Dutchman's Pipe

Longwood Gardens did have plants other than coleus.  And I did look at them.  I even took a few photos.  I haven't seen this Dutchman's Pipe before.  The flower is HUGE.  

More Coleus

Plants

I fell in love with these amazing plants I found at Groff's Plant Farm this spring.   I planted them in the pots I put the pansies in last year.  At some point this summer I really need to spend some time drawing them.

Lilies and Daylilies

The lilies and daylilies were in spectacular bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  I'd have taken a lot more photos but it was really way too hot.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Despite the excessive heat after we finished at the Brooklyn Museum we wandered over to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  I've been wanting to see the gardens for a long time but never had the energy after the museum.  I'm not sure why the time I had to see it needed to be 90 million degrees, but there you have it. 

Plant Forms

Fields of Flowers

These images are from Chanticleer's beautiful wildflower garden on a swelteringly hot day before the daily thunderstorm.  I've just been invited to do a solo show in September.  Time to kick the studio efforts in to high gear.  I have a few pieces I've been puttering with for a while.  Hopefully I can pull them together and finish them in the next two months!

Subtle Colors

Detail

This is the shot Olivia was taking in my last post.  Looks like she's going to be ready for the Costa Rica trip!  I miss that "flower" button that the Sony has for taking up close shots but I'm glad to see Olivia taking advantage of it.  I love this image!

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

Magnolia, part 2: Bigger Than Your Head

I hope the rest of the summer is as laid back and relaxing as this first week.  Well, there was that goldfish catastrophe Wednesday morning, but besides that we are free and easy.  Nibbles and Bits came home from a fair three years ago.  Lets just say that Nibbles passed on and Bits had a nibble, or a bit.  But after we were all done with our CSI activities, dusting for prints, etc we went back to the garden for a little photography practice.  I'm going to see if I can turn Olivia into a photographer before she goes to Costa Rica next summer. 

Magnolia, part 1

One of the reasons I came back to Philly after we'd left is because there really is so much on offer.  And high up there on my list of favorites are the gardens.  Warm enough to grow southern plants like these magnolias but cold enough for the trees I grew up with in my young Chicago years.  These magnolias are so super cool that you can expect several more posts. 

Hydrangea Multiple

When I win the lottery I'll fill my property with beautiful hydrangea varieties like these.  In the mean time I try to curtail my consumeristic obsessions and be happy that I can walk around the Scott Arboretum for free and enjoy these amazing plants.  And that's just the hydrangea, wait until you see the magnolias!

Hydrangea Individual

Of course I'm still twitching a bit because I can't chase around photographing birds.  But honestly I think I needed the break.  Don't get me wrong, as soon as I raise the money for my new lens I'll be off and running.  But in the mean time I'm getting to stop and smell the roses, or in this case hydrangeas.  After photographing the ones at Chanticleer last month I was sure I'd missed all the rest.  But nope.  They are just about to reach their peak.  Swarthmore's Scott Arboretum has a fantastic collection.  And they have such beautiful names: All Summer Beauty, Beni Gaku, Annabelle, Semmes Beauty, Snow Queen (an Oak Leaf Hydrangea, for some reason I love that name even more than "Snow Queen"), and Moonlight.

Summer Begins

Columbine

My Little Garden Paradise...and a Snake

I went out for a little walk about to see what had popped up or fallen down after Monday's storms and noticed that my fire poker plant had been decimated and that a very large garter snake was hanging out by the drain.  Upon my return I discovered that it was the snake who'd messed up my plant and that I couldn't get back into the house without going within striking range of said snake.  Ahem.  You can see the snake in the middle photo.  Not sure where he went after that.  Possibly somewhere with a belly full of chipmunk.