10-19-17  Georgia State Botanical Gardens in Athens:


Today is Thurs---pickleball day.  I told Ken if he takes me to the mountains or to the botanical gardens in Athens, I'll forego pickleball today.  My knee is still pretty sore.  I hope to not have to give it up, but figure I'll let it heal more, then try to work back into sports at a less intense level.  Hopefully that'll work.  I hate to think I'm done with sports!
Anyway----we went to Athens to the free state botanical garden there.  Hadn't been since tulip season, so it was about time we got back there!
We even stopped for breakfast along the way---gotta love Huddle House!  Looks like someone loved it so much they tried to make it a drive through.

 It's a really pretty ride from Buford to Athens.  Most of it is through the countryside.   More barns to photograph.

Even a train.

 and a golf course or 2.

 But the highlight were the flowers in the median most of the way along highway 316 (or was it 317?). 

 miles and miles of flowers

 quite full and tall, too.

 Finally got to the garden.  Parked up on top of the hill.  There is parking down below near the entrance to the garden, but the signs to that parking lot said handicapped parking.  Found out later there is regular parking there, too.  Next time we'll park down there.
Got a kick out of this sign---looks like the guy is kicking the bus!

 getting ready to head into the garden---through the visitor center.

 Lots of these guys growing in the landscaping in front (and back) of the visitor center.  There were a bunch of them at the Atl Botanical Garden the other day, too.  I guess they like the hot weather here.

 Love the grass that grows a topper that looks like smoke from a distance.  The ones here were a pretty pink.  I also love tropical flowers---they love the hot weather here, too.

 Don't see many of these guys up here----lots of them in Florida---zebra Heliconian longwing.

 Canas---the tropical flower I mentioned above.

 Looking back on the greenhouse/visitor center from inside the garden.

 some of the late bloomers.

 a new bird to me!

 There was still a lot of greenery in the garden---not a whole lot else.

 the rather rough Victorian garden.

 last time we were here those trees where in bloom.  They were much prettier then.

 They were growing crops of Georgia in this little area.  Found it interesting to read that rice was a major crop back in the day.

 one of the many seating areas.

 another butterfly---a gulf frittilary, I do believe.

 the above guy with his wings up

 a cloudless sulpher?

 Then I came upon this guy!  The girls and even Ken have found painted rocks up in Lake Lure, but this is the first one I've found.  I thought it was simple but very pretty.  The artist even signed the back and put the year on it---Barb, 2017.  It is now on display in my apartment.   I was teasing that I should paint up a bunch of these and put them all over the cruise ship next month---with the Koningsdam theme to them.  Who knows, maybe I will and place them throughout the ship.

 continuing on our walk through the gardens.

 Heading down towards the overlook that we missed last time because there were a bunch of kids at it.

 looking back at the gate art at the bottom of the steps.

 Looking back up the steps---where I found the rock.

 another artwork---a clock. 

 The overlook we were going to was behind me, but it was closed this time because of a fallen tree on the trail.  So we sat in the shade awhile and enjoyed the views of the terraces.

 another late bloomer.

 back towards the steps we came down.

 loved the color on these leaves---red on their back sides and green on top.

 they deserve another picture.

 heading back up the terraces from the other side.

 back up to the crops we walked through earlier.

 pretty little button flowers.

 thought this was cute---as in "never enough time".

 the herb garden.

 back to the back of the visitors center---and palm trees!

 water lilies are still blooming.

 along with these carnivorous plants.

 another kind of carnivorous plant

 don't know that these are, just thought they were interesting.

 heading back up the hill to our car through a forest.

 fungi on a tree trunk along the way

It was a beautiful day to be in the garden.  The weather is still warm---low 80s, but the humidity hasn't been as high.  Time to get hiking in the outdoors!