Easter sunrise in the gardens of Bellingrath

Easter Sunday, I marked two items off of my list of things I have not done. I attended an Easter sunrise service and visited Bellingrath Gardens and Home. This was accomplished all at once.

We got up around 4 a.m. and were out of the house by 5 for the drive to Theodore, Ala., south of Mobile. An hour later, we parked under the massive live oaks in the parking area of Bellingrath.

It was still dark and we were told to follow the lighted path. We couldn’t see much around us in the darkness but the scent of flowers was surrounding us. The lights on the path and volunteers stationed along the way, kept us moving in the right direction. We reached the house and folding chairs were set up facing a makeshift stage and a wooden cross adorned with Easter lilies. We chose our seats and wiped the moisture off with a towel that was provided. It wasn’t long until most of the seats were occupied and a few people were standing behind the seats.

The service started at 6:30 a.m. and sunrise was at 6:38. It was a little foggy, so we were not able to see the beauty of the dawn, but the setting around us more than made up for it.

After the service, we took a path towards the Fowl River. I had my camera and around every turn, I found something to take a picture of. The colder-than-normal winter delayed the peak of the azalea blooms this year which worked to our advantage. Instead of catching them near the end of the season, the colorful array of blooms was just getting started.

We walked the Bayou Boardwalk first. The cypress trees were intermingled with flowering trees making for an unusual combination rising from the dark gray mud. We made our way to Mirror Lake and the beauty of spring unfolded as we followed the flower-lined path. Although the sky was still gray, the azaleas and trees were bursting with color. The air was still, so the lake was truly a mirror, reflecting the glorious colors of the surrounding grounds.

We walked through the Fountain Plaza, the Grotto, the terraces and around the house. The Southern Belle was leaving the dock for a tour of Fowl River, so we watched as it made its way around the bend of the river. We didn’t see everything that morning, but what we did see was amazing. It left me with a hunger to return to see the rest. I did take 150 pictures before we headed back to Mobile and across Interstate 10 to Baldwin County.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home first opened to the public year-round in 1934. It is in full-bloom with camellias in the winter, azaleas in the spring, roses in summer, chrysanthemums in fall and Magic Christmas in Lights during the holiday season. For more information on what is in bloom, the gardens and events, visit www.bellingrath.org.

I can’t believe it took me so long to visit. I will definitely go back soon. Next time, I will add to the experience by taking the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island.