Fleur-de-lis (The Lily Flower)You won't find an iris more plain or simple than this. It was about the only one to adorn the flower beds around 1900, before intensive cross breeding began. I still grow it. It's the first of all my iris to bloom, sort of a harbinger of what's to come.
Beautiful AmaryllisI love amaryllis because of its beautiful flowers, which last quite a long time and as by arrangement, they often flourish together.
Icy Asparagus Branches and FruitsUsing only frost and water, nature has turned asparagus branches with fruits into fabulous decorations.
Pelargonium (Geranium)Red has always attracted a lot of attention, and red flowers are always the most beautiful. Whether you are giving away or receiving flowers, red is a great choice.
Fungi PhotosWhile hanging out some laundry on a sunny November day, rare in this area, I spotted these interesting fungi. I am not sure what type these are. I love taking photos of mushrooms and other fungi. I hope you enjoy them.
Partridge in a Pear TreeNo partridge here but after all, it is the Christmas season! It was interesting to see the pears beginning to ripen on the pear tree.
Designs by Nature (Spiderweb)These water droplets appear to be a design as if someone painted them using water! If you look closely, at the top of the greenery, there is also a spider web woven into the droplet design--nature's mixed media art form.
Praying Mantis in My BackyardWe have a couple of praying mantises in our backyard. They like to hang out in our apple tree and passion fruit vine. Sometimes they are hard to spot because they camouflage so well. I just happened to have my camera out when I saw this praying mantis catch it's prey! It is very fascinating to see how small its mouth is yet it has such a big appetite.
Finches Dining on Rudbeckia SeedsTypically I don't deadhead my rudbeckia for this very reason. At the end of the season the birds love to eat the seeds. I had to take this photo through a window as there was no good way to get closer without scaring these sweeties away. They appear to be female gold finches or juveniles. I have nyjer thistle feeders further south in the same part of the garden.
Rose of Sharon Bloom (Hibiscus syriacus)My little Rose of Sharon plant got a slow start this season, but is now blooming again! I just had given it a drink right before taking this photo. I love the color of the flowers.
Peeling Bark on a Madrone TreeTo me, one of the most interesting and striking characteristics of madrone trees is the beautiful mahogany colored bark which crazes and then flakes off year round exposing the underlying green bark which will turn brown, then orangish, and finally this deep hue before it sloughs again.
Pretty Purple PlumsWe took a little day trip to explore parts of Arizona we hadn't been to before. Near Yarnell, Arizona (an old mining town), I saw these plums growing on the side of the road. Imagine that! Plums near the Arizona desert!
Hollyhock SkyThe beautiful sky and beautiful blooms reaching for the sun symbolize this perfect summer day.
Cute Tiny MushroomsWhile I was weeding in my garden I found a bunch of these tiny mushrooms all over the ground! They were so cute! You can see just how tiny they are compared to my hand in the picture.
Bee-utiful TomatoesA fun bee plant poke stands guard over the first tomatoes of the season. I'll give the green ones to mom when they get big and plump because she loves her fried green tomato sandwiches. The red ones I'll keep for topping my vegetarian hamburgers. This is the first tomato plant I've ever grown and I'm sure the bees have helped it along!
A Pop of Pink - Hanging BasketsA pop of pink adds so much energy to a garden. Here pink petunias and impatiens spill out over their pots to add a pleasing pop of color to my little balcony garden. Pink also attracts hummingbirds so that's another reason I incorporate pink into my garden!
Callistemon (Bottlebrush)This Callistemon Laevis has been growing in my front yard for years and there seems to be more blooms every year.
Snowball BushI captured this photo of my grandma's white snowball bush in Perry County, Ohio. Last summer while visiting her I noticed how it looked fully bloomed and I wanted to capture its beauty. This photo shows in detail the small flowers that make up the entire snowball bush.
Poppin' with Color (Poppy)While visiting my brother in the rural area of central Utah, we had a drive through historic Spring City and came across these beautiful poppies growing alongside the road.
Purple BeautiesPurple is my favorite color and when I saw these flowers in my sister's neighbor's yard, I couldn't resist.
First Raspberry 2020Summer is officially here when the raspberries fruit. They are so pretty to look at and the taste of a fresh-picked raspberry is indescribable!
Passionfruit FlowerIt is passionfruit season! Flowers are blooming everyday. I just love how detailed and beautiful they are that I had to share. :)
Blue Beauty (Butterfly on Sedum Flower)Autumn sedum beckons the bees making it almost impossible to capture the perfect photo of the vibrant blue butterflies that flit from flower to flower. Hoping against hope I wouldn't get stung, I planted myself next to the blooms, shutter in hand, waiting for the perfect shot. Behold, this "Blue Beauty" stopped for a sip of nectar, and click, I captured a forever memory.
Rose Celebrating a New DayThis rose caught my attention this morning because it was the only one in bloom, at the very top and center, and with what appears as arms (stems) up in the air. It looks as if it's saying thank you God for a new and sun shining day!
Spikingly Beautiful Cactus FlowerThis gorgeous cactus flower photo was taken in my home state of Arizona. Cacti are more than just green humps with prickles! They have blossoms of red, pink, yellow, and orange.
Lights On! (Banana Flower)This was by far one of the most unusual botanical flowers I saw while going through the Waimea Valley in Hawaii. The stem looks like the arm of an adjustable lamp while the actual flower part of the plant looks like a light bulb with a globe on the top of it.
Mini Flower Garden in a FlowerThis flower appears to be growing a mini purple floral garden within its pistil.
Orchid Rock Rose (Southern CA)I have seen some beautiful rock roses, but this orchid rock rose put me under its spell! The amazing colors and silky petals tremble in the mountain breezes. I hope they last a few more weeks!
"Iris" Morning Delight!Photos of a white and yellow iris.
Nature's Oddity (Fungus)While hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, I came across this unusual looking fungus growing on a tree. It looks like a piece of candy corn. I couldn't resist taking a picture of something so unusual.
Atlanta Botanical GardenThis is a topiary on display at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in the spring.
Our PondOur pond is a place we like to sit and watch our goldfish.
Nature's Present in the MarketNature has always been good to me. Even if we didn't plant fruit-bearing trees, we are still given an opportunity to benefit from it's harvest if we go to the markets.
Morning Glories Growing WildPurple morning glory vines growing wild all around some of my husband's work benches. I have never grown any, but have always loved and wanted to. On October 10, 2018 a category 5 hurricane came through and left behind devastating destruction on homes and property. With our home and property being such a sore eye, seeing these beautiful morning glories just reminds me it is a new beginning.
Early October AsterHere is a close-up photo of a deep purple aster (possibly Aster amellus 'King George') taken in early October. This picture was taken just before the afternoon sun disappeared over the treetops.
Butterfly on Butterfly BushI haven't seen a butterfly on our butterfly bush in quite a while and then this little fellow shows up today, October 3rd. It looks like a monarch to me.
Flower Arrangement from My GardenSunflowers and zinnias from my garden. The sunflowers are the teddy bear type. Zinnias are my favorite cut flower. That was until I started growing sunflowers. Now sunflowers might be my favorite. Just give me all the flowers. LOL!
Field of LiliesThe rain this past winter and the cold did our gardens well in Murrieta, CA. I had at least 10 stalks of blooms with 6-8 blooms per stalk per plant and I have 2 plants. It was amazing. They smelled so good and gave a red glow to that entire section of my garden.
IvyI finally got something green to grow! All these years (a total of 40), I am ecstatic to see some thing green I planted and grew.
Monarch on a ZinniaWe have so many butterflies on our zinnias and here's a picture of one.
Blue Dragonfly at San Diego Botanic GardenHaving a good time does not always require money. Every 1st Tuesday of the month, San Diego Botanic Garden offers free admission to San Diego County residents. (I only had to pay parking which was just $2).
Purple Passion (Clematis)My clematis was so beautiful this spring. It was covered from top to bottom in huge purple blossoms. I received so many comments from friends and family. I just love it!
Ring of Fire (Sunflowers)This is my first year growing sunflowers. I planted a couple different varieties, but these are by far the most beautiful! I can't wait until they're all in full bloom at the same time.
Tiger DaylilyThese beautiful flowers come back every year. They have three tiers, which make them more unusual than others. I never tire of looking at them.
Fuchsia Indiana EchinaceaTiny and singular when purchased, it immediately thrived after transplant and a smidgen of verbal reaffirming of the impending beauty it would blossom to be. It does well among the basic lilies and has hollyhock friends just across to contrast in color and height for a truly fragrant and colorful greeting to guests.
My June GardenI have been really busy planting since we added a new retaining wall upper tier. This gave us more yard space above and replaced a useless steep slope to the original retaining wall. Here are some photos after the new wall (seen in the background), resulting plantings, and my garden in general. The birds, bees, and I are loving it.
Pansies After the RainI planted these pansies in early springtime, they grew and grew after each rain. After one of the rains I was popping off the dead heads and they were so beautiful with the rain drops still glistening on there petals.
Sharing My Love For OrchidsWhile on a day trip visiting a garden green house filled with these very beautiful orchids, which stole my heart, I had to capture them in true time on our visit. They are so delicate looking, and truly up close is even better. For very little money you can visit places like this in a town near you. Experience all nature has to offer!
Sweetheart RosesThese sweetheart roses are a new addition to my garden. I wanted to capture their beauty in color and in black & white. Hmmmm having trouble choosing!
I Love LiliesI love lilies! Every year when they are marked down at the end of the season (bulbs) I buy some. Often the package shows a variety of colors leaving me not knowing what color would come out after planting. Much to my surprise, there were 2 of my favorite colors! I get to enjoy them in bloom for up to a week before they fade.
Japanese Loquat TreeOne of three loquat trees in my yard. I live in Georgia.
Red Dynasty TulipFlowers add beauty to our lives! Look closer and down inside to see the art life of the flower, where there is even more beauty that lies within.
The Lonely DaffodilThis beautiful daffy is growing in a crack between the retaining wall in front of my home and a concrete strip next to the sidewalk. I understand that there was a garden there at one time before it was cemented over. So far this year I have been able to enjoy it for a week or more. Oftentimes someone plucks the bloom early on.
Morning BlissCloseup of a white flower with pinkish red coloration in throat.
My Little Zen GardenI wanted to recreate a zen garden of my own. It has small water feature, with plants, rocks, a bamboo wind chime, and a Buddha statue to set the mood. It is so peaceful when the sprinkler is on.
Market FlowersAfter exams, I glanced out the window to look for positivity and I found these vendors selling beautiful flowers. The flowers are not easily seen unless the picture is zoomed in. However, that's how we must look at life, even if we are surrounded with negativity, we need to zoom in for us to see the positivity it brings.
ChrysanthemumsThese are one of my favorite flowers (chrysanthemums) or mums for short. They live well here in South Carolina and I can always get them to bloom 2 times a season. They are so easy to grow and just require a little dead heading (removal of old flowers) to keep producing more. When the flowers are spent, trim back cutting down to about 3/4 of the stalk. This will bring new growth later.
Beautiful FlowersI uploaded 3 photos I have taken with my Canon t6. They are photos I am very proud of and I consider to be high class photos.
Cascade of VinesI work for the State University of New York in Albany. On a lunch time walk I couldn't help but notice the beauty of these cascading vines and the color of the flowers was so vibrant. I also found the angled view gorgeous.
Parking Lot FungiWhile out with my 17 year old grandson shopping for a Halloween mask, we saw these beautiful orange fungi in the planter median of the strip mall. I don't know exactly what type of mushroom they are but they were so bright and fun to see. We jumped out of the car with cell phone cameras at the ready.
October Blooming Clematis (Elsa Spath)It's been a hard year for all my plants. Things have looked pretty grim all season. I lost so many roses to spores that thrive in the damp. This may be the first year I didn't try something new.
Little Duckling ClematisI've posted pictures of the Little Duckling clematis a couple of times before. This one is a little different and a little special.
A Rose Named CharlieA friend lives in a house built around 1920. There are a lot of treasures to be found on the grounds. Old, unkempt apple and plum trees. Flowering hedges here and there. Peach trees.
Speedwell and Nigella (Love in a Mist)I purchased this speedwell plant at Lowe's a couple of years ago in the discount plant section; a favorite shopping area for my garden. The nigella is an annual that regularly self seeds and has actually grown from seeds that fell into a pot of other plants that I moved with me.
Lovely LiliesI love all the lilies I have in my garden. Unfortunately, this year especially, I only got to see them for a short length of time. The deer think my garden is a salad bar and ate every lily within 3 days of blooming.
Early Signs of Spring (Apricot Buds)I am not very keen on cold weather. In South Africa, we are used to warmer weather, so this winter was particularly cold and unpleasant.
3 Butterflies and a Bee on EchinaceaAfter reading how important planting native plants are to the health of bees, butterflies, birds, native animals and the environment, I am adding more native plants to my little "Mom's Memorial Garden".
Dahlias and Their PollinatorsI took my grandchildren to the rose garden near the Point Defiance Zoo. We got lots of good photos of the kids, 4.5 - 16, as well as these closeup dahlia ones.
Orchids in SingaporeThese are beautiful orchids with waterfalls in the background inside on indoor garden in Singapore. The garden is a huge glass dome where all kinds of tropical flowers are grown - absolutely beautiful! There is every kind of orchid you can imagine!
Stillness in BloomWhile visiting a garden in Olathe, Kansas this past July, the stillness of the statue amongst the movement of the flowers captured my attention. It was such a captivating moment as she peeked out of the flowers when I walked past her. I just had to take a picture.
The Most Welcome BeesWithout bees, there would be worldwide, mass starvation. Their health and their abundance has been in jeopardy for years. I don't follow this issue closely, but I do make mental notes while I'm out gardening.
Black Swallowtail ButterflyBlack Swallowtail Butterfly that I raised from an egg. 6-15-2018
Box of Blooms and ButterfliesMy boyfriend and I bought some inexpensive seeds and had no experience with these flowers and little about starting them from seeds. This is the result! It is also the first of our boxes. It takes our breath away! The butterflies are just as enjoyable! Hope you enjoy it too.
The Hypnotist (Coneflower)This simple flower turns into a hypnotic experience if one stares at it closely. Like an old-fashioned optical illusion, it starts to move and pull you in...truly inescapable! Now you try! Do you see it moving? Give it time.
Euonymus Foliage with Three ColorsMy little community has a lovely pond in the middle of the complex. We have gold fish, three little "waterfalls" and this unique bush. It has green, yellow, and green and yellow leaves. It's very peaceful to sit and just listen.
Debra''s PeoniesThis peony was moved to my house from my mother's two years ago. This is the first time it's bloomed. I think it's just gorgeous! It's in a vase with my red roses.
Saguaro BloomingThis is a picture of our big beautiful saguaro cactus in our front yard. It is blooming and birds come to visit the flowers throughout the day. As big as it is it does not have any holes. It's amazing how huge they can grow and thrive in such hot environments. To have flowers bloom makes them that more fascinating !
Yellow Potato HarvestI won't give you any tips on growing spuds, they're easy as pie. And I should have left them growing in the container til the plants bloomed. But, I have so many things to water, I just get tired sometimes. I will tell you I started them from sprouting taters I got from the grocery store.
Glad and Pink (Gladiolus)I planted this "Pink Gladiolus" as a bulb. This is the 3rd year it has bloomed. I look for it every year. It makes me smile each year. I like to see it each morning and evening while I drink my coffee or tea.
Gift IrisIris are so beautiful. I never thought I would see an ugly one. I visited an iris farm where thousands of different iris were growing. I saw several ugly ones. One was a slimy, limey green, covered with rust colored freckles. Still, an ugly iris is pretty rare.
Peachy Knockout RoseWhile shopping at Lowes, yesterday, I spotted a group of marked down roses. Most were Knockout roses, a variety I don't particularly care for.
Cactus FlowerI was immediately drawn to this flower because of the contrast of the delicate blossom next to the sharpness of the prickles beside it. To me, it was a metaphor for life. The blossom also seemed to pull one into its deep center. This was shot in Pasadena, CA.
The Chicago Peace RoseI have always appreciated the Chicago Peace rose, even more so than its parent, the Peace rose. Ironically, this is my first year to grow it.
Kordes' Dark Desire RoseAt the risk of being cautioned for submitting too similar pictures, I give you this shot of Dark Desire rose.
Clematis NiobeEver since I've had this flower, I wondered about the meaning of its name, but never bothered to find out. Today, I checked. I was pleasantly surprised.
Viola At DuskSome of you might like this quasi psychedelic effect. It was purely unintentional. I bought a 6 cell pack of viola, and planted them in a hanging basket. They are quite showy, maybe some are a new breed.
An Iris For Betty (Yellow Iris)As this iris was given to me, I don't know its name. On its label, I've written 'Strong Yellow'. This is the first time I've really captured its intense color. I've done nothing to enhance that color.
Summer Romance RoseI bought this rose last year. It was about 1½ - 2 ft. During the season, it grew to over 6 ft. And not one bloom!
My First Iris 2018It was in design for a few years. I learned a whole new language. Those 'darling' designers used a lot of adjectives that to me, had little meaning.
'Crystal Palace' ClematisFor years, my sister had a clematis, maybe two very similar and intertwined, growing in a fence corner. For several weeks each spring, it turned into a very large, eye catching beauty.
Pink Bloom (Orchid)Orchids in full bloom. This is my view daily in my office. This photo was taken with my iPhone 7 and a macro lens as the plant sits near a window.
Yellow In My GardenYellow is not my favorite color. It should be. I have it everywhere this spring. It sorta grows on you, I think.
Clematis 'Elsa Spath'My first clematis to bloom this year is 'Elsa Spath'. I wish I had added something to last year's picture for size reference, because this year's blooms are twice as large.
Mile High PansiesI had a lot of disappointments in last year's gardening. I lost so many plants over winter. It's time for a few things to go my way!
Another Wisteria PhotoMost of y'all know me by now. I get on a roll and it's hard to get off. I couldn't resist yet another wisteria photo.
This is What Makes a Happy Spring DayOur Winter was made longer when we had a cold sting in the tail of March and heavy snow too. We feared our busiest friends, the tiny wild bees of the forest would suffer from the cold and lack of forage. This week has truly given meaning to the word 'Spring' with an explosion of blossom.
Blooming WisteriaHere is a closeup of wisteria blooms. It is not a very good picture, really. It means a lot to me, though. I grew this plant from seed. It is not unusual to have a 15 year wait period between seed and bloom. A good reason to start wisteria from cuttings rather than seed.
The Stoic DandelionI found this dandelion standing in a pile of leaves and debris. His stoic stance seemed to indicate that he knew the wind would be carrying him to new destinations within 24 hours.
Hope (Ladybug)In January of 2017, my home and community was destroyed by a tornado. Hours after the storm, I came across this ladybug. She seemed oblivious to the tragedy that surrounded her. Her presence restored my faith and hope that our town would (and did!) recover.
Twelve Apostles (Dietes Iridioides)I love these small flowers. They have a slight fragrance that you really have to put your nose on to smell. I wish they would last more than one day. It's easy to miss the blooms.
The Pansy FlowerWhat's a pansy worth? Well, I suppose that depends on who you ask. If you ask me, I'd say a lot. I put a lot into pansies this and last year, my first time to grow them from seed.
Pretty WeedsI don't even know what these weeds are called, but they are so pretty that I don't pull them out. They add lovely colour to my garden. If fact I have heard it said that a weed is any plant which grows where you don't want it to.
