This week's blog is a trip back in time for us, as well as our subject.  Several years ago, we went to Boone Hall Plantation located about 8 miles from Charleston in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  A recent article reminded me of the beautiful oak trees lining the main road to the plantation and I decided to share some of those with all of you.  Of course, now I want to go back again - so perhaps that will be in a future trip.

The website for Boone Hall Plantation says that it "was founded in 1681 when Englishman Major John Boone came to Charleston and established a lucrative plantation and gracious home on the banks of Wampacheone Creek. The family and descendants of Major Boone were influential in the history of South Carolina, the colonies and the nation. The McRae family is proud to present that history, covering over 330 years, on a daily basis."

We arrived and found that we were among the first (if not the first) to get to the road of oaks.  I don't see any tire tracks in the dirt road leading down to the plantation.  It made it great for us as we parked in the middle of the road and then started taking photographs of this iconic location.  For those of you that remember years ago to the mini-series "The North and the South" this was where some of it was filmed.

*** Note - these photographs were taken in Mid May of 2011 and while the azalas are done blooming, the flower gardens here are enough to have us spending hours here just photographing flowers.  Boone Hall Plantation was dog friendly when we arrived (hopefully it still is). Dolly was our dog at this time and she was very well behaved - dogs are not allowed in the house itself but everywhere else is dog friendly.

This particular version of the photo was 'warmed up a bit' as it had been raining and a bit cool in color in the original photograph (shown below).

Some people like it warmer, others don't - do you have a preference?

The plantation home is nestled among the beautiful oaks and has a fantastic flower garden in the front just beyond the brick wall.

Once we entered into the flower garden, I think we were all just lost in the beauty.  The flowers are about 2 feet high, which meant it was hard to find Dolly and a few times I hear her give us a little whine or bark because she couldn't find both of us.  The plantation house with the flower gardens was taken just inside the brick wall shown in the above photo.

I was overwhelmed by all the beauty in the flowers.  I haven't seen these here in Florida in such quantities, and as a macro/close-up photographer I couldn't help but spend a few hours in the flower garden.

Here's a poppy - I love these, but I don't think they grow well in Florida.  The honey bees love these flowers so I am assuming they are rich in nectar.

The slave quarters are made of brick and many are still standing.  They are small structures that are lined up in a row. Each one has a fireplace for cooking and warmth during the winter months.  They are a single large room with no interior walls (just the outside walls).

The oak trees have a natural beauty that can be overwhelming, particularly if you love oaks.  This photo shows one side of the oaks that line the driveway to the plantation.  To the left is a fence in area that horses roam freely.

Hope you enjoy our journey into the past.