Liriope muscari is a species of flowering plant from the region of Easr Asia. It is also known as Big Blue Lilyturf, Lilyturf, Border Grass, and Monkey Grass.
A Trio of Liriope muscari
Lilyturf is highly valued for its beautiful striped leaves and its purple flower spikes. It is an evergreen perennial, meaning its foliage stays green year round. Gardeners tend to favourite as a border plant, ground cover (as it usually used here), or as a means to help prevent erosion. It spreads nicely and creates a dense mat.
Liriope muscari, Big Blue Lilyturf
Liriope muscari usually blooms in late summer to early Autumn/Fall. Coleman first notice the purple spike flowers a little over a week ago and insisted I take pictures with my phone. As the days progressed more and more of the lilac-purple flower spikes began popping up bringing colour to the garden.
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Following Terri’s and Brian’s lead on Sunflowers, I went in search of Sunflowers amongst my archives. I found some common sunflowers and some uncommon ones as well.
Here are my entries …
Wild Sunflowers Helianthus angustifolius, aka Narrowleaf Sunflower Common Sunflower Swamp SunflowersCarpenter Bee enjoying the Sunflower’s pollen Common Sunflower Common Sunflower Common Sunflower Terri’s The Flower Hour Cee’s Flower of the Day
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Stay Strong, Spread Cheer, Love, and Happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Plant M – Marigold, aka Calendula officinalis, Mary’s gold, common marigold, the pot marigold, Scotch marigold
Plant N – Narcissus pseudonarcissus, aka the wild daffodil or Lent lily
Plant O – Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis)
Also posting in remembrance of …
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
It has been extremely hot and humid in our area causing havoc on gardens and flowers to wither and fade away. Currently, There are not many left in bloom. However, I did manage to find a few.
These are from The Garden in The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History…
A Pair of Yellow Zinnias …
Zinnias
A Look at a Couple of Rhododendron indicum, aka Azalea indica L. …
Pink Azalea
Rhododendron indicum, aka Southern Indian azalea, has showy, vibrant funnel-shaped red, scarlet, or pink flowers that bloom in mid to late spring and occasionally again in the fall. ]These are both from the same Rhododendron (Azalea) Shrub.]
Rhododendron indicum, aka Satsuki azalea or Southern Indian azalea.
Now before we leave let’s take a look at an array of Sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) …
Sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) The #Flower Hour Cee’s Flower of the Day Bren’s Floral Friday
That’s all I have for y’all today. Till next time, have a fabulously fun and productive weekend filled with love, laughter, and happiness.
Location: The Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
They may look inviting to nibble on, but highly not recommended as the berries and leaves are poisonous to both humans and pets.
Wild Privet is a hardy fast-growing shrub with dense foliage, fragrant white flowers, and black berries. It grows along an embankment along the side of the road (this one in Cramerton). It is considered invasive escaping cultivation and forming dense thickets, outcompeting native plants.
The flowers of the Wild Privet are a nectar source for bees and pollinators. The berries (it’s fruit) are eaten y birds. The shrub provides cover for small animals.
Location: S.Main St.; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy nature’s beauty. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Oxeye Daisy are beautiful to look win a field. They are good for more than looking at as they are edible. When you harvest them make sure they are perfect looking, not wilted or brown. If you’re not using them the same day you harvest them you may choose to keep thin a vase for a few days.
The spoon-shaped basal leaves can be added to salads and dishes just as you would add a herb (best done in Spring). Moving on to Summer, the white flower heads can be used in salads and if you like they can be added to spring rolls. No need to cook the Oxeye Daisies, as the entire plant’s edible and can be eaten raw. For those adventurous food connoisseurs, the large flowers make an excellent garnish. Anyone adventurous enough to try eating any part of all of the Oxeye Daisy plant? I’ve not yet been adventurous enough to eat flowers in my food I prepare, but who knows maybe I’d like it and just don’t know it.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week Terri from Second Wind Leisureis giving us a theme of Plants/Flowers in Planters. Most of my recent flower shots have not been located in planters, therefore, I went searching through my archives to locate a few images that should fit the challenge.
Here are my entries …
The Farm The Schiele Museum Centennial Park Cramerton, NCCramerton, NCDSBG Belmont, NCDaniel Stowe Conservancy Centennial Park Cramerton, NCDaniel Stowe ConservancyDaniel Stowe Botanical Garden Kroger Garden City, SCPlants/Flowers in Planters/Pots Terri’s The #Flower Hour #41
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Plant G – Gaillardia pulchella (Aka Indian Blanket)
Plant H – Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna Pink Swirl’
(Hardy Hibiscus)
Plant I – Iris tenax
Aka Toughleaf Iris, Tough-leaf Iris, Oregon Iris
Also posting in remembrance of …
Bren’s Floral Friday
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
XingfuMama hosts the weekly challenge Whatsoever Is Lovely. The challenge is simple. Just reflect back over your week and see what is lovely, whether a thing or a moment, share in a post what is precious and lovely to you.
This week I am continuing with Whatsoever is Lovely to me; Beautiful Flowers & Butterflies #2. These images were taken on Coleman’s & my recent visit to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. The first area we visited was the Butterfly Bungalow. We had not previously visited the Butterfly Bungalow since the times we’ve visited Daniel Stowe Conservancy before were in the Springtime.
The best time of the year to visit the Butterfly Bungalow is during the Summer. Why do you think Summer is the best time to visit. Let me tell you. It is the best and only season to visit the Butterfly Bungalow due to the fact that it is a seasonal attraction that only operates from late May through early September, the warmest months of the year.
For this post I am focusing on the MonarchButterfly. The Monarch Butterflies eagerly feast on Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush) because it functions as an elite nectar source. The nectar of Buddleja davidii is rich in sucrose, glucose, and fructose which offers a dense spike of immediate energy. The blooms of Buddleja davidii emit a powerful sweet, honey-like aroma that attracts Monarchs from a distance.
Below are Monarch Butterfly photos I took on our visit …
Monarch Butterfly on Summer Lilac aka Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)
Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)
These pictured here are maintained in the controlled environment of the Butterfly Bungalow inside the Gardens of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.
Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Bely, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
While these may look like real, they are not. These “Cattleya Orchid” are glass blown orchids created by master glassblower JasonGamrath. He specifically tailored this highly intricate large scale Cattleya Orchid glass statue for Daniel Stowe Conservancy (formerly known as Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden). His Cattleya sculpture was designed to display all progressive phases of the flower’s life. This statue was originally apart of a Grandiflora Exhibition. Jason created the Cattleya Orchid glass statue by using highly intense, collaborative modelling and glass-blowing process.
“Cattleya Orchid” Sculptures
Even though Jason calls the sculpture “Cattleya Orchid” according to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy website call these flowers Glass Daffodils. However, in its description it calls the statue an orchid piece stating that Jason’s purpose was to allow people to “observe with the same eyes through which ‘he’ humbly and graciously experiences our natural world” (Quote by Jason Gamrath).
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: William H. Williamson, III Orchid Conservatory; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Walk/Hike. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Good Day everyone! This week Terri with Second Wind Leisure Perspectives has given us the prompt of Groups of Three (3) or More. I have selected Groups of Three or More in The Gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Having selected floral Groups of Three (3) or More I am linking this post with Terri’s The #Flower Hour.
Zinnias Crinum liliesPurple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)Coneflower Artisan Yellow OmbreYellow and Orange Day-lilies Plains Coreopsis — Coreopsis tinctoria var. tinctoriaTerri’s Sunday Stills Terri’s The #Flower Hour
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm and Altura UV Filter Attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the beautiful Flowers. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Admire the beautiful flowers and plants. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy the flowers. Get Outdoors and commune with nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location:
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Walk/Hike. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; Apple iPhone 13 Pro; Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
As the months pass by it seems like there’s another plant deciding to bloom sharing its exquisitely alluring beauty for all to see and admire.
Hosta ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ (aka the Plantain Lily)
This variegated foliage plant, I had thought was just an ornamental landscaping element (to me) surprisingly blossomed recently. Coleman said to me, “Take a picture.” So I complied with his request and am sharing a couple with y’all.
Plantain Lilies
The Hosta ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ also referred to as Plantain Lily is a fast growing perennial with variegated foliage and is highly aromatic with its summer blooms. It forms a lush, open mound of heart-shaped, apple-green leaves highlighted by creamy-yellow margins.
It has large trumpet-shaped flowers that range in colour from near-white to pale lilac. The sweet fragrance is said to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, however, I have not seen evidence of that on this plant.
First stage of Blooming Plantain Lily
It is planted next to a hydrangea bush and almost covering it completely as if hidden from view until it began to increase in growth and its blossoms became evident in the summer breeze.
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Pollinator Garden; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature’s beautiful creations. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Fragaria virginiana, is also known Scarlett Strawberry and Wild Strawberry. It is a flowering perennial that produces edible fruit. It spreads by runners making it an easy choice for use as groundcover. It can also be used as erosion control holding soil on slopes.
Fragaria virginiana
Wild Strawberries are native to North America, from Newfoundland and Alberta in Canada , south down Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma as well as the states in between like North and South Carolina. The plant produces small white flowers in the Spring with tiny, highly flavorful red berries following in late spring and early summer. They are primarily pollinated by a diverse mix of native bees, hoverflies, and small butterflies.
North Carolina’s native Wild Strawberry
These Scarlett Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) are grown in the garden in The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina. The Garden also contains several bee hives providing the bees which pollinate many of the flowers grown here.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Smell the amazing fragrance of flowers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Xylocopa micans, Aka Southern Carpenter Bee feasting on a Cornus foemina, Aka SwampDogwood or stiff dogwood
These Swamp Dogwood Flowers are located on the banks of Lake Haigler by the Hunter E. Martin Kayak Launch on Haigler Loop at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Cornus foemina, aka Swamp Dogwood or Stiff Dogwood
Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) is also referred to as wild bee balm, Appalachian Bergamot, Eastern Bergamot. It is a hardy, perennial wildflower native to North America and is in the mint genus family. It has distinctive lavender-pink blossoms, aromatic foliage which has an exceptional ability to attract pollinators and historically has been used for medicinal purposes.
It serves as a pollinator magnet drawing an enormous amount of bumblebees, native bees, predatory wasps, and butterflies. [The Garden where these are planted also has a section of four beehives with plenty of bees to help pollinate the flowers grown therein.]
For those interested in expanding their palates, you might want to try tasting its edible leaves and flowers. They add a spicy, citrusy, oregano-like kick to salads, jellies, and meat dishes. Also may note that historically the leaves have been used, by indigenous peoples, to brew teas to treat colds, flus, and digestive issues.
Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) Terri’s The #Flower Hour
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; In The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Tina with Travels and Trifles is this week’s host for the Lens Artist Photo Challenge. She has chosen a. Theme of The Rule of Three, not to be confused with The Rule of Thirds. I quite frequently post for Carol’s Thursday Trios so finding groups of three’s isn’t difficult for me. Whenever I am out and about I always look for possible three’s to use later on. For this challenge I am foxing The Rule of Three’s in Floral settings.
Canna discolor (aka Achira or edible canna) Gastonia, NC
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) Native to the Eastern North America Official Flower of Tennessee
Oakleaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Unlike Terri or Brian, I have not seen any dogwood trees lately. I have, however, recently visited the Garden inside The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History with a lovely variety of plants and flowers. I am focusing on the beautiful Echinacea purpurea, more commonly known as Purple Coneflower or Eastern Purple Coneflower.
One Purple Coneflower
Coneflowers are a popular native floral in a number of gardens (both private and commercial) in our part of the Eastern United States. They are a drought-tolerant perennial with daisy-like flowers. (It is a good thing these plants are drought tolerant since we are currently under water restrictions due to insufficient rainfall (even though it has rained here all week).
Two Purple Coneflowers
The coneflowers thrive in full sunlight and well-drained soil. All the plants and flowers in this garden are well cultivated and cared for. They have a long lasting blooming season from Summer throughout Autumn. Even though it is still Spring in our area, we have had summer-like weather and the coneflowers and other plants are thriving.
A Trio of Purple Coneflower
This year the garden’s Purple Coneflowers are in abundance and are a delightful attraction for pollinators (like butterflies & the bees in residence at the Farm) and provide seeds for birds. Coneflowers classic colour is purple, however, they also come in a variety of shades of pink, yellow, white, and orange.
A Gallery of Purple Coneflowers in a Garden
An interesting fact about the coneflowers is that every part of the plant is edible. Now I have not tried eating them as of yet, but the vibrant petals are said to have a mild, sweet , floral flavour. They make a colourful garnish for salads, desserts, or charcuterie boards. The young. tender leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked similarly to spinach. While the coneflowers are considered safe and nontoxic for humans and pets, you would want to avoid high doses due to the fact it is possible for them to cause upset stomachs. For further information about its culinary and medicinal uses check out Eat the Planet.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; In The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Common Salsify Aka Vegetable oyster, Purple Goat’s beard, Jack go to bed
The Common Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), is a biennial root vegetable which can be grown alongside parsnips and carrots. The plant produces grass-like leaves and thin, carrot-shaped taproots that are typically 8-9 inches long. True Salsify features purple flowers that white roots.
Its white taproot yields a delicate savory flavour that is often compared to cooked oysters, asparagus, or artichokes. While we’re talking about flavour, when it’s cooked it has an earthy nutty taste which makes it highly prized by chefs for use in soups, stews, and purées. You may cook them in a variety of ways from boiling, steaming, roasting, or mashing them. Besides cooking them, the young, tender roots can be sliced or grated for salads. The young shoots, leaves, and even the flower buds can also be eaten raw. If you choose to eat them raw, do not overeat them since they may lead to gas or bloating.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; in The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Eastern Prickly Pear, (Opuntia humifusa), is a cactus of the genus Opuntia. It is present in parts of the Eastern United States, southeastern Canada, and northern Mexico.
A Trio of Eastern Prickly Pear Flowers
It is a low-growing, cold hardy cactus that stands as the only widespread native cactus in the eastern United States region. It is widely celebrated for its ability to survive freezing winter temperatures, its vibrant summer blooms, and its completely edible parts.
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Blooms
Normally, it is stated the blooms appear around June-July. We have been having some extremely hot weather lately (feels like summer instead of spring). Guess nobody told the Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Blooms they weren’t supposed to bloom for another month.
After the cacti produce their flowers, it produces oblong, purplish-red edible fruits often referred to as “pear apples”. Wonder how tasty they’ll be.
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Spider-Lilies are in full bloom in the Catawba River at Landsford Canal State Park. They are such a beautiful sight to see and admire. This is the best time to come on down to Landsford Canal State Park and enjoy the Shoals Spider-Lilies. You’ll be amazed at their beauty regardless of whether you walk along to shore to the viewing point or kayak down the Catawba River to get an up close view.
Location: Catawba River; Landsford Canal State Park; Catawba, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
From The Shawshank Redemption
Rose 🌹
Orange …
“The sky takes on shades of orange during sunrise and sunset, the colour that gives you hope that the sun will set only to rise again.”
Ram Charan
Calendula officinalis, aka Mary’s gold, common marigold, pot marigold
Yellow …
“I really just want to be warm yellow light that pours over everyone I love.”
Conor Oberst
Dahlia pinnata, aka Garden Dahlia
Green …
“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.”
Martin Luther
Helleborus viridis, aka green hellebore
Blue …
“Good things are associated with blue, like clear days, more than singing the blues. Just the word ‘blue’ in the singular is full of optimism and positive connotation to most people.”
David Carson
Blue-Winged Wasp Scolia dubia
Purple …
“Be different. Be original. Nobody will remember a specific flower in a garden filled with thousands of the same yellow flower, but they will remember the one that managed to change its color to purple.”
Cameras: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; Apple 16 Pro Max; and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm & Canon EF-S55-250mm lenses.
God Bless. May the Sun shine upon you, may you be filled with love, hope, and joy throughout your journey. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic weekend. Enjoy the Spring Florals. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Love & Peace to y’all. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Last week I shared a pink rose peeking out of garden bush. Ordinarily I don’t share from the same plant two weeks in a row, but I am fascinated with the variety of colours and shades on this rose bush.
As the week has progressed more and more buds have been blossoming. What’s surprising to me is the vast variety of shades on the same plant. The blooms vary from whitish with pinkish centre’s to varying shades of pink and even what appears to be reddish or dark pink buds. I do not recall seeing such a variegated colour scheme on one plant before. For comparison you may check out last week’s roses by clicking here.
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dale, the host of the Cosmic Photo Challenge has asked the question “How does your garden grow?”. We haven’t lived in our current location long enough to plant a garden, but nonetheless, a small garden does exist on the property. I have shown a few pictures in other challenges, however, I show other pictures not previously posted.
These are some of the Eastern Skunk Cabbage growing in the garden …
Location: Home Gardens; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. May you be blessed with new adventures, new friendships, and an abundance of happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Symplocarpus foetidus, aka Eastern skunk cabbage, is growing in a small garden of our rental home. When I first saw the plants in the small garden I wasn’t sure what type of plant they were.
Aka Eastern Skunk Cabbage
The Eastern Skunk Cabbage is a native North American wildflower. It is known for being among the first plants to emerge in late winter.
Close-up view
It is a low-growing plant that grows in wetlands (Why here, I’m not sure. We definitely don’t live in a wetland area. We did have snow and ice storms this winter though.) and moist hill slopes (the area it’s planted in is more or less flat) of eastern North America.
A single unopened plant
We moved here evidently after the plants had already bloomed. When in blooming season, the plant produces a foul-smelling, maroon-and-green mottled spathe (hood) that covers its flowers, attracting pollinators like flies and beetles with its heat and odour. Its foul-smelling odour is the main reason it is called “Skunk Cabbage.”
Once the Eastern Skunk Cabbage flowers, then large, cabbage-like leaves unfurl, and the plant is toxic if ingested raw, causing burning and swelling.
Location: Backyard Garden; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic weekend. Enjoy the Spring Florals. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This is an excellent week for combining The Flower Hour, Spring Festival 2026 Week 4, while remembering Bren’s Floral Friday and Cee’s Flower of the Day challenges. As stated in my CWWC/CFFCpost Coleman and I hiked the Lake Crawford Trail at Kings Mountain State Park. The trail was displaying an impressive array showing colourful signs of Spring.
Here are a few pics of Spring signs we saw on our Hike …
Terri’s The Flower Hour Dawn’s Spring Festival 2026 Week 4 Bren’s Floral Friday Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lake Crawford Trail; Kings Mountain State Park; Blacksburg, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic weekend. Enjoy the Spring Florals. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Happy Blessed Passover! Happy Easter! Have a wonderful day and week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
On our walk this afternoon Coleman and I saw several flowering trees on our way to the T Jeffers Center. One stood out on the corner across from T. Jeffers Park.
Location: Near T. Jeffers Center; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and admire Nature’s Beauty. Take a walk Enjoy the Outdoors. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 