between scorching hot summer temperatures and all of the upheaval with our home improvements it had been four weeks since we last visited the aquatic gardens…
instead of a packed parking lot like at the end of July we were one of just a handful of visitors bright and early on Sunday…
even though there were fewer blooms than earlier in the summer the lotuses (loti) did not disappoint standing tall in the morning light with pearls of dew sparkling like diamonds…
there were lots of handsome lotus pods with their rattly black seeds…
and a fair number of fresh buds too…
this visit the tropical ponds really captured my attention…
the plants in these ponds have to be overwintered in greenhouses each year since they are not natives…
we were lucky to catch the big Victoria amazonica water lily in bloom as it only opens when it is cooler in the mornings and closes in the midday heat…
in the photo above you get an idea of how tall the loti are this time of year… surpassing Mr Magpie’s 6 foot 7 inches (measurement INCLUDES the FRED water bottle on his head)…
each visit to this national park is a delight with beauty and wonder at every turn (this was our fourth visit this summer)…
with dew soaked shoes we headed back to Virginia by way of PAUL’s and had a yummy bite to eat…
joining everyone over at Elizabeth’s Altered Book Lover for T Stands for Tuesday…
and offering another digital piece combining my photo and artwork for Art Journal Journey’s NATURE’S WONDERS theme ~♥~ thank you for your visit