeks ahead into full spring.
Dogwood trees (Cornus florida)
It was wonderful to see all the beautiful blooming trees and shrubs. All of these photos were taken on the campus of Furman University in Greenville, SC.
I was pleased to see that most of the landscaping used native plants. There also was a large kitchen garden, but not much was growing at that point.
Fountains, Furman University photo: C.M.King
Iris cristata
There was a large pond around which we walked, taking in the park-like beauty while enjoying the mild day. A swan, regally paddling in the goldfish pond, looked for handouts.
Robins, mockingbirds and Carolina wrens called from the trees. Families with children, bicyclists and joggers also were out enjoying the beautiful spring weather.
Bank of Azaleas
Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina)
Azalea
Wisteria floribunda
It’s a beautiful campus, open to visitors the year round and a great place to idle away a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Pink & white azaleas
Eliza Waters 
Oh, how beautiful! And you’ll get a second spring at home. The wisteria and dogwoods have just started blooming here. It’s hard to believe azaleas are already blooming somewhere.
Thanks, Robin. I get two springs this year, how lucky is that? Given the winter we had, I think that is a fair treat. 🙂
You did a wonderful job! No surprise, you are very talented ! Loved seeing it.
Thanks for showing it to me, great memories! Nice fountain photo, btw! 🙂
So beautiful! I recently visited Kentucky and saw the dogwoods, azaleas and redbuds. I do miss the hard woods! Love your photographs!
Thank you! When they all bloom together, it is a delightful riot of color!
What a place, I love N.C. and these garden shots.
Thanks so much, Maria.
It is amazingly beautiful! 🙂 ❤
Thank you, Trini. It was heavenly! 🙂
Gorgeous – I love the color on that azalea!
Thank you, Sarah. I think that is a native azalea as it was in the native garden, but I didn’t get the name, alas!
I’ll just have to search the Internet (never something I complain about – though I will likely get distracted and never figure it out!).
Maybe start here: http://azaleas.org/index.pl/aznatives.html
Excellent – thank you for the link!
Extremely beautiful collection of photos (and memories)!
Thank you very much, Kate! 🙂
So. Much. Loveliness. ❤
Ah, thanks, Julie! ❤
Oh my, I can see why you long for a dogwood now! What beautiful pictures you took. Our azaleas are showing colored buds now, but far, far from that bank of color you photographed. How nice you could escape to spring. This is something that only works going forward! A few years ago, I flew up to Rhode Island for a christening in late April and it was like going back in time a month! I got to see the forsythia again, but was none to pleased about the temperatures.I hope your warming spring comes soon.
Yes, you’re right about that. I’m happy with the daffodils and crocus that are out there now. It is a slow spring, but I’m loving it!
A beautiful glance into a Caroline spring…such an impressive series of photos, make me see with my own eyes about the beauty of the place. My parents have visited SC in the spring and said if it was not so far away and inconvenient from Oregon they’d seriously consider moving there. From your photos I can understand why.
Thank you for your kind praise! It was my first visit there and I came away impressed with the beauty of the place. And no harsh winters! 😉
No harsh winters seems to be a key for me too!
Beautiful photos, especially the Azaleas and Wisteria. Now you can have two springs when the blossom opens near your home too!
Double delight! Thanks, Cathy. 🙂
Wonderful set of photos Eliza!
Thank you so much, Michael!
Some lovely shots Eliza! Two springs – YEAH!! 🙂
I know, what a treat! Thanks, Val. 🙂
Beautiful! I love that Dogwood – I am so partial to Dogwoods. Oh, how I wish our native Wisteria was one zone hardier! I have yet to see a wren return to my garden.
Thanks, Kathy. Dogwood is such a pretty tree. Do you have a microclimate (south or southwest) that is zone 5 for the Amer. wisteria? I hope your wrens return. Maybe put out some mealworms or peanut butter suet?
What a magical place you found for transition to an early Spring! Your photos are fabulous.:) Our redbuds have faded and now the wild dogwood are in bloom, but it is not so colorful here (unless you count the extreme green wherever you look).
Thanks, Dor. Green is my favorite color, esp. spring green. We don’t have as many wild dogwood up here, unfortunately. I loved seeing them dotting the forest edges. Such a lovely, graceful tree.
Very beautiful photos. I think spring is my favorite season now. (I use to be allergic, and not able to appreciate the beauty, the way I can now.)
I would also like to add that I like the design of this post, very appealing to the eye.
Have a great day!
/Maria
Thank you so much, Maria. Spring is such a joyful time!
Oh wow – such gorgeous shades of pink and red.
Spring is such a feast for the eyes! Thanks, Fi.
Beautiful images….lovely spring 🙂
Thank you very much! 🙂
Beautiful!!
Thank you, Kim!
Your beautiful photos looked like paintings. Gorgeous!
Thanks so much, Julie. I’m honored!
Lovely images of this beautiful place.
Thank you, Karen. The landscaping was well thought out and my timing was fortunate to enjoy it at its best.
stunning! Happy spring from the middle of the USA..we are warming up but I feel a bit too soon. We need more rain than what we are getting:-) The garden beds dry out a bit more and usually spring means a lot of muddy beds, but lately it is dry to the bone. Hope that does not mean a hot summer! All those blooming pink and whites just lift my spirits!
Thank you, Robbie. April has been pretty dry here as well. But that has been consistent with the past few years. I hope that doesn’t mean that May will be too rainy. One recent May it was cloudy or rainy 24 days of the 31! Balance please! 😉
lovely!
Thank you!
Hello Eliza! Everything on your log looks beautiful to me. I am amazed. Bravo!
Thank you so much, Ngobesing. I appreciate your visit!
I am happy to read your lovely words, Eliza. May the rays of the sun shine on you straight from heaven.
Thank you!
You have certainly captured the beauty of Spring in your area .
Thank you!
Magical photos Eliza!
Thank you, Deb. As you slip into autumn, we go into spring. Amazing Earth!
Such gorgeous photos! 😀
Thank you, Eva! Thanks for your visit. 🙂
Of course! Happy May! 🙂
wow wow wow
These are outstanding photos. I wish I had something more to say but I am just enjoying the pretty pictures too much to think. =)
LOL Thanks, Debra! Happy May Day!
Leapfrogging. I love that, Eliza. We’ve just returned from a visit to Delaware where they are a few weeks behind us, I guess. So I returned to magnolia trees, redbuds, tulips, and ribbons of forsythia. Now back home where the iris are just starting to take off. I hope spring has finally “caught” up there and you are busy in your garden – which is exactly where I need to be.
Sounds like you had two springs, too. 😉 Yes, spring has finally arrived and today was actually in the upper 60s, which may sound like nothing to you, but it hasn’t been out of the 40-50 range all April. Cool, but nice for working. Yesterday I got my 1st tick (happy May day) and today the 1st black flies. Do you have those? Yin/yang.
I’ve been visiting nurseries for shrubs to fill in where we took five trees down. It is great to be out in the air and sun again.
The annoying little gnats which fly into your eyes are here, but they are NOTHING compared to your black flies. Nothing. Oh yes, Max went into the woods and I found two ticks crawling on me later that evening. Thankfully neither had imbedded themselves but it’s only a matter of time.
wow! so beautiful! xxxx
Thank you, Sophie. I hope you catch a bit of spring upon your homecoming. Give yourself time to re-acclimate to being home by walking in nature. 🙂
What a spectacular garden! I love those giant Azaleas, Eliza. They just dwarf the humans 😉 What wonderful color everywhere. I’m sorry I missed this post when you first published, Eliza, and I’m happy you had such a beautiful trip ahead in time to full-on spring 😉 What a pretty variety of Wisteria- different from what grows wild here… ❤
Thanks so much! It was a great place to visit. Wisteria has escaped into the wild there and like the Asian bittersweet here, drapes itself in great walls of vines through the trees. Probably a disaster for native trees, but when you see that wall of purple blooms, you can’t help but gasp at its beauty.
yes- Wisteria does that here as well. I just love the gorgeous surprise of it when it blooms each spring 😉
Beautiful pictures, Eliza. I thank you so much for reading WordSisters and liking the blog. Elizabeth
Thank you, Elizabeth. I enjoy your & Ellen’s writing very much!
Beautiful place to wander. Thank you.
My pleasure, thanks for stopping by!
The flowers of the south. Beautiful!
Thank you, Fabio!