BrightSquare: Mixing Tulips

Mixing colours of tulips: purple, orange and yellow

This bold, bright planting of tulips mades me think of how gardeners often paint with flowers. Just three varieties have been chosen for this colour palette in dark, mid and light tones for contrast.

The maroon tulips are tall, the orange ones are shorter, and the creamy yellow ones are shorter still, creating a colour block effect at the bottom. Above that is a radiant heart with the darker blooms seeming to float over the whole. Continue reading “BrightSquare: Mixing Tulips”

Taking Pictures of Bluebells

English bluebells in Sunnyhurst Woods
English bluebells

Photographing bluebells presents several problems: they dance on their stems in a gentle breeze; they often grow in dappled shade which is magical on the eye but blinding to the camera; their blue appears a bit insignificant from further away; and they are usually a very different colour to how they appear. The first two shots are fairly accurate for colour.   Continue reading “Taking Pictures of Bluebells”

Fritillaria Imperialis – The Crown Imperial Fritillary

Fritillaria imperialis yellow

Fritillaria imperialis are very attractive in flower, although they are decidedly pongy when grown in a big group. Folk names for them include Crown imperial and imperial fritillary.

Walking around a woodland garden last spring, my nose picked up something foxy in the air. I thought I knew what it was, but not where it was coming from. By following my nose, I eventually tracked down this clump of flowering bulbs, a bit deeper in the woodland. Continue reading “Fritillaria Imperialis – The Crown Imperial Fritillary”