Tag Archives: plants

Rainbow

Dandelion Rainbow 1

Haiku 270

I found a rainbow

In the most unlikely place

A hidden treasure

Dandelion Rainbow 2

The magnificent Dandelion, shining in full bloom.

She doesn’t know she is a weed!

Background

Background bokeh effect

Haiku 269

Not in the limelight

Never underestimate

Your background power

While looking through my photos, I came across a few with lovely bokeh effects. This one in particular stood out.

And it made me think!

The object I was focusing on only shone because of the amazing blur, or bokeh, behind it.

Just like life!

If it weren’t for those of us in the background, no-one would be seen to shine!

So here’s in celebration of all of you out there, who, like me, are a Mr Spock and not a Captain Kirk!

post script: So what is the photo? Surprisingly, this was in the background when I was taking a close up of a freesia. It is dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves of a honeysuckle behind the freesia. No I’m not going to show you the whole photo, because today is the turn for those in the shade to shine!

Everything is Fine!

Fynbos 1 – Leucadendron salignum

Haiku 268

The world in chaos

However, in my garden

Everything is fine!

The end of a Cape winter is when my fynbos flourishes.

Fynbos 2 – Erica Quadrangularis

Mr Spaghetti Leg’s plant is covered in tiny white flowers.

Fynbos 3 – Erica Quadrangularis

The whole plant is still very small, as you can see by comparing it to the bricks surrounding its base. But it’s still here!

Fynbos 4 – Erica versicolour

Fynbos grows very well, as it is endemic to the Western Cape and quite unique. This Erica was only planted two years ago and just keeps growing. As does the massive cheese plant behind it!

Fynbos 5 – Erica versicolour

It has been producing flowers for months now.

So yes, everything’s fine – in my garden at least!

I’ve written about fynbos a few times, so for more info, just click on the links highlighted in blue.

Expectation Exceeded!

Purple Freesia 1

Haiku 267

Nature delivers

Expectation exceeded

Glorious flowers

Purple Freesia 2

I recently posted about waiting for my freesia buds to open, in Expectation.

Purple Freesia 3

Now they are all opening and I am overjoyed to be greeted by a plethora of colour and scent.

Star-struck

Dianthus

Haiku 266

Myriad raindrops

Suspended animation

Star-struck dianthus

A dianthus in a pot on my stoep, after heavy rain.

Due to the bokeh, the flower seems disembodied from the rest of the plant.

I use star-struck here to mean literally struck by stars (raindrops).

Illuminated

Orange Pansies

Haiku 265

Amplify sunlight

Orange illumination

Prettiest pansy

My orange pansies continue to bloom right through winter, into spring.

Hooray!

Any cheerful colour during our eternal Lockdown is much appreciated!

Expectation

Purple Freesia

Haiku 264

Spring awakening

A little dash of purple

Waiting in the wings

The next freesia about to bloom.

Transformation!

Dew Drops on Weed

Haiku 263

With a little help

Even the lowliest weed

Can become transformed!

The photo above is of a weed in my lawn, covered in sparkling dew drops. This would be frost, in a colder climate.

The other day I woke up to a silent, white world.

No, it hadn’t snowed (it doesn’t get cold enough in CT, except on top of the mountains!)

It was Fog! – or a low-lying cloud – same thing.

Misty Trees

I walked round the garden taking photos of the trees blending into the cloud in the distance.

It was much quieter than usual, as the mist deadened the sound of birdsong and traffic.

By lunchtime the sun came out and that was the end of the eerie white world.

Still, it was a marvellous *Misty Moisty Morning, while it lasted!

*My Mum used to say this nursery rhyme to my kids when they were little.

Pristine

White Freesia

Haiku 261

Pristine white petals

And beautifully scented

Nature’s perfection

A few months ago, I planted 30 brand new freesia bulbs in my brightly painted plant pots on my stoep. I also have about a dozen old bulbs that I replanted.

I waited with bated breath, as you can imagine, watching carefully as my new freesias popped up little shoots, and then larger leaves, until finally buds appeared.

The colour of the very first freesia?

White!

Totally in keeping with my colourless rainbow from last post, giving up the ghost.

Regardless, it is stunningly beautiful;

And the scent is divine!

Golden Avalanche

Oak Leaves 1

Haiku 259

Carpeting in Gold

Shedding bounteous Nature

In gay abandon!

Oak Leaves 2

I do love the golden oak leaves as they catch the winter sun; while they are still on the branches!

However, just as I was congratulating myself that my oak tree was finally running out of leaves to fling down to the ground for me to rake up every week –