Take an easy thirty minute drive from Lake Charles via I-10 West and you'll find the quaint town of Orange, Texas. The crown jewel in this cozy hamlet would be Shangri-La Gardens. We'd been to this lovely sanctuary twice before -- once in August (read that post here) and once in December to see their Christmas display. But never before in the spring, when the azaleas are in bloom. The garden is a joy any time of year, but April surely is the primo season to see the most blooms, before the summer heat withers the petals.
The garden also features these dazzling delphiniums.
The garden grows alongside a bayou. Hundreds of birds nest in the cypress trees. Species vary throughout the year. Presently, the rookery hosts great white herons.
Bob's keen eye spotted two snakes. Can you see this one?
How many turtles can fit on one log?
I love this little guy, sleeping in a greenhouse. So cute, the way he tucks his hands under his chin.
There's an orchid/bromeliad greenhouse.
The garden also features these dazzling delphiniums.
The garden grows alongside a bayou. Hundreds of birds nest in the cypress trees. Species vary throughout the year. Presently, the rookery hosts great white herons.
Bob's keen eye spotted two snakes. Can you see this one?
How many turtles can fit on one log?
I love this little guy, sleeping in a greenhouse. So cute, the way he tucks his hands under his chin.
There's an orchid/bromeliad greenhouse.
Great place and definitely worth a trip! Afterwards, we had lunch at one of our very favorite restaurants, The Old Orange Cafe.
Awesome day!
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3 comments:
I've never seen so many azaleas in one place. Beautiful! And that frog is remarkable.
I lived in Lake Charles for a while and drove through Orange plenty of times and never realized they had a garden there! Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures!
Karly, you are welcome and thanks for visiting!
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