Road Trips Gardeners generally don’t think of Indiana when azaleas come to mind, but tucked along the southwestern back roads of the Hoosier state is a surprise.

The Azalea Path Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 1502 North County Road 825 West, Hazelton, Indiana, offers visitors over 50 acres filled with 2,000 azaleas that should be at peak bloom from the end of April through mid-May. And, since it’s Indiana, you’ll also find chainsaw sculptures, a waterfall, a koi pond and winding pathways to wander.

And, speaking of perfect timing, the Azalea Society of America will hold its next convention April 28 through May 1, 2011, just south of Azalea Path in the Clarion Inn and Conference Center, 4101 US Highway 41 North, Evansville, Indiana. It’s hosted by the Lake Michigan and Tri-State chapters of the Azalea Society.

(Photo of Nyohozan Azalea by Bob Stelloh, courtesy of Azalea Society of America)