Dogwood Days

A warmer than usual March brought blossoms out early on the dogwood trees and azalea bushes in the yard and all over town. I discovered a couple native azaleas blooming in the front yard. They smell heavenly, almost like honeysuckle, but they don't look much like the more popular hybrid azaleas. Picture those showy bushes that line the Augusta National Golf Course during the Masters Tournament.

From the Azalea Society of America website, a great resource:
"Azaleas have been hybridized for hundreds of years. Over 10,000 different azalea plants have been registered or named, although far fewer are in the trade...All North American species azaleas, also called native azaleas, are deciduous (drop their leaves in the fall), with flower colors ranging from white to purple, pink, red, orange and yellow. Evergreen azaleas, native primarily to Japan, have flower colors including white and various shades of purple, pink, red and reddish orange, but not yellow."

Dogwood trees in bloom line the property along Pitt Moore Road.

 Evergreen azaleas provide a beautiful backdrop for dogwood blossoms near the driveway.