Friday, July 27, 2012

Crape Myrtles in Tennessee - It's Time to Show Off!

YES...It's great to be alive and be in Tennessee.  One of the benefits of experiencing a Nashville summer is the brilliant display of color.  Every year as the summer heats up, our Crape Myrtles show up in full regalia.

Crape Myrtles are a southern phenomenon with a plan to capture your heart and a place in your landscape.  They come in so many colors, sizes and varieties; it would be difficult to say that you don't have a the perfect spot for one of these beauties. Our house is third from the entrance to our community.  As I left for my appointment this morning, I counted 15 different colors and types of Crapes Myrtles in that short distance.  And they are so effusive in their display, it made me chuckle.




This picture was taken with my phone from my car window this morning.  I was on my way out at 9:30 and it was already HOT!  But one of heaven's blessings is that the hotter the weather gets, the happier the Crape Myrtles are.  Lucky us...Nashville is the perfect climate for these beautiful trees that burst with color during the dog days of summer.  So just when the heat starts to get us down, the Crape Myrtles come alive with their spectacular show and cheer us on!

By the way, do you like to win things?  We have a drawing each month for a Color Burst product or service.  Our July drawing is for one of our a gorgeous Container Gardens.  Click here to enter.  And then each month you will be enrolled in our drawing.  Good Luck!  

Friday, July 6, 2012

Our Beautiful Downtown Nashville

There is just something about our beautiful downtown Nashville that make it feel like home. My job has taken me all over the country.  I've lived in several cities - Houston, Philadelphia and Atlanta to name a few.  Every city has its own culture, architecture and skyline that it can point to with pride.  So what is it about Nashville that makes our visitors and residents so comfortable?  

Recently, I took a walk through downtown and it came to me.  We have dressed our city up like a front porch!  It's no wonder everyone feels so welcome.  

So I called a friend, David Wright, and said, "Go for a walk with me and bring your camera." David insisted on having the best light (for his artist's eye).  So we met around 4:00.  We planned to be there a couple of hours, but the hunt was on and we ended the day after 8:00. Of course we stayed for dinner.  Our conversation was very enthusiastic about the best way to display the photos and tell the story.  On the drive home, I decided that getting the point across would be done best through a video.  Finally, during a few quiet moments over the weekend, this video of Our Beautiful Downtown Nashville was produced,




or click on the following link to watch 

The personality of a city is not something that can be created or staged.  It is expressed naturally, even spontaneously through its customs, traditions, art, music and architecture. Nashville's casual nature is at ease as a setting for its bigger than life blessings.  That it naturally landscapes its streets the way we decorate our front porches says volumes about our city.  We are a vibrant city that feels comfortable, like a town.  Our beautiful downtown Nashville beckons visitors and residents alike to "just come and sit for a while".