In the Gulf South, L.A. stands for Lower Alabama. Seasonal delights appear at every bend, especially along the coastline circling Mobile Bay. Two venerable attractions promise to brighten up your visit with flowers, fun, and a sense of wonder.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home
Huge oaks, tempered and bowed by a hundred years of hurricane winds, stand gnarled watch over 65 acres of cultivated color along the Fowl River near Mobile. Beneath their leafy canopies, bright swaths of azaleas, hydrangeas, and roses enchant visitors. Welcome to Bellingrath Gardens and Home, where plants bloom year-round, but the cool breezes of April make this the perfect time and place to celebrate spring.

You know you're in a special area when you see pots of flowers adorning the tops of trash cans. Blossoms burst forth everywhere. Vibrant tulips appear to be lit from within as light collects in their upturned petals. Roses wink and nod in a formal garden. Resurrection ferns and Spanish moss wave from twisted branches of ancient oaks. Orchids peek shyly from their perches in the Conservatory. And the azaleas and hydrangeas serve as brightly hued punctuation marks, underscoring and highlighting the gardens that Walter Bellingrath and his wife, Bessie, created and opened to the public in 1932.

Arrive early-we suggest 8 a.m.-for a quiet and magical walk through this springtime delight. A stroll around Mirror Lake is a must. The still water reflects azaleas adorned with pink, lavender, red, and white blossoms, giving a double image of the season. Another favorite spot for quiet contemplation: the fountains outside the Bellingrath Home. Serenity awaits here among all the colorful flowers. From the terrace, you also have a great view of the Fowl River, where daily cruises take visitors through the habitats of osprey, blue herons, and egrets.

No Place Like This Home
Allow time to view the Bellingrath Home; tours take place on the hour from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. While waiting, walk next door to The Boehm Gallery to see a unique porcelain collection. The house-a combination of styles that designer George Rogers termed English Renaissance-features 15 rooms, all containing original furnishings. The handmade bricks, salvaged from an 1850s Mobile residence, shelter a treasure trove of antiques, porcelain, silver, and glassware that took the Bellingraths 40 years to collect. Don’t miss the stunning Chippendale dining room banquet set and Czechoslovakian crystal chandelier.