Current season

    GAINESVILLE IN LATE FEBRUARY and early March becomes a showcase for azaleas. The grounds of the Thomas Center in the downtown historic district become an island of flowers.

    These photographs were taken in a single morning in early March, 1999. The first shot (above) is the block-long wall of azaleas on Northeast Fifth Street, the eastern boundary of the Thomas Center Gardens. The next three photos are closer views.

    The gardens are surrounded by grand old Victorian homes, one of which is the backdrop for the second photo. A magnificent flowering dogwood shades the head-high thicket of azaleas.

    The Thomas Center was built in the 1920's as a private residence, and from the 1930's to the 1950's it served as the Hotel Thomas. Acquired by the City of Gainesville in the 1970's, it has been beautifully restored and now houses City offices and public areas. The eastern facade of the Thomas Center is visible in the background of the third photo.

    Mass plantings of azaleas of the same variety create intoxicating displays of color and texture.

    Moving to the south side of the building we find another impressionist array beneath palms and hollies.

    Different varieties of the azaleas at the Thomas Center bloom at different times, depending on the weather. The milder the winter, the earlier and more variable the bloom period will be. A few plants may begin flowering as early as December, but the vast majority typically peak from the third week of February through the first week of March. At the same time, numerous hollies on the grounds are still covered with berries, and flowering trees include dogwoods, saucer magnolias and fringe trees.

    The west side of the Thomas Center is dominated by large southern magnolias sheltering a fountain ringed by still more azaleas. Most of the azaleas in this area have white or very light pink flowers.

    On the north side of the gardens you can find several more secluded, more serene nooks in which to visit, read or meditate.

    We'll end our tour with this parting shot in our quest for the perfect azalea, having to content ourselves with photographs and memories until spring begins again.