My World Tuesday = Historic Virginia Farm = Meadowlark Gardens

My World Tuesday = Historic Virginia Farm = Meadowlark Gardens Regional Park

This Tuesday I want to show you what happened to a large farm estate in northern Virginia. The owners willed their farm to the state to be turned into a regional park with the emphasis to be put on floral displays. So this land has become Meadowlark Gardens Regional Park and it is worth several trips each season to see what is currently in bloom. In the above photo you can see the remains of the spring house that the original farmers used for storing food, dairy products, etc.

This is the lovely visitors' center that is at the entrance to the park. It is a large building with displays and information on the park and its botanical programs. Jack and I played hooky last Thursday to visit the park. This park also has a large pavilon that is used for hosting weddings and other social events. The day we were there a botony class was getting a guided tour of the park and its native trees and plants.

This was a couple that was having their wedding photos taken a couple days before their wedding so that they could savor some time alone in their wedding finery.

We found lots of tulips in bloom in pots

and in the ground.

Here is a nice stand of daffodils. My mother used to grow this variety.

Their were lots of yoshino cherry trees surrounding the lake and big lawn. The trees were slightly pass their peak with the high temps that we had last week so their was a "snow" of pink petals on the grass and on the lake.

In the middle of the lake is a gazebo that you can access by a long boardwalk.

There are lots of park benches for sitting and taking in the views and the aromas of fresh blossoms.

These tulips near the visitors center were quite colorful.

Doesn't this just warm your heart.

And in the children's garden there was a little Maypole!

Mothers and toddlers were enjoying the children's park.

Here's a little boy coming from the "twig house". Behind him is seated a red and blue "pot lady."

Well, I hope you enjoyed this visit to Meadowlark Gardens. Now please go visit some more My World Tuesday memes by clicking here: http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/