What better way could I choose to spend some time than strolling around the pathways of a lovely garden? That is exactly what I did this week when I went down to Bellingrath Gardens in deepest Lower Alabama. Seeing the beauty of a place like this feeds my soul.

I’ll stick with the required six photos today, but we will have to revisit here again another week. I’ve already cheated in my Twitter posts this week by showing some of the many pictures I took. There’s a lot to see in this 65 acre garden that the Bellingrath family started as a fishing camp over one hundred years ago.

The top picture is the iconic scene of Mirror Lake that’s often shown to represent Bellingrath Gardens. I was about a week too late for the peak azalea season, but many were still flowering for our enjoyment. You can see something blooming every day of the year between seasonal shrubs, trees, perennials, and annuals.

I didn’t make it to all the garden areas and walkways. My time was limited to half-a-day, but I will certainly go back, since there’s always something pretty to see.

Water features play a prominent role. The Grotto is fed by a watercourse that runs through this area and down into Fowl River below. Terraces surround the home, where either man-made or natural water sources are always in view.

Paths take visitors through both shady lanes and sunny areas, like The Great Lawn. The property suffered hurricane damage through the years and lost many of its original old trees.

There are also many interesting pathways like The Rockery which follows a series of waterfalls and pools.

I was inspired by this place when I started my garden over three decades ago. I always said, “I’m making my own Bellingrath Gardens.” Maybe if I had the resources Mr. and Mrs. Bellingrath had and an army of skilled gardeners to help with the labor, I might have met that goal by now. I’ll keep working on our one acre, since it’s never finished. In truth, their garden spot is never finished either, and they had a seventy-year head start on me.  

It is worth anyone’s time to visit this wonderful gift the Bellingraths left to all of us.

Whether your Easter lilies are blooming or not, have a blessed Resurrection Day!

Shalom, Dottie

To see more of this showplace, visit their website:   https://bellingrath.org/

Twitter: @Bellingrath1932   or   https://twitter.com/Bellingrath1932

I want to give credit to the guy who founded this fun Six on Saturday idea. He lives in Great Britain, and his Twitter handle is @cavershamjj You can find his blog at:https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/