O South, my South!

O magnet-South! O glistening perfumed South! my South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse and love! Good and evil! O all dear to me!”–Walt Whitman

Finally the native azaleas are blooming!! These plants are native to our state (and the southeast)– they so different from the standard more squatty compact azalea we see planted everywhere (that being especially at the Masters in Augusta) and filling the shelves at Home Depot and Lowes. They have a woodsy quality and a flower that resembles a large honeysuckle on steroids.

I was afraid that the late cold weather had zapped all of the blooms and that the late last freeze took away all chances of the brilliant rusty orange flowers gracing my yard. I planted this particular plant several years ago and decided I wanted to find some more to add to the yard, as they are “native”—but believe it or not, they are not prevalent at local nurseries…but I’m still looking….