Swan Lake Iris Garden is a 150-acre garden full of Japanese irises, camellias, lilies, azaleas, and magnolias. The 45-acre lake is home to eight species of swans.
The story surrounding the garden is rather interesting. It began in 1927 as a private fishing retreat for Hamilton Carr Bland, a local businessman. He had attempted to landscape his home with irises but failed miserably. Frustrated, he dug up all the iris bulbs and dumped them at the lake. The next spring, the irises came up and bloomed. They've been flourishing ever since. Mr. Bland deeded the gardens to the city in 1949.
The gardens are open from 7:30 a.m. until dusk. Admission is free. (The best time to view the irises is from mid-late May until early June.)
That's too funny. There were some flowers I tossed when they died and then my husband found the bulbs had taken hold in the dirt and they grew again.
ReplyDeleteYay for your husband saving the flowers!
DeleteHe was better at growing flowers than he thought.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pretty cool story!
Deletewow - what city? I reread the post and wasn't sure where it was located?
ReplyDeleteSumter, South Carolina. Sorry I didn't include the city!
DeleteGetting so cold, not many gardens going at the moment around here. Almost freezing here this am. Boooooo. Making blog rounds and waving hi. Hope all is well with you.
ReplyDeleteTraveling Suitcase
It's still fairly warm here. But my parents say it's snowing in the midwest.
DeleteWe do that all the time. Throw away flowers and they grow in wild.
ReplyDeleteHardy things!
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