Nature Photo Challenge: Patterns
Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’ (Butterfly Rose)
Rosa mutabilis is best known for the way each flower changes colours, often over a single day. Continue reading “Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’ (Butterfly Rose)”
Green Anoles With Raised Dorsal Crests
Pictures can be deceptive. These two green anoles may seem to be watching my sweetheart gardening, but were actually disputing territory on the boundary fence of a herb garden. Continue reading “Green Anoles With Raised Dorsal Crests”
Droopy Roses: The Ones That Nod
Most articles online about drooping roses are geared towards fixing a problem. Cures suggested for a drooping rose include:
- Watering it more (assuming the rose is wilting)
- Watering it less (assuming its roots are staying wet and rotting)
- Feeding it (assuming the plant is lacking some elements)
- Feeding it less (assuming persistent elements have built up too much in the soil, or that the canes are outgrowing their strength)
- Staking, growing against an obelisk or training as a climber in the case of vigorous roses
- Hard pruning
- Diagnosing it with one of several rose diseases, then treating the problem
- Leaving it be (assuming that the canes will strengthen enough to support heavier flowers from the third year on).
It’s not hard to see how gardeners might get confused. Continue reading “Droopy Roses: The Ones That Nod”
From Bud to Bloom to Hip: How a Wild Rose Sets Seed
Continue reading “From Bud to Bloom to Hip: How a Wild Rose Sets Seed”
One Photo Two Ways
This week’s Lens-Artist’s challenge – to share scenes captured in more than one way – is very welcome. I routinely take several shots of anything that piques my interest and just as regularly am not sure which I prefer. It’s nice not to have to choose.
Take this clematis clad stone wall and doorway at Rousham Gardens. Is the scene more romantic when your eye isn’t being led away down the path (which would probably have been my choice) or do you prefer to wander? Continue reading “One Photo Two Ways”
Old-fashioned Pink Roses With Lots of Petals
There’s something about roses with many petals. For many, these romantic, soulful plants are the archetypal roses, especially if they happen to be pink and to have a good fragrance.
Some of these do and some don’t. What interests me about them is their flower forms, the patterns the petals take, and the way the blooms cluster together. The odd one you may recognise. Continue reading “Old-fashioned Pink Roses With Lots of Petals”
Susan Rushton 