Yesterday we were tourists in Memphis.  After a visit to the tourist information center where we saw statues of two Memphis icons

 

Then, armed with locations of the day's destinations for housekeeping and tourism, we first visited the Memphis Botanic Garden.  This 96 acre facility is indeed an oasis of tranquility in a town known for rhythm, blues and rock and roll.

 

First up was the sensory garden.  This peaceful place has mostly raised beds so that the sights, scents and sounds can be enjoyed by those in wheelchairs as well as the "able bodied". 

 

While there, we met another visitor

 

 

The Asian garden had a collection of plants from the forests of China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Southern Himalayas  It included a number of the same Japanese maples I have in my yard. 

 

 

I was especially fascinated by this tree and its beautiful peeling bark.  It turned out to be a Japanese Crape Myrtle, Lagerestroemia fauriel 'Fantasy'.

 

 From here we went to the Japanese Garden.  It is considerably smaller than the one at the Missouri Botanical garden with a greater emphasis on Niwake tree pruning. This is similar to Bonsai but is for trees planted in a garden.  The shaping is intended to evoke feelings or images such as clouds and wind or rocks and mushrooms.

 

 We had fun trying to get pictures of this butterfly

 
 

After our somewhat hectic existence the last few days, we appreciated the slow, relaxing pace of touring this garden.  They had many other areas that would be of more interest at different times of the year including a rose garden, azalea walk and an iris garden.  See more about it at

http://www.memphisbotanicgarden.com/

 

After taking care of some chores, we visited Sun Studio, the acknowledged home of Rock and Roll.  It was here that Sam Phillips (actually his 'secretary' Marion Keisker) discovered Elvis Presley.  He recorded Elvis when he 'rocked up' "That's All Right" and the rest is history. He was also the first to record Johnnie Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Ike and Tina Turner and others.

 

 

The actual control booth of WHBQ where That's All Right was played 14 consecutive times because of call-in requests.

 

The artists of Sun Records

 

This was taken after Elvis' contract had been sold to RCA and he was not legally supposed to be in the studio.  When he dropped by with Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee already in the studion, Sam 'arranged' to get Johnnie Cash there and they somehow began jamming.  There are copies of this recording out there in the world.

 

 

After a bite to eat on Beale Street, we strolled up and down a bit to soak in the Memphis vibe.

 

 No ride, no data