Rhododendron gardens, Blackheath

I was struck by the beauty of this garden. It's rugged and rambling and Australian. The rhododendron garden covers 45 acres of bush land set in a little sloping valley in Blackheath. The volunteer-maintained garden takes you on a wander through incredibly tall and glorious rhodos and azaleas plants amongst different gum trees. There is such variety to these seemingly delicate blooms. The garden are open year round with peak season from early October to mid November but we visited a few days ago and the flowers are still looking grand. I met rhododendron in Rebecca before I met them in the tangible world. I adored the imagery of the rhodos/Rebecca's presence taking over the garden/life of whatever the narrators name was. They also serve Devonshire tea during peak season. Just sayin'

Also, here's to the kind of human who takes you on adventures to gardens in the mountains and understands {and assists} your compulsion to pick up good looking lichen covered branches and sticks.