Berry Picking at Petals

I have to tell you , that with all this talk about my garden and my mothers garden, that I had my heart of going to the "ultimate backyard garden". Saturday morning I woke up and was glad it wasn't raining, as it was last Saturday. I had missed out of the Blueberry Festival. I had given ample time for the berries to recover and turn blue again. I called mom and off we headed to Jemison. It was a perfect day for picking, we arrived just after opening. We had the place almost to ourselves. There were only a handful of people shopping around that early. We got our baskets and headed to the field. I always like to sample the berries to try and find my favorite, thus year my taste hadn't changed, for me it is still the Premier and the Climax, but I added another to my basket, the Powder Blue. I was enjoying immensely being in the field, sampling and just listening to the birds. The songs sounded so inspirational. So mesmerizing. So joyful, just listen....

It was so peaceful there in the field. I was really glad in a way, that I had missed the festivals-and crowds-of last week. "Mam? Are you finding enough berries to pick on the bushes?" Sitting on a golf cart was a gentleman with a straw hat and large brim shaded him. "Oh yes! I am, there are lots!" I said, showing him my basket of berries. I asked him if he was Jason, to which he said yes. Jason is Jason Powell, the owner of Petals from the Past. He and I talked for sometime about the peacefulness found in the fields, and how I woke last weekend and the rain had kept me home. He was just the kindest person. If you go to Petals and see him there in his straw hat, be sure to say "hello"-tell him that Leigh sent ya. He is well educated on the plants at Petals and can assist you in making a selection for your garden, or give you the recipe to some great lemonade, or just enjoy his conversation. He is one of those that you just enjoy listening to. You are bound to learn something from him.

"I just want to tell you, that whatever you pick today, we are going to match. Crops have been so good that we have an abundance of fruit. And there is some blackberry lemonade and ice water on the porch, help yourself.", and off he went onto his next task at hand. Mother and I topped off our baskets with berries, feeling the heat now, and headed to the porch for that lemonade.

Oh! Have Mercy! I must say that it was the coldest and best lemonade I have had in quite sometime. It quenched my thirst-well, actually, I just wanted more. But it hit the spot. Jason had shared with us the recipe for the lemonade, but mom bought the Petals from the Past Cookbook (6.95)

and the recipe was also in it....

After our cups of lemonade, mom and I decided we wanted to walk the grounds. It is a must if you come to Petals. There are so many plants varieties. And all look so healthy! Beauty surrounds quite literally. I picked up a deep purple variety of Butterfly bush, called Dark Night ($7.95). I also got a gallon eucalyptus Tree ($6.95). Then I hit pay dirt, a dollar table! And for the life of me, I do not know why the plants were marked a dollar, because they were all in good condition. I got a gallon of the fire grass, 2 of the gallon fox gloves, something that I have no idea what it is (LOL) and something that looks like a purple saliva-sort of.

After spending two hours at Petals we loaded up our goods and headed for our other destinations (post to come this week).

Be sure to check out my slide show below of the sights at Petals From the Past.

You will see-the grounds are BEAUTIFUL.