Evening star., 1941-01-26
Early Flowers Serve
As Prelude 10 Floral
Beauty in Carolina
Old Orton Plantation
Already Attracting
Pre-Sprine Visitors

RALEIGH, N. c., Jan. 25.-This
year as never before North Caro-
lima passed over barren winter and
merred from brilliant fall to BIOS
SOM ag spring in one of the widest
prof .sions of flowers ever seen this
early,
AL eady attracting hundreds of
visit rs is famous old Orton, 10000
acr plantation established in 1725
on HE Cape Fear River between
" lnington and Southport. Here
over lovers view one of the finest
remaining examples of Colonial
plantation homes in America, and
meander down miles of walkways
shaded by moSs-draped oaks, Jap
anese plum trees, tea olives, holly
and youpon. The formal garden in
cludes $50 varieties of camellias,
considered by many the best private
collection in the country, and later
the azaleas in riot of color.
Nearby are the ruins of the grave
yard of King" Roger Moore, orig
NAL owner of Orton; ruins of St.
Phillips Church and of Gov. Tryons
palace, nearly hidden by thickets of
smilaX and Virginia creepers; holly
and dogwood, mimosa and crepe
myrtle. January and February are
the peak months for camellias, and
March and April for the azaleas.
Pilgrimage in April.
Near Wilmington, too. is Airlie
garden. open during the North
Carolina garden pilgrimage, which
this year takes place early in April
The garden tour will cover the en-
tire State and will coincide with the
height of blossoming in each section
and with number of local garden
shows and other flower events. 1t is
routed to visit historic as we'll as
modern gardens and will include
more than two dozen cities.
From tropical Bald Head Island
with it's Sabal palmettoS and great
magnolia grandifora off the coast
of Southport. the blossoming season
moves northward to Terra Ceia and
tulipland Here during Easter week
the bright yellow and red tulips
stretch for miles, intermingled with
their rarer green, white and black
brothers. and tulips become king of
a two-day festival characterized by
Dutch costumes, street dances, pa
rades and a coronation ball.
From tulips the floral parade
passes to the dogwoods of Chapel
Hill. seat of the State university.
where spring festival is held in
the midst of North Cardinals most
noted arboretum. At nearby Duke
University the beautiful Sarah P.
Duke Memorial Gardens start to
bloom the latter part of February
with thousands of jonquils and cro-
cuses, and seasonal Towering con-
tinues throughout the spring and
summer until chrysanthemum time
in late October. Situated as it is
In the South's most beautiful cam
pus, the gardens draw thousands of
visitors each year.
In the sandhills section. around
Pinehurst and Southern Pines. sight
seers motor through miles and miles
of blooming peach trees bordered by
Carolina pines, as spring makes its
triumphal entrance to North Caro-
ina's winter resort section.
Gladiolus Gardens Next.
Winston-Salem next takes the
spotlight with its gladiolus gardens
at Reynolda. containing hundreds of
beautiful varieties, many of them
rare In this Piedmont area are
found the handsome Indian paint
brush, Atamasco lily, heath aster
and evening primrose. Next comes
Morganton's mimosa time, when
thousands of the purple blooms per-
meate the air with their exotic per-