Tyler Excursion

I've been monitoring the Azalea Trail bloom status in Tyler, Texas to see when the best time for a two and a half hour drive (one way) into East Texas would be. Where we live the soil is much more alkaline and so they don't grow well, unlike cactus, mesquite, oak and cedar trees. Friday was the last practical opportunity as the girls and I are leaving for Pennsylvania this Thursday, and I didn't want to cram two trips too close together. It was chilly and drizzly and I was afraid that the bushes wouldn't be in full bloom, but patchiness would be better than missing it altogether. I also wanted to time the trip to catch the wisterias and the dogwoods. As it turned out, all three early spring bloomers were in peak form, or close to it. Unfortunately our camera has been dropped a few times so it doesn't focus all that well, and lavender looks washed out. But here's the best of.

First we went to the Tyler (Caldwell) Zoo where the wisterias cover the wild cat cages.

Samples of the Azalea Trail.