Daisy

 I cant be sure of the exact variety but this is a species of daisy. The bright white petals enable pollinators to home in on the flower. The central part of the flower head is a collection of lots of tiny flowers that open in sequence providing a lasting source of pollen and nectar over time.

Buoy on the Beach

 I know this is a pretty mundane object and most of the time I would just walk past without a second glance however on this particular day it caught my eye and I took a couple of experimental shots. 

I think the lighting and reflection combine to create an interesting image. The bold yellow against the layers of blue work really well together.

Primrose

 

These Common or English Primroses are absolutely beautiful. The yellow flowers are so delicate with the golden centre fading out to a pale almost creamy yellow.

These were hidden close to some moss covered rocks in a woodland garden I was lucky because the sun was shining through a gap in the tree canopy so these flowers were perfectly illuminated.

I think they are gorgeous 

Spring Sunshine

 

There were masses of daffodils forming a golden carpet through the woodland garden. It was really beautiful but getting down to flower level and focusing on an individual bloom really shows the flower off at its best. It looks especially good because it is backlit by the sun and it brings a warm glow.

Winter Jasmine

 It is ages since I have been out with my camera and I have been a bit stir crazy. I was pleased the other day when my neighbour told me she had some beautiful winter jasmine flowering in her garden and said that if I wanted to photograph it I was welcome.

Although this flower has no scent it is certainly beautiful and is a welcome splash of colour when everything else is dying off.

Anemone

I am not sure exactly what variety this is but I am fairly sure it is a type of anemone.

Whatever it is it is beautiful and when you take a closer look it is really quite complex with lots of tiny buds and delicate fronds making up the central disc.


Update:  It has been pointed out to me that this flower is in fact a Cosmos not an anemone and so I wanted to set the record straight.

Black Eyed Susan

Today has been a little grey and wet so for everyone huddled indoors or sheltering from the rain wherever that may be I decided to share a little ray of floral sunshine in the form of these shots of Rudbekia or Black Eyed Susan as these glorious yellow flowers are known.

They are really wonderful flowers that create a glorious display that lifts any flower bed. These were spotted in the Schlossberg in Graz and I think these are great shots which show the flowers off at their best

Different Perspective

Canon 100mm f/1:2.8   ISO 100   f/3.5    1/100 sec

I have said it before that although the Dandelion is generally considered a weed it really depends on your perspective and these two shots demonstrate that they really are beautiful wild flowers.

I love the bold yellow and the shape of the petals with the crimped ends and the sugary pollen. Either individually or as a mass display they really don't deserve to be dismissed so easily.

Sugar Coated

Canon 100mm 1:2.8   ISO 250   f/8.0   1/320 sec

Canon 100mm 1:2.8  ISO 250   f/5.6   1/250sec

So OK, these are not really sugar coated but I do think they look like they have been dipped in lemon or orange sherbet.

Can you tell what they are?

They're Crocuses, the last of the season I think at Ness Botanic Gardens.  

I had gone along hoping for lots of spring colour but I was a bit too early in the year as most of the beds were being prepared for fresh planting. I thought at first that I would be disappointed however as I walked around the gardens I found pockets of colour and new growth as well as some interesting bark patterns to photograph.

I have included the camera settings under each picture and these images are cropped from the larger images because I really wanted to highlight the beautiful detail at the heart of these flowers.

Close up in the Garden

I'm staying out in the cold tonight and it's grey and cold so I thought for my blog today I would share a bit of summer colour which I hope you will enjoy 😁

Village Weaver

Yesterday I couldn't identify the birds in the pictures I posted (truth be told I didn't try too hard to find out) but tonight I didn't want to leave it as another unidentified beauty. So I did a little bit of research and found that this curious little yellow bird is a Village Weaver bird. There are different varieties of weaver birds so at first when I looked I wasn't convinced but as I scrolled through numerous images I became more certain that I had identified it.

As you may know (if you have followed my blog for any length of time) yellow is my favourite colour so it is little wonder that when I see a critter like this I am going to take a photo or two.

A Work In Progress

Unlike yesterday, when not everyone would agree about how beautiful the subject was I don't think anyone could seriously disagree about today's offering.

Red flowers are difficult to photograph. It's not because they're camera shy or move about more than any other colour but because getting a true representation of the colour is really difficult. So there are some flowers that I never bother trying to shoot.

I am not 100% certain but I think this flower is a red variety of Rudbeckia, often known as Black-Eyed Susan a perennial flower that looks great with masses of colourful flowers which open out to a broad flat(ish) face with bright petals that gradually fold back towards the stem and in doing so the central black platform becomes a ball of tiny spikes and curls which look gorgeous and are a magnet for bees and other pollinators. 

I have a number of shots of these flowers from my most recent visit to Ness Botanic Gardens and I wanted to share some of my favourites. I really love the final shot with the bee hard at work and the subtle back lighting. I think its a great image. If you like them or if you have  favourite why not leave a comment. 

Here to Brighten Your Day

I love these gorgeous yellow flowers. I am not sure what they are, a variety of sunflower perhaps, but they are certainly a hit with the bees. 

Brighten Your Day

Sometimes you just need something simple to lift your spirits. I love yellow so this close-up of Autumn Hawkbit with a covering of raindrops really works for me...

Coming In To Land

I can never resist posting pictures of yellow flowers and this is a stunner. It is Hypericum forestii a plant more at home on a Chinese mountainside but here in Ness Botanical Gardens it was attracting a host of bees.

As you can see in the second picture this bumble bee was drawn to the bright colours and tasty nectar and was just coming in to land as I captured the shot.

Where's Lenny?

So the title of today's post is slightly cryptic but will make sense to anyone who watches the cartoon The Simpsons.

"How?" I hear you ask...

This lovely yellow flower is Sedum caereleum and the variety is "Carl". In The Simpsons Carl's best friend is Lenny so having posted these pictures of Carl I pose the question where is Lenny?

I don't have any pictures of Lenny but a little bit of research means I can share a link to the RHS website where you can see pictures of a Hibiscus variety that is called Lenny 

Anyway back to Carl, you can see from the first image how the flower head is actually a mass of tiny star shaped flowers with little coiled stamen. 

I am really happy with all three of these pictures and hope that you enjoy them.

Golden Marguerite

In the centre of the walled garden there is a small area that is like a wild flower meadow and one of the standout flowers is the yellow daisy. It was like a carpet of tiny suns lighting up the garden; really beautiful. Of course it helps because it is my favourite colour.

And then when you get close in and look at the detail the surface is like another world...

Californication

More of my favourite colour for today's selection but instead of Laburnum today's flowers are California Poppies.

The first picture isn't a crop it is the full image. I wanted to get right in to capture the detail of its fertile centre.

I like the meadow feeling from the second image with the trees, azaleas and ferns as a backdrop and then I love the strong yet delicate sentinel in the final image.

I know I can get a bit carried away when I am talking about flowers but they are so beautiful and they give me such a lift. I don't have the patience to do gardening but I have a lovely selection of photos that I have taken over the years that I can go to at any time.

I think some of you will be on the same page with me and I am sure that some of you will also share my love of the colour yellow.

My Favourite Colour

One of the biggest attractions at Bodnant Gardens is the famous Laburnum Arch which comes into full flower at the end of May.

When I visited the gardens two weeks ago the arch wasn't at its peak glory although it still was a big draw for the many visitors. One end of the arch was coming into flower and so I was keen to get some close up shots of the individual flowers.

I love yellow and these bright flowers really give me a lift and against a pink backdrop as in the second shot they look wonderful. They have such a lovely shape too, designed to draw in bees and other pollinators.

I doubt whether I will get back to see the arch in all its glory this season however these few pictures are enough for me. If you have the chance though get down to Bodnant and I promise you won't be disappointed, if not then come back over the next few days and I will be posting some more floral gems and other shots from the gardens which really are a national treasure. 

New Blossom

I don't know what this particular flower is but I don't think my ignorance would be a reason not to share it with you.

From the tight little bud in the first picture emerges these beautiful tender white flowers with gloriously bright centres. Set against their soft green foliage they make a splendid sight.

I love getting in close with my macro lens to pick out the detail in the centre with those fine tendrils designed to lure in the bees and pollinating insects so that we can enjoy more of these wonderful plants.

I am so glad that spring has arrived and we can enjoy warmer days and more colour in the world around us.