Sometimes you just need a break from designing… Yesterday my hubby and I headed off to the Great Smokey National Park. (Which is only 10 minutes away.) I wanted to find some wildflowers and just relax as we road through the forest.
Here is one of the scenic views.
One of the many scenic views.
We stopped at Elkmont and took a stroll. I admit I was too lazy to take pictures except for this one of an unusual shrub that was planted by the new Appalachian Center.
Is it a bamboo? Is it a sweet pea?
On our way home, we found this hidden gem in Townsend, TN.
3 generational wildflower garden
My hubby and I had a great time as we got a small tour of the gardens. Here is a small sample of April’s gardens. (They were started by her grandmother and extend for acres.)
Part of a wildflower garden.
Of course, I was in LOVE with the colors, blue, red, deep rust, red violet with the sweetest mix of green.
Dappled sunlight adds to the color.
After deciding which beauties to take home, we walked through some of the rest of the garden and saw a plant which brought me back to childhood!
A Native Lady Slipper!
I couldn’t wait to get home and plant my “Jack in the Pulpits” (white and red), a beautiful fern and a native selection of “Indian Pinks”.
Safely planted in my own shade garden.
If you come to East TN, be sure to make time to see the beauty of nature. I came home refreshed and ready to start my new quilt project! (And you can already guess the colors!)
Happy Stitching!