A Day with Dahlias

“There truly aren’t enough words to describe the exquisiteness of dahlias. They’re simply stunning with their grand size—I have dinner plates smaller! And those rich colors— they’re absolutely drenched in beauty. It’s little wonder that they represent dignity and elegance.”

― Heather Webber

Yesterday was a glorious day!  It was the first time since my surgery on July 24 that I have been on an adventure with my camera.

Mike Smale, a member of the Upstate Region of CNPA, led an outing to Bullington Gardens, located in Hendersonville, NC.  One of the joys of membership in CNPA (Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association) is learning about new places to photograph.  CNPA is an organization that serves both North and South Carolina.  The organization has thirteen regions that allow members to meet regularly with photographers in their area.  Members of CNPA can receive newsletters and emails from all regions if they choose.  That is how I learned of yesterday’s outing at the gardens in Hendersonville.

I have always enjoyed seeing the beauty of dahlias in photographs taken by other nature photographers in the organization. I was aware that some entire gardens are dedicated to growing dahlias, but I had never experienced one. Yesterday was my day.

I was overwhelmed by the beauty and explosion of color in store in the Dahlia Garden, just a small portion of the beauty that can be experienced when visiting Bullington Gardens.  I was pleasantly surprised to find many photographers I already knew enjoying and photographing the dahlias when I arrived.

In the morning, I focused on the individual flowers, trying to capture their beauty.

After a couple of hours of photographing, my friend and fellow photographer, Bev, invited me to join her and other friends for lunch.  They chose a winery, Burntshirt Vineyards, located within a ten-minute drive of the gardens.  The food, conversation, and scenery were delightful.

Following lunch, several of us returned to the garden.  During this second look, I began seeing things that escaped my attention earlier in the day.  The backgrounds for my subject and the relationships between the flowers themselves were much more apparent.  I was grateful that I decided to return after lunch.

Although this was my first time experiencing the dahlias at Bullington Gardens, it certainly won’t be my last.  I am very grateful to Mike Smale for leading the outing, the Upstate Region of CNPA for welcoming those from other regions, to CNPA for all of the wonderful opportunities for growth and making friendships, and for Bev and my lunch companions for a lovely visit.

I highly recommend a visit to Bullington Gardens.  Perhaps I will see you there sometime in the future.