The world is but a canvas to the imagination.
– Henry David Thoreau

A few days before the official start of spring, I took a walk at one of my favorite places, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. The shadows were lovely, even though the trees are still bare. The crocus were in bloom – just barely – so spring is definitely on its way.

The last time I shared pictures from the botanical gardens, it was still early fall (click here to see) and there was an abundance of colors all over. The day I took these photos did not have such. I still enjoyed being there, but had kept my expectations low as to what I would see.

When the leaves are down, I see things that are otherwise covered up. I made that observation years ago and it’s still true today.

Here’s another view of the greenhouse. I don’t normally stand this far back, but I loved the composition of the center of the greenhouse against the empty trees.

I also don’t normally photograph the bridge from the gazebo (my gazebo shots are usually taken from the bridge though!), but once again, I liked how the light played with the shapes. Plus it was pretty empty, so I didn’t have to wait so long to get pictures without people in them.

I’ve noticed when I walk the dogs around the neighborhood that the leaves are sounding like fall when they skitter across the blacktopped road. We have a lot of old oak trees around the homes here and they don’t drop their leaves until they’re nearly ready to start putting out new green ones. So everyday there’s more leaves on the grass, the cars, and skittering around in the wind.

I was cold. I didn’t wear a winter coat, but I was wearing a heavier hat and my fingerless gloves.

The greenhouse was its usual oasis of warmth and bright colors. I love going in there when it’s cold out! Years ago, a fellow blogger (Patti at A New Day Dawns) left me a comment that the greenhouse was like dessert after a cold day in the garden. I laughed then and I still laugh now at that, because that’s exactly what it reminds me each time I go in there when the garden has so little color. In fact, some of the pictures that I took in January 2012 had more color and foliage than I found in mid-March of 2015.

Statue In the greenhouse at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Daffodils at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Yellow tulips at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

That statue had a little brown spider (most likely a wolf spider, nothing more) on its head. I didn’t realize it until I was nearly done shooting the picture and the spider moved! And yep, every one of my carefully composed pictures had that little spider on it. I did clone out of the final photo above. Still, wish I’d known it was there. I would have come back later to take the pictures.

I enjoyed the beauty of the day. No, it’s not the over-the-top cacophony of colors that I see from April to October. But it was pretty, the fresh air was great, and I enjoyed finding new photos that I wouldn’t have probably taken when the trees were in full leaf. It was a good day.

Path at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Front view of the greenhouse at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

The gazebo at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Crocus at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Self-portrait

Greenhouse from the side at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Statue In the greenhouse at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Overlooking the pond at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Looking at the bridge at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Daffodils at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Yellow tulips at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia

Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Virginia Walking crepe myrtles crocus daffodils gazebo greenhouse Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Richmond self-portrait stat statuary tulips Virginia walking wolf spider