The 56th Azalea Garden Tour (April 3,4,&5): The 2009 Azalea Garden Tour, presented by the Cape Fear Garden Club, is a leisurely self guided tour of 12 private home gardens in the city of Wilmington. Below are limited glimpses of three of these gardens.
The first Azalea Garden Tour was officially held in 1953 in association with the North Carolina Azalea Festival. Mrs. P.R. Smith, a past president of the Cape Fear Garden Club, is credited with originating the idea for the Tour.
The Azalea Belles dressed in colorful antebellum gowns are also sponsored by the Cape Fear Garden Club and greet visitors in every garden. The belles originated in 1969 are are perhaps the most recognized symbol of the Azalea Festival, along with the star of the festival, the azalea. (Cape Fear Garden Club's 2009 Azalea Garden Tour Brochure)
