On a recent walk, my spouse pointed out the remains of a flower. He said it reminded him of a musical symbol. I had the right lens on my camera (he didn’t) so I gave it a try. I thought the title of my post was pretty apt as it describes the subject as well as the idea that you don’t always have the right gear to capture something that appeals to you.
I’m not a great fan of white flowers but these prove the exception. Almost as pretty in bud as in flower.
Another spring favourite.
Ants and peonies seem to go together. Ants protect the flowers from nuisance pests and the flowers provide the ants with nectar. A win win. I enjoy these flowers too as well as the sport of catching an ant as it speeds around the peony buds!
Let’s just call it Honeysuckle 😏
(See comment below)
This plant is an attractive but invasive species introduced to North America in the late 1800s from Asia. Unlike the native honeysuckles they leaf out early and remain in leaf into the fall. Like many invasive plants, they are hardy and outcompete native plants for space and nutrients. They are pretty though and a common sight each spring.
I often return to this corner of my neighbourhood and this house in particular. I love the warm red brick and during spring and summer. wild and cultivated flowers take their turn in the sun.
Undercover all winter, it’s finally time for the colours and shapes of spring.
We’ve been enjoying these early bloomers for the last few weeks. Despite the unusually cool weather the flowers keep on coming.
I saw this single white flower growing close to the ground in a neighbour’s yard. It was surrounded by other perennials. I don’t remember seeing this flower before but thought it very attractive.
Along with crocus, snowdrops are among the first flowers we see in the spring. The dried flowers from last season were surprising to see, given the winter that just passed.
I liked the repetitive pattern of these plants. I noticed the frothy substance on one of the plants and learned it was produced by the nymphs of spittle bugs. The mature bugs are no friends to gardeners and are often preyed upon by other insects.
Come on Spring…
I saw these lupines growing in a wildlife garden. I can’t wait to walk its grounds again.
No signs of Spring yet, so until then…
It might not look like it yet but scenes like this are not far off.
Although the bee was busy feeding it did cooperate with this photographer. 😊
On this grey afternoon a warm summer scene warms things up a bit.
As the days get shorter and colder, seeing a last dandelion is something to relish!
Some flowers fade sooner than others yet often leave a bit more to appreciate. I thought this was a good example and reminded me of a filagree necklace.
These flowers are a perfect pumpkin orange. All decked out for Halloween (and taken just a few days ago).
It’s hard to believe I took this last week. These late bloomers sure are hardy.
Gardens in fall take on many forms here. This one had a more subdued display than some others in my recent posts. Still, with -C nights and +10C days it’s still looking pretty fine. I even saw a butterfly on a walk today.
Early fall is a great time for photography. Late summer flowers vying for space with the autumn leaves. I liked the way the purple flowers were standing their ground.
The temperature’s getting cooler but these flowers are still in bloom, making you half believe that summer is still here.
As we move closer to fall, I enjoy scenes like this even more than I did a few months ago.
This photo was taken in high summer, I haven’t seen any metallic bees in a while. The season is certainly winding down.
This male bee has an attractive striped abdomen while the female is completely green.
This plant was growing in a flower bed but reminded me of a water lily. If anyone can identify the plant please let me know.
I saw these attractive late bloomers on a walk the other day. They refused to blend in to the tall grass around them.
Friends introduced us to this spot a number of years ago and we’ve been returning ever since. We’ve seen egret and osprey here (we saw both this visit) but I’d come back just for the view. I’ve never seen beaver though; there’s no fresh wood on the lodge so I think it’s probably been abandoned.
The birds nest shape of Queen Anne’s Lace is revealed as its seeds ripen. The flower was surrounded by the glow of goldenrod.
Out for a walk on a very hot day, I found a tree lined path to walk down and I saw these hostas growing in the shade. A pretty and cooling sight.
It’s still very hot but there’s no denying that the season is moving along. This sunflower won’t be going silently.
I thought this was a curious looking set up and took the shot.
Chicory was introduced to North America and you see it growing in meadows and on roadsides later in the summer. Many varieties are also cultivated for commercial use.
I went for a walk in our neighbourhood today, a familiar route but one I hadn’t taken in the past few weeks. I noticed that the variety of flowers in the gardens had dwindled and what remained was looking tired. The weather is still hot and summer is still with us but the feeling of a long lazy summer stretching out before us is no longer there.
Coneflowers or echinacea are among my favourite summer flowers. They are hardy, long lasting and attract many pollinators. Pretty perfect!
Despite how quickly the days are moving along, scenes like this serve as a reminder that there’s still plenty of summer left!
The rain and wind had bowed the peony, it was still beautiful though.
I was surprised to see several of these plants developing at different rates under the same growing conditions. Very much like people do, I guess 😏
A sunny start to the week.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 