big fish.

i didn't even know the new hanover county aboretum existed until our recent trip down to wilmington. i'd heard of airlie gardens, with the glass bottle house, where people got their fancy bridal portraits taken and about which many magazine articles are written each year (and one blog post, coming soon..). but the aboretum? raleigh has one. chapel hill has one. but this my first trip to the aboretum in wilmington and i was really looking forward to it.

one of my favorite things about the aboretum was its abundance of brightly and uniquely colored foliage. the shades and varieties of coleus are so beautiful to me, and i appreciated the display that the aboretum had!

i also really liked the water garden. someday i will have one!

in the pond lived many large and hungry koi fish. eleanor and i bought some fish food for 25 cents from the vending machine and got to know the fish a bit better!

eleanor feedin our buddies!

there was also a japanese garden with a traditional japanese structure, and some delicate, colorful blooms that i could not walk by without photographing.

i felt so lucky and glad to have been introduced to the aboretum. it might not have the fame of airlie, but it has plenty to offer!

now, as i wrap this up, i'll return my focus to ewan macgregor and billy crudup in the real big fish. i haven't seen this movie in years. i've got my tissues. the ending is so wonderful it makes me cry.

photos of airlie soon!