The Elizabethan Garden, Roanoka, NC. 5/29/2011

After visiting Festival Park in Roanoke, we headed across town to see my pick, of things to do. As we drove through town I spotted this home. I've always wanted a home with a big front porch like this.

It is a Bed & Breakfast near the downtown water front district.

There are three attractions in this area on the north end of the island.

I wanted to see The Elizabethan Gardens. These gardens were planted in the name of Queen Elizabeth of England.

This is the entrance of the gardens. The cost was $8 per adult.

After paying in the gift shop, you step out to this fountain.

I love these bushes, that frame gardens. They are called boxwood bushes.

Most of the garden is in the shade.

Joe spotted another skink in the garden. He had spotted two at a campground in North Carolina, a few weeks back.

Joe and I know, from having a garden, you never have a lot of color all over, unless you plant a lot of annuals. When we had our garden, there was something new always blooming for about two weeks, then the flowers would die off. Just as they died off, different flowers would bloom somewhere else. It is especially hard with a shade garden.

This is the Queens Tea Garden.

Over to the right of the sitting area in the Queen's Tea Garden were the rose brushes. This rose is called "The Queen Elizabeth Rose", a gift from Queen Elizabeth II..

Farther into the garden is the Queen Elizabeth I statue.

A labyrinth

 Dressed up people left the gardens, as we entered in.We were told by a worker that a wedding  had just ended. The wedding party was getting pictures taken in part of the gardens.

The bride, bride's maids, and flower girl.

A gazebo in a traditionally made English thatch style, overlooking the Roanoke Sound.

A view of the sound.

Entering toward the Sunken Garden.

The Sunken Garden is a gem and focal point of The Elizabeth Garden design.

The ancient Italian Renaissance Fountain in the center make up the heart of the garden's cross design.

One of the eight Crapemyrtle trees that surround the center statue. These trees bloom a beautiful pink red. Unfortunately they were not in bloom during our visit.

Leaving the Sunken Garden.

Many hydrangeas in the garden were blooming.

Joe spotted a second skink, on a tree. he is a great skink spotter!

All the flowers, plants, bushes, and trees were tagged with their names. I don't remember this white flowering brush's name, but it had a very nice fragrance.

The insects thought it smelled good too!

This Live Oak was living in 1585 when the first colonists landed.

The Great Lawn

Marble Lion Bird Bath

The shade garden was wonderful to be at, since it was in the high eighties that day.

Pink Hydrangea

Leopard plant

Gift shop from the garden side.

Back to the beginning fountain.

The gardens behind the gift shop were in partial to full sun, with annuals.

The gift shop designed as a 16th century orangery house.

As we leave the garden I notice this annual, that had lost most of it's white pedals, but still dressed pretty in bright yellow.

We cross back over the Roanoke Sound to the Outer Banks, for home.