The Azaleas of Nacogdoches is a photographic tour of some of the finest azalea gardens in East Texas, not to mention the United States. Follow Barbara Stump on her annual tour of these magnificent plants, culminating in the Ruby M. Mize Azaelea Garden where more than one hundred feet of purple spider azaleas are planted alongside University Road and frame one side of the garden. Composed of a broad variety of plant specimens, including Japanese maples, hydrangeas, camellias, and more than 6,500 azaleas, the Ruby M. Mize Garden is Texas's largest azalea garden and attracts thousands of tourists annually. The garden is designed in a naturalistic style to showcase the full range of azalea colors, as well as camellias in the winter, Japanese maple color throughout the year, and more than one thousand other ornamental trees. Here, however, the focus is azaleas, and page after page is a delight in color and composition. The azaleas of Nacogdoches are special, breathtaking, unsurpassed. No wonder Nacogdoches was recently named as the Garden Capital of Texas; The Azaleas of Nacogdoches provides compelling evidence why this designation is appropriate.
Barbara Stump is the Research Associate for Development at SFA Gardens and the project coordinator for the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden. Barbara received a BS in English from Iowa State University, USA, in 1968 and her MS in horticulture from Stephen F. Austin State University, USA, in 2001. Her thesis topic was site analysis and design of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden.