Garden Travel Experiences

03/24/2026

One plant that was a delight in my garden in early spring is Georgia Blue speedwell (Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’). This is a non-native – “Georgia” refers to the country, not the state. Only four to six inches tall, it is covered in tiny blue flowers. It is perfect beside a conifer, since this slow-spreading groundcover’s demure size doesn’t interfere with low branches. What would really make this combo sing would be yellow daffodils to contrast and draw attention.

02/28/2026

“I’m going to say things that are very uncomfortable to hear.”

Visiting 6-8 Louisiana plantations west of New Orleans in a few days is heavy, serious, heartbreaking. It also includes inspiring stories, complicated world history lessons, and fascinating architecture. The homes built here were in a humid, subtropical French colony. Some of the plantation homes have Greek columns, others have a more colorful, Caribbean feel.

Plantations are taking on the mission of telling the stories about slavery that others are not telling, stories that are hard to hear – and need to be told. Walking among the oaks and palms and focusing on architecture are welcome breaks as we absorb these stories. Blog posts will be written later, but today I am sharing the architecture of Whitney Plantation.

02/28/2026

It would save a trip to recycling…

02/27/2026

02/26/2026

02/26/2026

This picture was in the White House when Bill Clinton was president. Now it is in the in Little Rock.

02/26/2026

Grandmaster Haeng Ung Lee was the founder of ATA Martial Arts, formerly known as the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) and championed including Taekwondo as an Olympic sport. ATA Martial Arts has been headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, since 1977.

This peaceful park is beside downtown Statehouse Convention Center.

01/27/2026

Even a little tree can make a difference. This is a young, native Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus) in my snowy back yard, one day becoming the size of a Dogwood or Redbud.

Fringe Tree is my favorite tree, with blooms that catch the breeze in late spring.

It is a larvae host plant for several species of Sphinx Moth - some will become stunning winged creatures and some will be fed to nests of baby birds - both important roles in a garden's ecosystem.

01/01/2026

Going through files and decided to send a few post cards from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, gardens – the expansive Christopher Farm & Gardens, only open to the public a few days a year, and Bookworm Gardens, filled with families and joy on a sunny, breezy August Sunday. One photo is of an artichoke plant. I had had never seen artichokes growing on a plant!

11/25/2025

The goal for the day was 600 miles on the road towards a Florida beach. But an alternate route avoiding Atlanta traffic went near the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery AL. By days end I had experienced blooms, smiles, conversations, sketches, a boat ride on the Alabama River, 300 miles, and 10,000 steps.

The Hilton app offered a downtown Montgomery hotel for less than sporadic rural interstate hotels on my route. So I walked to Ravello Ristorante, where I savored handmade ravioli and a glass of wine on a terrace. I will still get morning walks on the beach, just need to get on the road at 6 am to get there. That worked out too because my muse woke me up at 4 am to write.

I had visited both gardens last year, so I could enjoy an hour or two at each in a different season. Are two gardens and downtown Montgomery better than an interstate hotel and a few more hours on a touristy beach? Oh, my goodness -yes. This why I love solo road trips –spontaneity, doing what makes my heart sing, waking up at 4 am to write if I want, indulging in a nice restaurant one night and slicing an apple to dunk in peanut butter the next.

The Legacy Sites

10/13/2025

Sometime you have to travel to remind yourself of the treasures at home.

Planning a visit to Crystal Bridges? Check out our seasonal visitor’s guides, browse our event calendar, or use our Plan a Visit page to learn about hours, parking, and what to expect while you’re here.