naturelover

Sometime in the next few weeks, I want to drive down to Charleston SC to check out all the gardens and plantation homes. I was told by friends that the azaleas and dogwoods are beautiful in Charleston but only out for a few days each year.

Anyone from the greater Charleston area who can tell me when the dogwoods and Azaleas will be in their full beauty?

GoTravel

The Azaleas, Dogwoods, and Bradford Pears are in bloom now. The Azaleas will not be in full bloom in a few weeks. They last about 2 weeks tops.

naturelover

Are you sure (Go Travel)? I heard that it has been a very chilly spring and everything is 10 days late in blooming this year?

Anyone else have feedback?

starrsville

I'm heading to Savannah this weekend for their annual garden tour and events. I can send a status report on what's blooming so far and input from the Savannah experts re their predictions for "peak".

GoTravel

I'm south of Charleston and they Azaleas are blooming.

This is a weird explanation but bear with me.

There is never an exact date that the foilage blooms so nothing is 10 days late or ten days early etc.

From my understanding about the way nature works, the bushes and trees don't have a time table. Their dormant time could be 5 months or 5 minutes but the sap starts returning when the tree detects warm weather. In order for the tree to bloom, it has to have a certain period of warm weather to get the tree out of its dormant state.

In 2002 I had my azaleas in full bloom in Mid February. I've had them bloom as late as the first week in April.

Keep in mind 50 miles can separate dormant trees from trees in full bloom.

While it has been rainy, it has been quite warm. Spring is here, the flowers are glorious.

Don't wait too long, Charleston is spectacular right now.

I'm running the Cooper River Bridge Run Saturday morning so I can give you a better idea of what stage the flowers are in.

Scarlett, what are y'alls flowers doing?

GoTravel

Charleston is sold out pretty much Thursday through Sunday for the Bridge Run. Make your reservations now.