This was taken in a garden of an old house in the neighbourhood. The garden is left to itself and it’s thriving. It begins the season with a few tulips, then on to lilacs, lilies of the valley and later in the summer, tiger lilies. There are plenty of wild flowers too including these Dame’s-Rockets. A neighbourhood favourite for bees as well.
I’ve noticed a lot of violets this year. They’re pretty tenacious and can grow in shade or bright sunlight. As pretty as they are, they can take over a garden. Like many wild flowers/weeds, attractive to some a nuisance to others.
We might not be able to gather but nothing is stopping the tulips from putting on a show. Some varieties are beginning to fade but many are still in fine shape.
Under the current Covid stay at home orders staying close to home is what we’re doing. I’ve always enjoyed walking in our neighbourhood and this spring it’s like seeing everything for the first time.
These two flowers are early spring arrivals and share a subtle beauty. More delights of the season.
I took this photograph in May 2019. It’s the first time I’d seen a clearwing so early. A pleasant surprise.
I like these sunflower-like flowers. They bring the promise of sun and warmth and Summer! Insects love them too. I took this photo late in the season when the surrounding vegetation was starting to fade, making the flower stand out that much more.
Trout lilies are one of the first wildflowers we see each spring on our walks through the woods. I love to see them pushing their way through the leaf litter and melting snow.
The Iris was vying for attention with the Prairie Smoke, a curious almost whimsical native plant. Later in the season the seed head of this flower produces whispy strands that look like smoke. Pollinators love them.
Pretty good advice for the times we live in 😏.
I like to watch bees as they work their way among the flowers. This one had just gotten started as it hadn’t pick up much pollen yet. I took this photo with a long lens, you can get quite near to the insects without disturbing them or getting too close for your own comfort.
A scene from a warm summer day. No better way to spend a sunny afternoon than camera in hand surrounded by sights like this.
Although very small there is no overlooking these brilliant green bees. This one was gathering pollen, and its legs are well dusted with it. Nothing says summer more to me than a scene like this.
I waited for the mimic fly to turn around and face me, it was acting like someone who just didn’t want to be photographed. After a five minute stand-off I went looking for a more willing subject 😏.
A few more flowers taken recently and looking pretty seasonal. With the temperature continuing to drop, scenes such as these are fast disappearing. Although a few hardy flowers are still hanging on.
The first flower is wearing its Halloween colours, The second still has a petal or two but my eye was attracted by its intricate centre. You might have to look a little longer for flower subjects at this point in the fall but they’re out there.
I was surprised to see these crocus growing in a friend’s garden. It’s a flower I thought only grew in the spring, often pushing through the melting snow. For a second there I thought we had skipped winter and gone directly into spring 😏.
Most flowers are not as vibrant as they were earlier in the summer but they still hold a special beauty.
A took this photograph in a friend’s garden in mid-August. She told me its name which I’ve forgotten but I believe it’s a member of the orchid family. A summer beauty.
I was looking at some Queen Anne’s Lace in the garden and saw this single flower off to the side. It seemed to be floating, suspended in mid air. A little garden gem.
Orange hawkweed is considered a weed but it produces a lovely flower and it grows just about anywhere. It’s also favoured by honeybees so it can’t be all bad!
A lot of old homes in my neighbourhood have wrought iron fences with flowers peaking through the gaps. The grass is always greener…
I hadn’t remembered taking this mauve poppy last year and found it when I was searching for a photo to post. I still prefer red poppies but the mauve has a delicate beauty all its own.
Our woods, roadsides and gardens abound in these daisies throughout the summer. The mimic fly was on a common daisy while the fleabane stood on its own. Both attract pollinators but only one did that day.
I look forward to seeing wildflowers each summer. They are hardy and don’t need special conditions to grow: just some soil, water and sunshine, and a few pollinators. Left undisturbed, that’s about it.
I do enjoy walking alongside meadows. In June, lupines are a common sight and shine like gems in the grass.
My eye was on the tortoiseshell butterfly, I didn’t see the bee at first. This was the first and only time I’ve seen this kind of butterfly. It’s interesting to see more than one insect on a plant at once, a bit of drama at play. In the end the butterfly blinked first and moved on.
I saw quite a few sulphurs last year, all within the span of a few days. We were walking along some flower beds in a botanical garden hoping to see some painted lady butterflies. The day was a bonanza of butterflies, we saw three different kinds, including the sulphur.
The size of the tree frog perched in a dense clump of flowers and the light proved quite the challenge. I have only ever seen a couple of tree frogs before and I couldn’t walk away without a photo. I waited, changed my position and waited some more but he never turned my way. In the end though, I was pretty happy with the shot I got.
This colourful fly landed on the daisy as I was composing my shot. One of the things I like about nature photography is that you can’t always predict what you’ll encounter or the outcome of a shot. The possibilities are endless.
There is something special to me about walking through fields like these in summer. The colours and smells and sounds never, ever disappoint. So much to see and photograph.
At the best of times, watching bees visiting flowers and gathering pollen is a good sign for nature and our part in it. In these troubled times, it’s reassuring to see that life continues, there is still order and more will return in time.
Queen Anne’s Lace is a flower I enjoy seeing and photographing. It grows alongside other wild flowers and grasses which makes for interesting compositions and it’s such a fine looking flower all on its own.
Another sure sign of summer are cabbage white butterflies. Their caterpillars are rough on gardeners but as adults they feed on nectar and are a pleasure to see. Unlike many butterflies, they fly slowly between the flowers and seem to linger longer than most.
Ants and peonies seem to go together. Ants feed on the flower’s nectar and also keep harmful insects away from the plant. The ant was racing along the bud but I waited until it finally slowed down and took the shot.
Three trilliums for this cold day in May. Last weekend the weather was warm and sunny, today we’re having snow showers. Despite the weather, the flowers know it’s there time. I took these photos in May two years ago. I imagine they’re about ready to bloom this year too.
The first photo was taken at our favourite reserve. We see a few irises along the water’s edge every June. The second photo was taken in a neighbourhood garden. The cultivated irises are beautiful but I prefer the more subtle colour of the wild flower. And though it looks delicate, it really can’t be as it thrives in this natural setting.
I imagine that somewhere, people are enjoying the sight of tulips and daffodils. Ours make an appearance mid-Spring. I took this photo at Ottawa’s Annual Tulip Festival. I never miss it!
On a sunny day last July, we found a shady spot by the water to cool off. The air was hot and still and the scent of iris hung in the air. The snow might be falling outside right now but a scene like this reminds me that we’re headed in the right direction. 😊
As we were about to leave the park after several hours in the field, we saw a flash of yellow by the side of the road. The goldfinch was feasting on the seeds of the dried flower. As he moved the fluff would separate forming a fan around him.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 