When not strolling around Savannah streets, we took day trips outside the city to see some interesting sights. Some things we've done before (like the Tybee Island Eco-Tour done by Dr. Joe Richardson on the beach) and some things were done for the first time (like the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens.
More photos for you to enjoy.
Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens (55 acres of bamboo, water features, an orchid house, crepe myrtle allee, magnolias, a white garden, mimosas, ponds, camellias, cottage gardens and rose gardens) is still called The Bamboo Farm by locals.
The land started as a USDA research farm growing and testing nothing but bamboo. It became the Botanical Gardens when the University of Georgia took over the running and began adding beautiful plants and flowers throughout the acreage. It is well worth a trip!
I think this large pond, with mimosas growing along the banks, was my favorite, while Jerry spent a lot of time in the orchid house taking photos.
Our first full day in Savannah was Sunday, May 14th, and we took advantage of the late opening (noon on Sunday) to spend 2 hours walking the grounds, taking photos, and enjoying the various areas - and we didn't even see it all in 2 hours, but were getting a bit tired by then.
On Monday we took a tour of the Savannah Bee Company, seeing the indoor hive and learning some interesting facts about the life of bees from Henry Givens, tour guide extraordinaire. We saw the outside hives (one standard and one unusual one that can be set up in your backyard - if your town will allow it).
The hive is inside the store - and how do they get in and out? They come in through a pvc pipe in the outside wall that goes into the hive so there is a lot of activity going on. Henry pointed out the queen, the wagglers, the workers, and how the queen works to keep the hive growing and flourishing.
Outside, after putting on our beekeeper hats (we all looked so elegant), we saw a traditonal hive and this interesting and unusual one called a plank hive (if I'm remembering correctly). The top opened up and there were wooden slats (like a zylaphone) over the top of the hive (which had a glass front below the slats so you can see the activity). Each slat lifts up - and there is the honey.
I, of course, then loaded up with goodies from the store - honey, whipped honey, honeycomb, honey straws, honey hand soap, etc.
We got a lot of photos to use as references for more bee paintings!
More to come...
3 comments:
Love honey, hate bees. You are a brave soul to get that close to them! Enjoy the honey, tho.
Love, love, love the bees! I'll bet you could do a fabulous interpretation of that hive!!!
Now, Deb, you don't hate bees, you are just afraid of bees! They didn't even light on us and we were right there at the hive when he pulled up that wooden slat to show them underneath it. And Savannah Bee Co. honey is delicious - I had to bring home some, of course!
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