I took this photograph in May 2019. It’s the first time I’d seen a clearwing so early. A pleasant surprise.
Tag Archives: Flowers
STANDOUT
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.
NOT TOO LONG NOW
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.
PINK AND PURPLE
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.
HOLD ON TIGHT
Pretty good advice for the times we live in 😏.
BEE WATCHING
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.
ON A WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A scene from a warm summer day. No better way to spend a sunny afternoon than camera in hand surrounded by sights like this.
METALLIC BEE
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.
TURN AROUND
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 😏.
LATE FALL – 3 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
LATE FALL – 2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
FALL CROCUS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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 😏.
LATE SUMMER FLOWERS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Most flowers are not as vibrant as they were earlier in the summer but they still hold a special beauty.
LATE SUMMER IN THE GARDEN
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.
FLOATING (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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
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!
OVER THE FENCE (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
A lot of old homes in my neighbourhood have wrought iron fences with flowers peaking through the gaps. The grass is always greener…
POPPIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
DAISIES AND FRIEND (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
WILDFLOWERS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
LUPINES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I do enjoy walking alongside meadows. In June, lupines are a common sight and shine like gems in the grass.
BUTTERFLY AND BEE
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.
PINK-EDGED SULPHUR
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.
FROG CHALLENGE
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.
PLUS-ONE
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.
FIELDS OF GREEN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
BEE’S BUSINESS
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.
A TOUCH OF LACE
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.
CABBAGE WHITES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
ANT ON PEONY
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.
TRILLIUMS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
WILD CHILD OR CITY BRED (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
TULIP TUESDAY
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!
BY THE WATER
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. 😊
FAN DANCER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
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.
TO EVERY SEASON (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
By late March, the ground begins to thaw and the ice starts to melt on the waterways. We’ll be outside with our cameras, enjoying the beginning of spring. I live in a country of contrasts – the snow and ice of winter giving way to the warmer days that follow!
ORANGE JEWELWEED
This flower is an annual, native to North America, and often grows close to a water source. Every summer I see it growing by a small pond in a wonderful tangled mass of colour.
IN THE WIND (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I think the milkweed plant is its most beautiful in the fall. The pod stood out against the dry grasses and brought contrasting colour and texture to its surroundings.
NOD TO SUMMER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Daisies are some of our earlier wild flowers, sunflowers appear later in the summer and last long into the fall. They are both members of the same family of plants, Asteraceae, which I look forward to seeing when the warm weather returns.
FALL COLLECTION – 4 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This photo was taken in late October. I liked the contrasting shapes and colours of the flowers and leaves. There’s something very appealing about these fading flowers, beauty in their imperfection.
