I've done a lot of traveling in this great country of ours and I've taken many pictures. I created this page to share with you the many pictures from the places I've been. From the rugged coastline of Maine, to the beauty of the Olympic Rain Forest in Washington State. I hope you enjoy the pictures that I have taken and find the small articles that I have written entertaining and maybe helpful for you to plan a family vacation! So get your camera, and let's travel the U.S.A. !!
The beautiful black waters of Swan Lake form the setting for the spectacular Iris Gardens. The lake is dotted with colorful islands and the wildlife is abundant. Swans, Canadian Geese, Mallards, Egrets, Herons and Anhingas call the gardens home. Here you can see many birds in the lake while enjoying the Japanese Iris' and many other flowers in the garden. You can even enjoy an afternoon picnic at the gardens too!
Swan Lake Iris Gardens is the only public park in the United States to feature all eight species of swans. Most of the birds call this garden home and stay here all year round. Above left is the Royal White Mute Swan, above right is the Black Australian Swan. The other swan species are The Whooper, The Trumpeter, The Whistler Swan, The Black Necked Swan, The Coscoroba and The Bewisk Swan.
When you come to the Gardens, bring some white bread and crackers with you. You are allowed to feed the swans and other water fowl! The garden supplies the birds with a regular deity food source, but the bread is a welcome treat to the birds. Some will even eat out of your hand! But remember that they are wild animals and can be very protective especially during the spring when they are mating and nesting. But most of the time the birds are friendly.
Swan Lake Iris Gardens began in 1927 as a private fishing retreat for a local businessman. At that same time, he was developing 30 acres of swamp for a flower garden of Japanese Iris. They failed. He then ordered his gardener to dig up the bulbs and dump them into the swamp. The following spring, they burst into bloom! Since then the park was developed into one of the finest botanical gardens in the United States. Other people donated land to the city over the years and today we have 120 acres of land with lovely Japanese Iris and other flowers. The swans were introduced to the park in the late 1920's and were imported from all over the world. They had a surgical procedure at birth so that they couldn't fly away. But today, their descendants call the gardens home, and even though they can fly away, most of them don't. they love their home here. There are two paths in the park which visitors can walk on. They circle the entire gardens. One trail encircles the lake. The other trail encircles the swamp. Both trails offer many sites of flowers, wildlife, and of course, the swans and other water fowl. The water in the swamp is black in color. The black color comes from the cypress trees. The cypress trees releases an acid into the water which turns it black.
Above: Azalea Bush
Other flowers featured at the gardens are Camellias, Day Lilies, Japanese Magnolias and the Japanese Iris.
Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a great place to spend the afternoon watching the swans and other water fowl. Watch them as they swim around and watch how many flock to you once the word is out that you are feeding them white bread and crackers! There are also several events through out the year which celebrate the blooming of the Iris' with fun for the whole family. You can even host a family reunion in the pavilion and have a fun family get together while watching the birds too!
For more information on Swan Lake Iris Gardens click on:
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