Early Spring at Birmingham Botanical Garden

A couple of weeks ago, we took a walk up the hill and were delighted to see daffodils bursting with bright yellow colors scattered around the hillside. A few days later, the temperature dropped to below freezing, followed by heavy rain. Then the last two days, we were rocked by 10-20 mph winds. Seeing white caps on the river, I can't help but think of the tornado that roared through here almost a year ago. Freezing temperatures, heavy rain and strong winds would not stop the daffodils from announcing its presence. Spring must be around the corner.

Last spring, we drove to Boston for a wedding. Along the way, we stopped in Washington, D.C. to see some friends. Our timing couldn't have been more perfect, as it was also the beginning of the Cherry Blossom Festival. We grabbed the opportunity to spend a day walking around the Tidal Basin to view the magnificent cherry blossoms. It was cold but totally worth it. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. from the mayor of Tokyo. So if you're thinking of visiting our nation's capital to see the Cherry Blossom Festival, make your plans now. This year's festival starts on March 20th.

We won't be in Washington, D.C. to view the cherry blossoms, but we'll be in Birmingham, Alabama this Sunday. We will surely stop by the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which incidentally is free to the public. Hopefully, the cherry trees will be blooming in the Japanese Garden. Here are some pictures from a visit one spring.