In full bloom: Linda and Gene Penzel have kept the Pinecrest Azalea Gardens a tradition since the 1970s

Since the 1970s, in March each year, Pinecrest Azalea Gardens has opened to the public.

The 20-acre gardens at 799 Torre Lane in Oak Ridge are part of a 50-acre farm owned by Gene and Linda Penzel.

Admission is free, and from the opening date in March until the closing day in May -- this year May 15 -- thousands of visitors enjoy the beauty of the gardens.

Cutline-File Credit:Linda and Gene Penzel, owners of Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, move along a path next to some Azalea plants on April 22.Glenn Landberg

Flowers at Pinecrest Azalea Gardens in Oak Ridge as seen on Friday, April 22, 2016.Glenn Landberg

The gardens draw so many visitors that in 2007, Pinecrest Azalea Gardens won the Missouri Governor's Conference for Tourism Spotlight Award.

People come from South America and Europe and from all over North America to experience the tranquil beauty of the gardens.

"They come from all over the U.S., too," says Linda. "It's just such a pleasure watching them come out."

She says many people drive for hours to get there, and she suggests before making the trip, those traveling long distances call first to see if the azaleas are in full bloom.

Linda and Gene Penzel, owners of Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, move along a path next to some azalea plants Friday, April 22, 2016.Glenn Landberg

Some locals visit daily to view the progress of the flowers, she says.

What's more, the gardens do no advertising.

"It's basically word-of-mouth," she says.

Cutline-File Credit:The azaleas at Pinecrest Azalea Gardens in Oak Ridge as seen on April 22.Glenn Landberg

Linda Penzel said her husband's parents, Carl and Mettie Penzel, began planting azaleas in the 1960s.

Carl brought in a trailer truckload of azalea clippings and planted them.

The first year wasn't too successful, because he planted them in lower ground, and they all froze the first winter.

Not being one to give up, Carl loaded up the trailer again the next year and started over, but planted the clippings on higher ground.

Flowers at Pinecrest Azalea Gardens in Oak Ridge as seen on Friday, April 22, 2016.Glenn Landberg

Ten years later, the gardens opened to the public, and there are more varieties of azaleas than even Linda can name.

"There are some that we don't even know what they are," she says.

That's because a few of the original clipped flowers were not identified by name.

"It was just a surprise," Linda says.

The flowers at Pinecrest Azalea Gardens in Oak Ridge as seen on April 22.Glenn Landberg

Flowers at Pinecrest Azalea Gardens in Oak Ridge as seen on Friday, April 22, 2016.Glenn Landberg

Bushes are teeming with blooms in red, orange, yellow, white, lilac and many other hues.

"There are so many different colors it's hard to think of them all," she says.

Cutline-File Credit:Linda and Gene Penzel, owners of Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, move along a path next to some azalea plants on April 22.Glenn Landberg

The azaleas are 8 to 12 feet tall, but she says some surrounding their house are taller than the roof.

The gardens also contain rhododendrons, as well as dogwood, redbud and pine trees.

Linda and Gene Penzel, owners of Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, move along a path next to some azalea plants on April 22.Glenn Landberg

The azaleas don't usually come into full bloom until mid-April, but the gardens open in March so people can enjoy the blooms of the 500,000 jonquils and daffodils that start off the season.

This year the azaleas came into full bloom on April 17, she says.

Linda says she and her husband hope one of their four grown children will someday take over the running of the gardens, but it is a lot of work.

"It's a good retirement activity, but it would be really hard to have a full-time job and take care of this," she says.

The gardens are open during daylight hours, and Linda says some people, especially photographers, take advantage of the early opening to get shots at daybreak.

The place has been a backdrop for many photo shoots, from prom pictures to wedding portraits.

One local woman, Linda Lewis, has photographed her children every year of their lives in the gardens, and it's a tradition she's continuing with her grandchildren.

But to get a sense of the magnitude of the spectral array of colors and serenity of the grounds, people need to see it in person, because photos just don't do it justice, Linda says.

"You don't see the butterflies and bees and hear the birds a-singin'," she says. "I have so many people tell me that it's like a piece of heaven."

For more information about the gardens, or to find out the exact date of opening each year, visit http://pinecrestazaleagardens.com, or call Linda at (573) 979-1112.