Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Color at the Castle


On Saturday, my close friend David and I trained a class of docents who will be conducting tours at the Tovrea Castle that I've mentioned many times before.  In spite of the unseasonal heat, there were a lot of wonderful cactus blooms to enhance the scenery.  Here you see prickly pear blooms on the hillside next to the castle.
And another set of gorgeous blooms were a surprise that waited right next to the castle.












And to top it all off, the Saguaro Cactus were blooming all over the property.  It was a delight to see and a special treat for our guests that day.
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16 comments:

  1. Stefan JanssonApril 24, 2012 at 2:15 AM

    Sure would be nice to create a castle like this. I really like that first photo.

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  2. KarlApril 24, 2012 at 2:59 AM

    Oh.. the first is really a great shot, Sharon! Also the cactus blooms are fantastic.

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  3. brattcatApril 24, 2012 at 4:35 AM

    all of us in the northern hemisphere are rejoicing.

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  4. KateApril 24, 2012 at 4:37 AM

    The cacti are beautiful. and I admire the composition of your top photo.

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  5. glendaApril 24, 2012 at 4:43 AM

    The cacti in bloom are such a treat and you have some great shots. Enjoyed your photos from Julie and Daves dinner party event. I do believe I spotted David and I.

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  6. KathyApril 24, 2012 at 5:18 AM

    I'm hoping on my next trip to Phoenix I can get you to give me a tour.

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  7. Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.comApril 24, 2012 at 5:33 AM

    The layers of cactus, balconies, etc. in the top photo are wonderful.

    It looks like the Tovrea Castle is a desert botanical garden in addition to being an architectural gem and a slice of Phoenix history.

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  8. UnknownApril 24, 2012 at 5:56 AM

    What a fantastic composition on top! The blooms are just gorgeous. Besides the Mammillaria species I posted last week, several cacti from my collection are also about to bloom. :-)

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  9. Julie ScottsdaleDailyPhoto.comApril 24, 2012 at 6:04 AM

    this is a stunning photograph and should be a postcard!

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  10. RandyApril 24, 2012 at 6:12 AM

    Great shots Sharon. I love the last one.

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  11. JudyApril 24, 2012 at 7:15 AM

    That would be an extra treat! It must be so pretty right now.

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  12. MagpieApril 24, 2012 at 7:54 AM

    What a great shot of the saguaro blooms. You must have been shooting from the castle downward. I never get this angle on my shots because they're always way at the top of the cactus. :) Beautiful blossoms.

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  13. RedPatApril 24, 2012 at 9:39 AM

    What a great show of blooms!

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  14. LowellApril 24, 2012 at 11:26 AM

    These are amazing cacti. I'll never forget what a surprise it was when I first saw the Arizona desert in bloom! I had no idea. Beautiful flowers and your photos are perfect!

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  15. PerthDailyPhotoApril 25, 2012 at 8:57 AM

    Beautifully composed first shot Sharon, the cactii (?) look amazing in bloom, very exotic!

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  16. Gemma WisemanMay 5, 2012 at 4:58 AM

    Adore the castle style with those narrow steps alongside! The first photo is like an invitation to explore an amazing place!

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