It’s good to be home. More so, 24 hours after my return to Austin last week, the sky opened and delivered a welcomed dunk of rain followed by the coolest temperatures since last April. These lovely events kicked to the curb the second hottest and driest October on record. How nice is that?! I’m glad I missed the heat; where I traveled, the weather was perfect.
The Monarchs are coming through, too.
They’re late this year, owing to the drought, I suspect. Amber-winged beauties waft through my garden, movements highlighted by autumn sunshine, wings opening and closing as they perch. Proboscises unfurl at floral fonts in search of the next sweet meal.
The garden is in its second spring, blooming madly, providing for all who partake.
Bees are busy at this bloom-up time, as are birds nibbling seeds from the same spent blooms.
I spent a good deal of October in Europe with Amsterdam as a base, Belgium as a new-to-me place to explore, and Georgia to celebrate these two Sweet Things as they married in Georgia’s capital city, Tblisi.
Why Tblisi? Son-the-Groom is American, Beloved-the-Bride is Iranian. Georgia offers easy legal requirements for foreigners to marry and every country in the world has signed on to the legality of civil marriages performed in Georgia. As they currently live in Erbil, Iraq (Kurdistan Autonomous Region) and are planning to move to an EU country in the not-too-distant future, marrying in Georgia was a romantic and practical slam-dunk for these two crazy kids!
The photo of the newlyweds was taken in the Japanese garden section of the National Botanical Garden of Georgia, a glorious green space in a busy, congested city. The botanical garden is located in the heart of the Old Town, with the highest point, guarded by Mother Georgia, overlooking the sprawling, dynamic city.
Winding up and down pathways along the Tsavkisis-Tskali River, the garden is located within the river gorge, waterfalls and hills define the landscape. The garden boasts well over 4000 plant families, with pockets of formal gardens surrounded by forested areas and the soothing sound of water.
It’s an old garden, established in the 1600s and expanded over the centuries. In our few days in Tblisi, we spent a good deal of time there, also exploring parts of the Old Town area.
Post wedding, an afternoon train to the Black Sea port and resort city of Batumi, in the Georgian Republic of Adjara, deposited us in a place with a very different vibe. However, we found ourselves once again charmed by gardens. The Batumi Botanical Garden is a huge garden, covering 270 acres, with thousands of profiled plants, particularly focused on subtropical flora. The pathways are steep, the focused garden exhibitions lush and available for exploration.
Stunning views of the Black Sea present themselves through groups of large trees.
Interestingly, both botanical gardens focused on trees of the world, while the formal gardens were placed like surprise gifts along the pathways. There were quite a few trails and we spent most of a day in Batumi Botanical garden, grateful for places to rest and enjoy the beautiful and peaceful space, appreciative of those whose wisdom and foresight created such a place.
I was tickled to find a small section dedicated to native plants. One plant was in showy bloom, a Prenanthes petiolata.
I used my iNaturalist app to identify it as ‘a member of Lettuce Subtribe (Subtribe Lactucinae)’, native to the Caucasus and Western Asia. It’s always nice to meet a new plant.
Funnily enough, in Belgium and then again in Georgia at the botanical gardens and other places in Tblisi and Batumi, I came across this plant: a cultivar of the native Texas Salvia greggi, Salvia greggi, ‘Hot Lips’.
I’ve seen ‘Hot Lips’ for sale at nurseries here in Austin, but I’ve never grown this cultivar. The Europeans sure like it and it certainly grows happily where I visited.
I was impressed with the cleanliness of both botanical gardens. As well, while Batumi is focused on tourism, especially with the many casinos, the public parks were many, varied, and well used by the population. My sense is that folks in Tblisi and Batumi appreciate the special qualities of each garden, are respectful of natural habitats, taking care to keep the trails and gardens free of litter. I haven’t necessarily seen that in other European (or American, for that matter) gardens.
It’s good to be home, but it was a great trip with sweet memories that I’ll cherish.
My Gardener Says... 
What a great trip. I imagine the classic ballad “Georgia on My Mind” has taken on a new meaning for you. And speaking of recast associations, Hot Lips (Hoolihan) of “Mash” has also acquired a new floral meaning for you.
On our October trip out west we passed through Reno, Nevada. It sounds like what the city of Reno once was for easy divorces, the country of Georgia has become in the facilitation of marriages. Mazel tov to son and daughter-in law.
Happy second spring with monarchs back home.
You chose a good sunset scene to end your post with.
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It was a great trip, part vacation/part family reunion–of sorts. I’ve never been to Reno, though as a teen, my family traveled through part of Nevada. And thanks for the mazel tov–we’re tickled with his choice of partner.
I was concerned before we left that there were hardly any monarchs. I think they must have known to leave late, that the weather would be more conducive to travel along with. I always wish them well.
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Wow, what a great adventure you had! In an odd coincidence, I just finished reading a novel that mostly takes place in Tbilisi, a place I barely had heard of before and now, mentioned twice in one week! Serendipity! Congrats on your newest family member. 🙂
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That is a funny coincidence. We didn’t get to see much of the country side, only a bit as we traveled by train, but the sun set and the rest of the trip was in the dark. I’m not sure I’d go back to Batumi, but I’d be interested in Tblisi again. Foodie types extoll Georgian food and wine–and both are wonderful, I agree.
Thanks on the congrats–she’s a peach!
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How wonderful! All around, but especially congrats on your son’s and new DIL’s wedding. 🙂 It looks and sounds like Georgia was the perfect place for them to get married. Beautiful scenery and adventures, and also some time in other European countries. Very nice! And I’m so happy that the heat has broken for you folks in Texas. I’ve been to Texas several times in winter, spring, and early summer, but I imagine autumn is a beautiful season there, too? Cheers!
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Thanks Beth–we’re very happy for them both and enjoyed meeting her family. The wedding party was very small, so we were able to spend good time together, language barriers notwithstanding.
I’m happy the heat is done too! Our summers are actually ok, I don’t mind the heat, it just tends to go on…and on…and on!
Autumn is quite lovely, so glad it’s here!
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That’s a lot of sweetness, and it’s especially wonderful that you had plenty of time to share it with family new and old (although I’m sure you wished it longer!) I just refreshed my knowledge of geography and learned a few things, like the distance between Tbilisi and Erbil: approximately 400 miles. I was curious about Mother Georgia, and found that the statue was erected in 1958, the year Tbilisi celebrated its 1500th anniversary! I love the symbolism; in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies.
It will be exciting for your son and new DIL to embark on two new adventures together: marriage, and a move to the EU. I’m glad you were there to share the first, and I’m glad you made it back home before the airline chaos began. The brother of a friend had his own adventure at Newark today.
About a week ago TP&W posted photos and a video of masses of Monarchs at Enchanted Rock. They do seem to be late, but they’re certainly doing their thing!
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As long a trip as it was (I’m such a homebody, so long trips are both blessings and frustrations!), yes, we only see our son (and now his wife) once/year. We talk all the time though!
Erbil is hard to fly in and out of. It’s relatively close to Tblisi, but they have to fly through Istanbul and sometimes, the layovers are long, though that wasn’t true for this trip.
I got several shots of Mother Georgia from the back and side, but never from the front. She stands at the edge of a deep cliff (REALLY deep!) and I kept forgetting to catch a shot of her front half when I was ‘down below’! Georgians are known for their wine, so I guess her holding the wine bowl is appropriate.
Georgia has been considered the model of democratic governance amoung the former Soviet satellite states, but has taken a right-wing turn in recent years. I noticed in several places, ‘f*** Russia (with various spellings), so there is a backlash among the population to the government’s cozying up to Russia. Maybe that’s where Mother Georgia’s sword will come in handy! We suspected (for various reasons) that there’s some money laundering through massive hotel over-building in Batumi–most likely Russian oligarch money.
As for the monarchs, it’s turned out to be a decent year for them–go monarchs!!
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I just realized I am not getting your posts.
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Congratulations on your son’s marriage. My youngest was also married in October. The gardens are beautiful. Hot Lips is making it around the world!
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