No trip into the mountains of East Tennessee is ever disappointing, so let’s just say my recent trip to Roan Mountain was not quite what I had hoped. Home to the world’s largest natural Catawba rhododendron garden, the third week of June is usually the peak for this flowering extravaganza.
This year, nope! Most of the blooms were long gone, as were the equally beautiful flame azaleas. The trail out from Carvers Gap still offered a few individual holdouts that provided photographic opportunities.
Flame azaleas bloom in vibrant clusters of orange and yellow, with the occasional scarlet blossom thrown into the mix. Here, I composed the scene with flowers in the foreground and the beautiful layers of the North Carolina Blue Ridge in the background, building depth into the image.
Next year I will go early. You can always come back, but if you miss it, you have to wait another year to try again.
Photographer Chris and painter Robin Rohwer share a photograph or painting each week that has captured their interest, in hopes that it will also capture yours.
Visit their studio and gallery in the Phoenix Building, 418 S. Gay St., to see more of their work, or explore their collection at www.ChristopherRobinArts.com. All works are copyright-protected.
Enjoyed this article and artwork? Read more Christopher Robin features on KnoxTNToday.
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