Savannah in the Springtime

Flowering Dogwoods, Live Oaks covered in Spanish Moss, and Azaleas blooming everywhere you look: If that image appeals to you, consider visiting Savannah in the springtime. Last year, in March, we hit the peak of the Azalea blooms during our visit. It was cooler than normal with highs mainly in the 60s, which was perfect for walking. And you want to do a lot of walking in Savannah, Ga., because there's so much to see.



Arranged in distinct city squares--each with its own public park--Savannah has the largest National Historic Landmark District in the United States. I hadn't realized the structure of these squares; they made for comfortable walks around the city, with plenty of park benches and greenery for resting along the way. The homes are stately and beautiful, and most have historical significance; many are marked for explanation.













The birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, is now a museum and a National Historic Landmark.





National literary treasure Flannery O'Connor's birthplace is equally modest but maintained for public tours, lecture series, and other events.





If you're familiar with the book or the movie, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," you know the chilling true story was set in Savannah. It's interesting to see many familiar landmarks from the movie, including Forsyth Park with its three-tiered fountain and lovely arboretum.















Other scenes from the movie were filmed at the historic 160-acre Bonaventure Cemetery. If touring cemeteries doesn't freak you out, it's definitely worth a visit. In addition to its historic significance, Bonaventure is a stunningly beautiful garden, filled with Flowering Dogwoods, Azaleas, and many other blooming shrubs, trees, and perennials.









Make sure you also spend some time at the riverfront!





Many fun and reasonably priced restaurants along the riverfront have great views of the ships passing through on the Savannah River. There are some wonderful shops and art galleries on River Street, too.



Oh, and the churches are gorgeous, as well.







We spent quite a bit of time at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, with its beautiful spires and stained glass.







Flannery O'Connor attended St. Vincent's grammar school.



Another lovely and historic church is the Gothic Revival Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church.

And then there are the plants and flowers...

Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) draped on Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Red Camellia (C. japonica)

Double Bridal Wreath Spirea (S. spiraea cantoniensis 'Lanceata')

Various Azalea shrubs (Rhododendron spp.)

Make sure you take an evening walk in downtown Savannah, too. It's truly magical when the Azaleas are in full bloom, with oblique light resting on the foliage and blooms, the sun setting, and the city lights beginning to illuminate the beautiful parks and architecture.

Yes, Savannah is a fabulous spring-break destination. [Sigh.]

'Low-Country' Azaleas to Brighten the Day

Those who live in and near the Low Country or the low country, please correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that lowercase "low country" includes the coastal area between Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, as described in this TripAdvisor entry (see link). "Low Country," when capitalized, denotes a specific region in South Carolina. (In my blog post title, the words are capitalized because it's a title, but I'm referring to the "low country").

In any case, the Azaleas and some Rhododendrons (both belong to the genus Rhododendron) were at peak bloom in this part of the U.S. when we were there in mid-March. I'd been aware of their prevalence in the Southeast, but the multi-color display really exceeded my expectations. We have Azaleas and Rhododendrons (and even some native ones) here in the Midwest, and I've seen them in other parts of the country, but they're certainly spectacular in the "low country" in early spring.









The highlight of the Azalea blooms, this trip, had to be the explosion of beauty and color at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, but they were also lovely at the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, and throughout the region.









Among the beauties were several deciduous native species, including Piedmont (R. canescens), Flame (R. calendulaceum), and Florida Flame (R. austrinum) Azaleas.



Most we saw, however, were Asian hybrid Azaleas, which obviously love the growing conditions of the region. Most weren't marked, so I'm unsure of the cultivar names. I went overboard with photos, and I'm including just a few here--some native species and hybrids, and some Asian cultivars.













































The butterflies obviously appreciated them, too!

For more Azalea images, visit this post's Flickr album, which includes a small sample of the Azalea photos on my camera memory card. (Ooops, I snapped too many.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Note: There's still time to put your name in the hat for two garden books: "Vegetables Love Flowers" and "Shakespeare's Gardens." To read about them, check the "Products" tab at the top of this blog. Then, simply leave a comment on my previous post and let me know which book you want. I'll draw two names: one for each book. I'll announce the winners in my next post. Good luck!