photography

#Macro Monday…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / Leave a comment

Badly damaged by the late frosts, but this proud fuchsia is proud to be here…

Image by Gabriela Piwowarska from Pixabay

#Six on Saturday… (sorry there are no flowers…)

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 18 Comments

This week there were no new flowers to be seen in our garden, but everything was happening in the growing area.

Mainly dahlias because I have been meaning to grow these for ages, and three of the ones I planted in April are getting on with the business in spectacular form.

I tried to be professional with these dahlias. I brought new labels and a posh marker pen, so I would know what colour they were.

But… the pen was rubbish. The first time I watered the pots, the ink ran away. I have no idea which is which, so I can’t wait to see them bloom…

These seeds were an impulse buy. Everyone in my family loves sunflowers, but I was getting fed up with the usual spindly 12 feet high specimens that never seem to stay upright. Last year I grew supposedly dwarf specimens which were an improvement…

2022 Look at all those flower buds!

So when I saw seeds for a blood-red sunflower, I knew I had to have them.

If the snails can leave them alone long enough, we might get to see them in all their glory!

While I was buying seeds, I picked up some Alysum and Aubretia, just because.

I have never been very lucky with seeds, as sometimes they grow but often do not, so time will tell…

Finally, I am becoming very fond of this cutting of a weeping willow from our local pond.

Three years old already, and I think I have persuaded it to weep a little…

It has a very promising future, I think…

This post is inspired by Jim Stevens, who really knows all about #SixonSaturday: https://gardenruminations.co.uk/2023/05/27/six-on-saturday-27-5-2023

Silent Sunday… My Favourite Walk…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 9 Comments

I have been missing my favourite walk this Spring, as it is just a little too far for me to walk. I could probably manage to get to our local pond, but wouldn’t have anything left to walk home. These photographs were taken last year, and I enjoyed seeing them again.

I have no idea why they call it a pond, as it’s huge. Takes over half an hour to walk all the way around. Now that I am on steroids and feeling stronger already, maybe soon, I can make the trip!

Friday Flowers…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 6 Comments

This lilac lives in the wild end of our garden, and last year I had to rescue the poor thing as it was being swamped by next doors bushes. It had tried hard, growing long spindly branches that, to be honest, were going nowhere. Consequently, I ended up pruning it back along with everything else. I dodged the showers to see how well it had recovered. The new growth was amazing, but at first glance, I couldn’t see any flowers. Looking closer, I found the purple flowers hiding among the leaves…

Although I was ecstatic that it was doing its best to flower, I wanted more, and I found this one!

This magnolia was a birthday present several years ago, and has been slow to get started.

So I was delighted to see this year’s efforts!

This apple tree was a present to me. Just four feet high and is supposed to have two kinds of apples.

Seeing as this is the first time it has flowered, I will have to see what happens!

Last but by no means least, this glorious rhododendron is the queen of my garden at the moment.

I posted a photo of the buds last week, so here she is in all her glory!

#Silent Sunday… Patience makes Perfect…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 14 Comments

At last, the long-awaited buds have started to open…

So slowly…

There you are!

#Six on Saturday… #Bonsai

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 22 Comments

Collage was created at PicMonkey.com

For some reason, I thought I couldn’t take part in this week’s #Six on Saturday because flowers are hard to find in our garden just now. There are some interesting flower buds to look forward to, but nothing worth photographing.

Then I realised that I didn’t need flowers, as it could be six of anything. That was when I decided to share the real colour that we have right now. I am talking about my beautiful bonsai, all doing their very best to cheer me up.

This acer has to be my favourite, as it is such a vibrant, exciting colour. As the year progresses, the colour fades to green, changing to yellow in the autumn.

Closely followed by this acer, a really special genus that has the most amazing colourways. Luckily, these colours do not fade, so we can enjoy them for longer…

This acer has had an unfortunate past, when one of the main branches just up and died. I thought the tree was doomed, but as you can see, it is doing well. I love its dark colouring and spikey leaves…

This is a pink Hawthorne that refuses to flower, something I need a little help with. All of my bonsai are strong and healthy, but the ones that are supposed to flower, just don’t. I have tried all of the things that are supposed to work!

Another acer and this one breaks the rules on the number of leaves it has. Literally smothered with foliage, I have to thin it out, regularly just so it can breathe…

Finally, this is a white wisteria, being grown as a bonsai. It’s too early for this one to flower, but I await that glorious moment with increasing impatience. That’s if I can figure out what I must be doing wrong. I would appreciate any help on this subject please?