Callaway Gardens

There  is good news and bad news on Callaway. The good is that it still exists despite financial challenges, and has some beautiful gardens and lakes. Once upon a time, we used to enjoy watching the Victory Garden on PBS. It was filmed in Mr. Cason's Garden at Callaway Gardens. The way the drive is arranged, we usually have visited here late in the day and when we were fatigued, so this time we went straight to it to start our morning.

The grapes were in and we were compelled to taste them. They were as delicious as any we have ever had.

Both muscadines and scuppernongs were plentiful. 

This trumpet vine was growing on the tin roof --and reaching for the sky.

I love the idea of garden rooms.

Their hurricane lilies were blooming ahead of ours.

I think this is a kind of rain tree. There was no label and no one to ask. 

The bees were humming in it. The ground  beneath was completely covered in fine gold petals.

So that was the good news in Mr. Cason's Garden.

The bad news is that the rest of the place was badly neglected and full of weeds, where once there were well-kept vegetable and herb gardens. Lantana and weeds.

A glorious giant hibiscus enveloped by tall weeds.

It would seem that there would be some way to close off parts that are not being maintained.