Luscious Curves

Canon EF 24 - 105 mm F/4 L IS USM

ISO 2000  99 mm  F/9.0  1/400 sec

ISO 2500  105 mm  F/9.0  1/400

In the palm house as I said yesterday the heat and humidity were almost unbearable and so we didn't stay inside for very long but I spotted these beautiful leaves.

I wondered what flower might be produced by this plant but the sign that identified it was understandably written in Swedish so it meant nothing to me. It said Karambola, Averrhoa carambola, Oxalidaceae.  I could work out that the plant grows to a height of 8 - 10 metres and that it produces fruit.  So a little bit of research was necessary to discover that the Carambola plant is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philipines, Nepal and other countries in that general region with similar climate and it produces Star Fruit.

I think there is so much to like about these leaves, the texture (or different textures) as they unfurl, the rich shades of green and the curves which almost give a sense of motion.

Light and Shade

Canon EF 24 - 105mm F/4 L IS USM

ISO 160   24mm   F/4.5  1/1000 sec

ISO 250  47 mm  F/4.5   1/1000 sec

Today's shots were captured in the Botanical Garden and Palm House in Gothenburg which is beautiful oasis in the city, bordered on one side by a canal.

It was a really hot day and so finding a few moments in the shade of some of the less formal gardens was really good but to see the brightest flowers we had to brave the heat of the day.

In front of the Palm House there were two ornamental basins with magnificent displays of deep blue flowers. I think this first image looks wonderful.

We nipped inside the Palm House to find a huge selection of succulents and Cacti and if we had thought it was hot outside the interior of the Palm House was something else, not just hot but really humid as well. We met a group of noisy school children inside too so with the heat and noise we didn't stay too long, just long enough to get a few pictures. I love these spiky balls of green and the way the light catches them.