I had such a fun Mother's Day with my family. The weather didn't end up being quite as sunny the day before, but it was still a pretty nice day. My husband surprised me by telling me we could go get a new camera. I was so happy to get a new one, we'd had the old one for many years.
So, while my husband and older daughter went for a bike ride I walked around the yard taking pictures of the littlest gardener and whatever else looked photogenic.
(clicking on the pictures will enlarge them)
The Pink Flowering Dogwood is my favorite thing to photograph right now.
Mexican Orange (Choisya ternata) The flowers have a sweet citrus scent. I've heard these evergreen leaves can have strong, not so sweet smell, but so far I haven't noticed it.
Super macro on the Peony 'Sorbet' I just planted early this spring. Looks like I'll be lucky and get a flower this year!
I noticed that in the school yard behind us there are white dogwoods. I never noticed these 2 white dogwoods until a tree blew over about a month ago. They both are tall and skinny and sort of grow up alongside these cedars. I used my zoom to get a close up. I just can't wait to try getting some pictures of birds now using the zoom. I took lots of pictures of the birdhouses and feeders and couldn't believe how well I could see detail. Of course no birds were visiting today.
Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearls' blooming. A few days ago I said it looked best in buds, now I think I'm changing my mind. I like the flowers open just as much!
Leopard's Bane (doronicum). I've tried growing them before, but I think it was too dry where they were. They do like regular water. I'm trying them again, I love these yellow flowers.
The tulips are just about done blooming. This fall I'll be planting a lot more.
I think the rain is returning, but that won't stop me from taking pictures. I'll probably be driving my family crazy for awhile practicing all the different settings and seeing how things work. I'm actually reading the directions this time, the last camera we had I didn't even know it had macro until about 6 years of owning it.
Look at you go girl - excellent shots for just getting your new camera. You mentioned 'super' macro. Does it have macro and super macro? Beautiful blooms on your flowering dogwood.
ReplyDeleteI noticed we had no birds yesterday either. But later in the day here came a Towhee, then robins and my hummingbirds - all at the same time. The Towhee and I sat and stared at each other but I knew if I made a move to get the camera he'd be gone. Usually I have the camera with me but like I said there had been no birds so I didn't. Missed a great shot. ;-(
Ohhh, those dogwood blooms are so... charming! Will wait for your peony flower to open, its color is dramatic!
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine. Thanks for reminding me about Gracie. It was so neat to hear that she was sitting on your lap as you typed away at my blog. Papillons, on the other hand, are not really lap dogs (they can't sit still for a moment. Busy, busy). Congratulations on your new camera! The garden looks wonderful and I'm sure the plants won't mind posing for you. P.S. Does Gracie's coat need a lot of grooming? Right now, it's burr season here (from the clover). And these nasty magnets just love my Angelina's fluffy hair.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine~~ Kudos to hubby! I got a simple Nikon Coolpix for Christmas from my hubby and I'll tell you, I love that camera! The close-ups are so amazing. My three daughters (and my son too for that matter but he is an adult and lives on his own) love to take photos and post them on their individual sites. It's addictive.
ReplyDeleteThe Choisya--a mixed blessing. I try to bend my nose to smell the flowers WITHOUT touching the ghastly smelling foliage. To me it smells like a medicinal herb gone bad. Weird that some people notice it and some don't.
Nice photos. I look forward to seeing more of them.
I do love the pink dogwwod. I want to get one. I planted leopards bane, and it died. I had it inside in a pot for a while and then moved it outside. It did well for about 2 weeks, and then abruptly died!!! Not sure why. I watered it well. Oh well...trial and error!
ReplyDeleteA belated Happy Mother's Day to you!
ReplyDeleteYour Mother's Day gift has been made to good use! Love those photos you took with the new camera.
Ha ha ha...I know how you would be driving your family crazy with all the clicking on your camera day in day out! That's what happened to me these days, especially so, after I started my gardening blog!
Have fun with the new toy!
I forgot to mention, I love those pink dogwood blooms! They look spectacular! How lucky of you to have those beautiful bunch of blooms in your garden!
ReplyDeleteThe pink dogwood is absolutely covered in flowers! It's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteNice photos and congrats on the new camera, I'm due for one soon.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new camera_I see you are putting it to brilliant use! That dogwood...so beautiful.Im so envious. BTW, if you crush the leaves of the Choysia the citrus smell is released! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWell your dog for sure did get a trim. How cute. Yup, I think I like C. Pearls in full flower too. They are pretty great! I planted the ligularia last year here in a damp place and was so stunned it actually came back! The real test will be whether it survives the summer. This is my second time trying it too. A picky thing it is. Glad your Mother's Day was great. And yes, for sure the lovely Pink Dogwood can certainly be your plant of the month. It is all up to the gardener. No question about it.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new camera Catherine! That's an exciting present. Which one did you get? You know we'll be expecting even more from you now with that purchase!! ;-) Just kidding. I would be making the pink dogwood the subject of many photos now too ~ it's beautiful. Also can't wait to see "Sorbet" in bloom ~ if I'm remembering the right one, it's really stunning. I added 'Bowl of Beauty' to my garden last summer and I noticed it has a couple buds as well. It's so exciting to see something new bloom, isn't it?! Have fun in the garden with your new gift.
ReplyDeleteLinda - It does have both. It took me awhile how to find the setting, there is a lot to learn on here! No birds again today except the chickadees coming and going from the one birdhouse. Too windy maybe.
ReplyDeleteTatyana - Dogwoods are so pretty right now, this is one its best blooming years in a long time. I can't wait to see the peony either, I was surprised to find a bud already.
Prospero - Gracie does need a lot of grooming, more than I give her. She's getting a haircut tomorrow. All sorts of things stick in her fur, but luckily we don't have anything with burs. Those must be hard to get out of Angelina's coat.
Grace - I'm really excited about my camera. I can see why people get into photography as a hobby. There is so much experimenting you can do.
I'm going to go try and smell the choisya leaves today. It's only been there for one year, so I think I haven't worked near it too much yet and maybe that's why I haven't noticed it yet.
Dirt Princess - I think the Leopard's Bane must be picky. I have a friend just down the road and hers comes back every year.
JC - I just love the dogwoods too, they are such a pretty view to have when I look outside. I barely took pictures of my garden before the blog. I wish I would've. Now I can't stop :)
Sweet bay - This is one of its best blooms in a long time.
Darla - Thanks, this one is great and lots of features without being too overwhelming.
My English Country Garden - I accidentally erased the first group of pictures I took, I learned what not to do with the memory card :)
Tina - That is what she will look like tomorrow. She is still in her "before" fur. I can't wait to see her all clean and soft again.
I will choose the dogwood as my plant of the month then :) Although I have lots of buds on more plants that should bloom this month, I may change my mind.
Kathleen - I ended up with a Canon Powershot SX10 IS. I decided I'm not ready for a DSLR...yet. This has a lot of great features though and I think it'll be perfect. I wish we had nicer weather today, it's so windy my plants are all blowing all around.
Can't wait to see your peony either. It's always fun to see them in bloom the first time.
Great new camera shots. Good close ups. Can't wait to see the peony sorbet in bloom. I know you are having fun with your camera. Becca
ReplyDeleteGreat shots..you had nice ones before but these closeups are great!!! I am hooked on my camera too!
ReplyDeleteYour camera takes wonderful pictures! I love all the blooms, especially the dogwood. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of the dogwood!
ReplyDeleteJack Frost was not very kind to my dogwoods this year. Glad to hear you are enjoying yours
How fun, Catherine! All of your photos look great too. You have lots going on, the dogwoods are wonderful. I thought the deutzia looked good in pearl form, but agree, the flowers are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteFrances
How exciting to get a new camera!!! That's great!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy looking at your blooms so much. I see things I've never seen before like that Mexican orange. I wish I could smell it.
That dogwood is beyond glorious, Catherine. I'm glad you had a good day, and had time to enjoy your garden as well as your family.
ReplyDeleteBecca - Thanks, I am having fun. Lots to learn though!
ReplyDeleteThe Retired One - Once I figured out my old camera I could get some good pictures. It just took so much time. With this one it's a lot easier. They are really fun to experiment with!
Heather - It's hard not to take good pictures of that dogwood!
Sherri - I think we lucked out this year with all the flowers. We had a cold winter, but it doesn't seem to have bothered this tree. I hope you have better blooms on yours next spring!
Frances - Once we have some sun again I think they'll look even more clear. This deutzia is so pretty in bud or bloom, and it stays small too. It's right by the pond.
Susie - The Mexican Orange is borderline hardy here, so I'm really glad it still looks so good. I tried smelling the leaves today, and they weren't that bad.
Jodi - Thanks! Nothing better than a weekend with the family and no obligations. Even better when the sun is out!
You had a great Mother's Day, too! What fun! You took some great photos with your new camera, with no laundry, food, etc. LOL I get my directions out from time to time, too. I need to do a better job using them.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new camera! I just got one too and loving all the new things I can do with it. - Jackie
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, Catherine! I'm sure you had clicked lots of that dogwood. I love the blooms too! Leopard's Bane looks fantastic! How lovely and perfect! Not to mention, the tulips, they look lovely. macro is a great thing!
ReplyDeleteLots of pretty things blooming in your yard about now, but you're right. The pink flowering dogwood is the prettiest of all!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of deutsia....what a beautiful flower. Annual or perennial?
ReplyDeleteTamara - It's actually a deciduous shrub. This one stays fairly small too.
ReplyDelete