Category: Flowers

In North Carolina, one of the sure ways to know that Spring is upon us is when the daffodils start to pop up and bloom. Traditionally most farmhouses in our area always had a clump or two of these beautiful flowers in the front yard.

(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

(Photograph copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)

Still-life photograph, oriental lily.

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

My wife’s Thanksgiving cactus blooms on our sun porch. She was given the plant by my step-grandmother Lucy some 25 years ago. Don’t know how long Lucy had it before that. A Thanksgiving cactus is like a Christmas cactus, which blooms at Christmas, and an Easter cactus, which blooms at Easter, except a Thanksgiving cactus blooms at….

Happy Thanksgiving.

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A cluster of sunflowers bloom in my neighbor’s garden in Randolph County, North Carolina earlier this summer.

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Sunflowers bloom in a neighbor’s garden near Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A water lily blooms in a neighbor’s pond near Grays Chapel in Randolph County, North Carolina.

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

When we think about plants associated with old Southern home places, magnolia and wisteria come to mind. Another plant that is very familiar is hydrangea. This example is in full bloom just off our back deck. I’m not sure if I enjoy the blue and purples blooms better than the beautiful foliage.

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Wild day-lilies bloom beside a corn field along a road near Millboro in rural Randolph County, North Carolina. I say wild, because even though the original stock probably started from garden plants at old homeplaces, day-lilies have spread along the roads and fields in our area, and during this time of year create a splash of color everywhere.