It was a perfect morning for taking pictures ... 65 degrees, with a brilliantly clear April blue sky. It was around 9:00 a.m. when I pulled into a parking lot across the street from the Vicksburg Rose Garden, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the bright reds, yellows, and pinks of the roses ... in full bloom, and beckoning to me to come get a closer look.
I was truly "in my glory" ... with church bells tolling the hour, a light breeze stirring, purple martins swooping overhead, and hundreds of dew-kissed roses waiting to be captured forever in pictures. I was so happy to be there, and as I looked at the roses through my camera lens, I knew I was going to experience many "How Great Thou Art moments."
This exquisite "red velvet" rose was my first one ... it was absolutely perfect.
The roses were glistening with dewdrops in the early morning sunshine, and looked as if their petals had been sprinkled with little crystal beads.
Another "How Great Thou Art" moment ...
Each and every rose was a work of art, and I loved capturing them from every angle.
I love this elegant old-fashioned looking rose ...
Some of the roses had tags on them. This one is called Mardi Gras ...
These red roses are called Oklahoma ...
Some of the petals were edged in black ...
This "orangey-red" rose looks as if it has a flame in the center ...
Queen Elizabeth
If you click on the next picture, you can get a closer look at the tiny dewdrops rimming the petals.
The Rose Garden is also home to several memorials honoring our veterans. My favorite is the Purple Heart Monument, which is dedicated to the recipients of the Nation's oldest military decoration, the "Purple Heart." I so wanted to add an apostrophe to the word "nations" in the inscription on top of the stone, though. I can't believe the sponsors didn't have the engraver go back and "squeeze" one in!
There are also monuments honoring World War I and World War II veterans ...
I hope you enjoyed my visit to the Vicksburg Rose Garden as much as I enjoyed my time there. If you are ever in Vicksburg this time of year, I hope you will take the time to go by and see and smell the roses for yourself. And, if you're lucky, you may hear the church bells playing "In the Garden" while you are there. That would truly be a "How Great Thou Art" moment, wouldn't it!
