Blue Ridge Parkway/Natures Grand Designs

The Blue Ridge Mountains

Grandfather Mountain

Rhododendron on Grandfather Mountain

Blue Ridge Parkway Drive

Blue Ridge Parkway Drive 2 miles from Blowing Rock NC

Bass Fishing Lake feed by natural streams
1 mile from Blowing Rock NC

Blowing Rock NC, the little La Jolla and Tahoe of NC....homes built on sides of the Blue Ridge Mountains and quaint shopping throughout the city, will make you feel you are in La Jolla or Tahoe, replacing the ocean with the mountains.

My Mother's Day trip was spent 2 hours from Charlotte NC in The Blue Ridge Mountains. Charlotte has the best of all worlds being 2 hrs from the Mountains and 3 hrs to the beaches along with the many lovely lakes like Lake Norman. http://lakenormannc.com/The first stop was Grandfather Mountain walking across the swinging bridge http://www.grandfathermountain.com/ it was quite windy and a little frightening due to the altitude, however, the view took my breath away more than the wind!!! Next was a tour of the Natural Minerals Museum displaying minerals found in around the mountain area, this was located in Boone NC, which was named after Daniel Boone himself.

The second stop was Linville Falls which is a 3 mile hike to reach the back and the front of the falls....words can hardly describe the beauty and the serene sounds!!! The falls are located 19 miles from Blowing Rock, you won't be bored for that 19 miles on the Parkway, the boulders shown were just a few of sights along the Parkway not to mention the natural water falls you can see while driving.http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/lin1.htm

The third stop was Blowing Rock NC where you find quaint shopping, which I did, purchasing a water fountain urn of my own to bring home....I got use to hearing the lovely sounds of the water falls. I have placed it beside my flower garden.....now the sound of the water along with the birds has created quite the garden setting. A great place for me to relax and get over my soreness from all of the hiking, but it was well worth it.
http://www.blowingrock.com/

Aquatic Accents

Midwest Tropical is proud to be a second generation family business which has pioneered bringing design and innovation across the aquarium and water feature industries. Founded in the late 1970's Midwest Tropical has continued to evolve bringing new designs and processes to life.
Their techniques and methods have allowed these unique pieces of aqua art to fit seamlessly into both large and small businesses and homes; working with some of the premier companies across hospitality,healthcare and architectural design.

Capture the wonders of the undersea world in the most compact tabletop designs. Each AquaScape™ aquarium features beautiful panoramic sea scapes designed for natural interior. The unique circular shape of the AquaRound™ tends to magnify the underwater scene and provide an illusion of greater space while the Hexagon and Octagon models feature multiple views. Complete with pump, lighting, extension cord, decorative plants and under-gravel filtration.

Midwest Tropical has been the premier manufacturer of indoor water and aquatic sculptures, fountains, and features around the world. Our patented and trademarked product lines include Water Panels, AquaFalls, AquaPalms, AquaScapes, AquaTables, AquaColumns, AquaTowers, Aqua CD Towers, AquaVisions, Designer Series Aquariums, and more.

Their hand crafted line of acrylic water walls, waterfalls, bubble walls, bubble tubes, bubble lamps, table aquariums, tower aquariums, as well as custom and designer aquariums have graced the finest homes and businesses.

They offer a special thank you for shopping online.... free shipping on all Internet orders.

I have put in my Christmas order for the lamp and waterfall...
View their displays in video!!!

Patio Styles

Ahhhh, the poolside retreat!!!!!!!! This is an important factor about using lighting on your patio, once the sun goes down, light it up, to reflect shadows and create a romantic relaxed mood.

Ahhhh, I want to go here on vacation!!!!!!!!!

Lovely extended room patio with fireplace!!!!!!!!!!

Love this style for a patio home!!!!!!!!!!

This outdoor kitchen patio is great for the large estate surrounded by the woods and it is completed with a fireplace!!!!!!!

This design is perfect for high rise living, condos or second level decks.



The total jungle feel....I could do that!!!!

A contemporary style and the water does all the rest!!!!!!!!!!

This patio has an old world feel, adding the bright pastels gives it a contemporary feel. Love it!!!!

This patio is gorgeous serene and fits my style of relaxing with nature.


This beautiful eight-sided pavilion, designed by landscape architect Keith Anderson, is the focal point of a European-style garden. I found this elegant design at HGTV. You can just hear the sounds of the water fountain behind the pavilion.

Spring Fever

I don’t know about you, but I, for one, am ready for spring. I have trudged through enough snow, sleet and 5 degree temperatures to last me a lifetime! It has been the coldest in NC in 30 years so enough already!!!!
I've purchased my first ferns and flowers and WOW would love this patio design...think about it...remove the plants in this photo and it doesn't have the same feel of warmth and serenity. Plants, plants and more plants surround you with nature, which is why we go outside in the first place..creating that garden room inside your home calls for the same treatment...so go ahead bring nature into your rooms...add a waterfall for effect, inside or out. Don't forget the bird feeder and birdbaths, right now we are visited by birds, squirrels, and even a rabbit..... take the time for meditation in the garden you create....a reflective morning outside with your favorite book and your first cup of coffee is the perfect way to begin any day and celebrate life with a new day!!

Serene Sounds

This unique fountain channels the essence of the old Greek statues to create a stunning fountain. Shown here with an Aged Limestone finish. Crafted from strong cast stone, you can rest assured that this fountain will be sure to last for years to come. Pump and connections are included. It can be found at http://www.gardenfountainoutlet.com/Cara-Classica-Fountain You can also make your own urn fountain with these instructions: An easy way to create an inexpensive fountain is to convert a garden pot--any size--into a bubbling water feature. Place it on an apartment terrace on in a nook on your patio. Find out how to construct a bubbling urn and make your own small-scale instant water garden. Or, make your own indoor tabletop fountain. At HGTV there is also a link to design your own backyard waterfall http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_water_features/article/0,1785,HGTV_3575_1397648,00.html

Relax your mind and enjoy the quiet sounds of nature on the patio or your garden while capturing the serenity of the water in the background.