A Marguerite daisy in that magical “after the storm” sunlight.
See who almost kept me from going out to shoot this photo here:
http://cindydyer.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/we-are-not-amused/
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
About seven years ago, Michael planted a ‘Nelly Moser’ Clematis over our tiny pond in the backyard garden. Then we just sat back and ignored it (meaning we didn’t prune it, fertilize it, or attend to it other than watering during dry spells). It has been a prolific bloomer for us every year!
Today was a very damp day in Northern Virginia—with that perfect overcast lighting for photographing flowers. We took the ladder out back and I was able to get some overhead shots of the flowers growing on top of the fence. Michael counted 37 blooms (and that didn’t include the unopened buds). It’s such a beautiful sight—a cascade of big-as-your-hand intense pink blooms flowing down to the pond.
A Clematis plant likes to have its leaves and flowers in full sun, but its roots should be shaded and cool, in moist, well-draining soil. Ours is obviously planted in a perfect spot in our garden. A Bradford pear tree provides dappled sunlight, protecting the flowers during the heat of the day. ‘Nelly Moser’ is an heirloom hybrid that has been around since 1897. It was developed from Clematis lanuginosa, a species from China. The breeder was Marcel Moser from Versailles, France. It is easy to grow and blooms from May to late June for us. It can sometimes bloom again in mid-August, but the second bloom is less profuse. Because ours is planted in a more shady spot, the blossoms last for weeks.
The American Clematis Society has an elegantly designed and informative website: http://clematis.org. If you’re especially enamored with Clematis, join the Society for as low as $20 for an annual membership, which will give you access to more information on their site.
Growing tips: http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_dd99.html
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
Every year I plant something new in the three wrought iron baskets hanging off the front porch railing. Every other year, I plant the “this is the summer I will learn to cook, so I must have an herb garden close by” combo planters. The next year I’ll sheepishly admit that while I enjoyed the greenery, I once again did not learn to cook and so the herbs were not utilized. Last year was the futile “learn to cook” scenario; this year I’ve reverted back to stuff that’s just plain purdy to look at. My color scheme this year is bright green, red, gold, white, and purple. Very graphic, very high contrast.
After a series of “why didn’t I measure the boxes before replacing the liner” repeat trips to the nursery, I finally got the right size (note to self: pretending to plant invisible plants in an insert at the nursery is not a good way to measure how wide an insert to buy; measure first!). I then planted the baskets with marguerite daisies, marigolds, red and white verbena, purple and green sweet potato vines, and white allysum. Note the shot of the baskets with the car going by—see the passenger looking up? It’s because I was making a spectacle of myself by straddling two pots planted with stargazer lilies, feet planted on two separate walls, leaning a bit over the railing…all just to get that perfect shot. Oh, the risks I take for my viewers!
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
I remembered photographing this bug about two years ago and sharing it with my Garden Club members and a few friends. I went through my e-mail archives and found it this evening! Here’s the e-mail thread:
7/7/2006: Hey everyone…Remember when I mentioned that I thought that bug might be a bee? I was hesitant and apparently rightly so! Thanks to my friend Jeff, I have been enlightened on one of the differences between bees and flies…thanks, Jeff! Be sure to click on the link he sent…it matches my bug exactly! Here was his letter below. — Cindy
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Cin, It is a type of fly, Order Diptera. Like all flies, it has two wings. Most other flying insects — bees, wasps, even most beetles, have four. I would say that your specimen is a Flower Fly or Hoverfly, family Syrphidae, species Toxomerus.
http://www.pbase.com/lejun/image/29589768
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From my Dad 7/7/2006
Oh, I knew immediately that it was a Flower Fly of the order Diptera, and that it was of the family Syrphidae, but I was uncertain of the exact species so I just let it slide — your misclassification was harmless and, as you know, I dislike correcting people in such matters (whether bee, fly or flea, it was a gorgeous photo).
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Great. Now everyone on two coasts knows I’m a nerd. A little bit of Mr. Science goes a long way. — Jeff
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No, now everyone knows I have a terribly, terribly, TERRIBLY brilliant, curious, mentally acute, resourceful, wise, erudite friend and one is judged by the company one keeps….so it’s a win-win situation for me! And remember, it’s all about me! In fact, I put your entire name because there was another Jeff in the e-mail and although he is also very bright, I did not want to give him credit where credit was not due. The proper nerd has been publicly thanked. Remember, I’ve been educating these Weedettes for over two years on everything I know and everything I research…..they’re used to MY nerdiness….I just brought company with me this time! — Cindy
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I photographed this same fly (okay, not THIS same fly, but a distant relative) last summer. I knew it looked familiar. Here are the closeup photos I got of one on a coneflower. Learn more about this beneficial insect here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoverfly
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
Yes, it’s another Bearded Iris (deal with it!). But this time, Mother Nature has added another element—a unidentified fly-thingie (a prize to the first person to identify it correctly–with proof of your research, of course). I’m fairly certain I’ve posted a photo awhile back of this same bug (at first glance, I don’t see it). I even think I successfully identified it back then. Stay tuned for further information…
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
This one was blooming in my friend Rob’s garden this weekend. In my research to identify this particular Iris (I’m still stumped!), I came across this site below. Take a look at all their gorgeous Bearded Irises!
http://www.iriscitygardens.com/bearded1.html
Their main site is: http://www.iriscitygardens.com/
Growing tips: http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/bearded-iris.html
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
Several years ago, my friend Karen generously shared a huge box of bearded iris with us. We put the majority of the plants around our small pond in the backyard (I think they need dividing this year!) and the remainder in the front garden. I shot these images late this afternoon.
Learn about growing irises here:
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/bearded-iris.htm
There’s even a “Tall Bearded Iris Society” in Texas: http://www.tbisonline.co
Check out the varieties this company sells: http://www.schreinersgardens.com/
I feel compelled to buy this one!
http://www.schreinersgardens.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SIGO&Product_Code=MEGA
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
My friend Micheline and her husband downsized from a larger home to a condo a few years ago. My friend Gina introduced me to Micheline as she was preparing to move. The new homeowners were not gardeners and she wasn’t sure if the garden she had tended for so many years would prosper. She invited us over to take some plants for our gardens. She had a gorgeous bank of lemon drops and lily-of-the-valley plants and some from both areas have been thriving in my garden ever since. I photographed this lily-of-the-valley this afternoon.
Learn more about Lily-of-the-Valley here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
I shot this photo of baby Robins last spring. The nest was in the crabapple tree just outside our kitchen window. Robin eggs are the most beautiful shade of pale blue green, one of my favorite colors.
Here’s an excellent website with FAQs about the American Robin:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/robin/FAQBabies.html
A day-to-day journal of baby robins here: http://kathyskritters.com/tales/robins/
Here’s a really great video of a robin baby hatching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDKgLfWheoI
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.
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