The Lily Barn 2018

Sultry Siren lily at The Lily Barn 2018

The Lily Barn 2018 

Kenny & Dana Koogler

 Monday June 25, 2018

Lily Barn 2018 Pix Here starting with frame #295

   Kenny and I rode out to Cades Cove on a drizzly day to see what the status was on the heirloom gladiolas.  I also hoped to find some ragged fringed orchids in bloom.   I did find some of both, but neither was very satisfactory.    The good news was the day was rainy so the traffic around the loop was light, and did not take long to go round.  It has been a weird bloom season.   The gladiolas while up appeared to be early yet.   I did find the blackberry lilies starting to bloom.  I did not see the indicator plants I had previously used to gauge the season for the orchids blooming at all!  I did finally find a few orchids, but they were all well past peak bloom.  It was a lackluster day, but 

it was still good to be out of the house.    

Above: Heirloom gladiolas with Rich Mountain in the back ground.

Closeup of Bolivian Peach Gladiola.  Fresh with raindrops.  

Yes, I waded out into the middle of the briars and weeds to get this shot. 

Above: Closeup of the blackberry lilies in bloom.

Above: close up of what is left of a Ragged Fringed orchid. They looked a bit more raggedy this year than last.  

      Not to be so easily outdone, we headed for the nearby Lily Barn on the ride home.  

Kenny had been a very long time between visits.   The rain let up enough for me to get out and 

walk around to see the various flowers.  It is always a quiet, pretty place for a stroll.  Today was no exception.   I figured the camellias would be in bloom, and I was not disappointed to find they were.

The season for lilies should have been about a week or so early, but they looked beautiful as ever.

  

Above: my favorite lily...... Corryton Pink.  

Deep maroon Smith Brothers lily is real eye-catching.

Above:  a pair of Hot Ember lilies.  

Below: Wave after wave of colors frame the gazebo this year.

Below: Close up of a mountain camellia (Stewartia ovata)

Above: Carr's Creek flows through the grounds at The Lily Barn. You can see rain drops breaking the smooth surface of the stream. The rain has picked up again and it is drizzling a little harder.

Below: a scene along the walking path on the grounds.  Crepe myrtle shrubs, blackberry lilies, purple phlox,  cone flowers, and begonias to name a few things in this vignette.

Below: The Lily Barn on a rainy day.  

Above: a scene with the greenhouse and covered bridge in the frame.   

last of all... Lavender Tonic lilies close up.   It was a good day.  We are blessed to live in such a gorgeous area that we can get out and do things like this so easily.  I try not to take it for granted.

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." 
Luke 12:27 KJV

Consider the Lilies