I missed the official Rhododendron Festival that was held at Roan Mountain on Father’s Day weekend so we went to see them yesterday. The rainy weather was less than ideal but it didn’t stop us from enjoying these gorgeous purple blooms. Honestly, the mist created by the rain made it feel like we were walking through a fairy garden.
I was surprised to find that rhododendrons can be as small as shrubs or as tall as a tree. Interestingly, rhododendrons symbolize danger because their leaves are poisonous to both humans and animals. Now I don’t feel so bad that my dog, Joe, peed on 99% of them.
Check out the view! There was so much fog we could barely see people on the trail ahead of us until they were just a few feet away.
Joe got completely soaked, as did my husband, but this little one got wrapped up in a dry towel once we got back to the car. If you think his butt is fluffy now- wait until you see it right after its been towel dried!
I want to thank my husband for going on these crazy adventures with me. He braced the pouring rain and took pictures for me without a complaint. What a gem! I actually think it worked out better that we missed the “official” rhododendron festival because we ended up having the place mostly to ourselves.
I hope you all have a wonderfully productive week. Remember to stop and smell the rhododendrons… just promise me you won’t taste them.
Pin this post for later!