Holden Arboretum- a piece of Heaven on Earth

One of the greatest birthday gifts I have ever received is a membership to Holden Arboretum, here the Lord speaks to me through the beauty of His wonderful creation.

My Aunt Heather just gave me a renewed membership for my birthday.  I want to invite you to the place I consider Heaven on earth...

This is a picture from the Wildflower Garden of Holden.  Here echinacea, bee balm, and various cone flowers are prevalent, although soon will be out of season.  Mid-Spring these gardens as you walk through the wooded part are full of the above pictured bluebells, as well as my favorite, bleeding hearts.  I have many a time wandered through the wooded part of this garden in the spring to see turtles pushing themselves along the paths, and lovingly taken in the scent of fresh fallen leaves as the leaves are kissed by autumn reds and oranges. 

Spring is a wonderful time to venture through the Rhododendron Garden of Holden as well.  The Azaelea bushes tower over you and the paths wind through them like something from a serene fairytale.  Be sure to close the gate to the garden, as deer would love to venture in and munch on the bushes beautiful petals.

Holden is also full of beautiful ponds.  If you have little children take them into the Welcome Center where you can take out a discovery kit.  I took Devon and Daniel and we got a pond kit, which included nets to catch frogs, a container to view tadpoles in, and identification books.  Very educational, and also makes it fun for the children.

There is much to be shared of Holden and I am sure to add more blogs here soon on my ventures,

but for this evening I will share my favorite part of the garden last, the butterfly garden.

They just recently built a new entrance gate to the garden, very artistically crafted.  I personally love butterflies and have found this time of year in the butterfly garden to be active with flying beauties.  The garden is full of butterfly bushes, coneflowers, succulents, many water elements including a waterfall and water fountain.  Water lilies cover the ponds as well as frogs on the lily pads.  If you stay there long enough you will be sure to hear the swift wings of ruby-breasted hummingbirds.  Someday I desire to marry my husband there, should God bless me with that opportunity.  I have gone to one exceptionally beautiful wedding there .

Next post will delve into just why I find such love for butterflies and the significance of them in my life.

Goodnight my friends, love you, tomorrow I awake to 28 yrs. of age.