Archive for the Winter Category
Posted on March 10, 2009 with No Comments
For those who like to photograph flowers, winter is a long and tedious season to get through. It takes a bit of feeling for adventure and patience to find subject matter. But those who like to take pictures of bright and colourful flowers need to start thinking of creating an indoor patio studio.
Sometimes, when you have taken a lot of photos of one subject you may find that you feel like you have run out of possibilities. The way to get around this problem is to change the lighting in which you shoot your subject. You can do this in a variety of ways by increasing light, decreasing light, backlighting, sidelighting, and making use of reflected light.
You can find affordable clamp lights at most improvement stores, they are not difficult to use and can be placed just about anywhere. For this studio you will also need a power strip to plug the lights in, and extension cords to get the lights where you want them. A small table and vases for your flowers, as well as backgrounds, black or white foam is the easiest to use and vary. Of course, you also need to find something to clamp your clamp lights to.
Once the studio is done, you just need to enjoy playing with the light and the flowers.
[Via: Nature Photographers]
Posted on February 26, 2009 with No Comments
After 137 years of shows, the New England Spring Flower show was canceled due to lack of funding. So, New Englanders are having to go elsewhere to warm up a bit before spring truly hits.
Flower shows are usually best way to bring sum cheer into gloomy winter days. The Rhode Island Spring and Flower Garden show is to open its doors next week, with the main theme – “Gardens of the World.”
There are also other way to warm the body for those who are a bit more experimental. For example, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is hoping to put on a free event called Blooms in March at the InterContinental Boston. Along with the usual exhibits of floral design displays, there will also be a series of lectures by horticultural experts like Roger Swain. Exhibits will show orchids, bonsai trees and there’s also a gala party included in the show.
The internet is the best place to look for such upcoming shows, and blooms can warm just about any heart.
[Via: boston.com]
Posted on February 10, 2009 with 1 Comment
Most people feel that Valentine’s Day is not complete without flowers, but as just about anybody knows, February is not exactly the season for growing flowers.
So even gardeners have to join the rest of the crowd by buying fresh flowers at the local flower shop. Roses are by far the favourite — last year about 214 million flowers were put on the market for Valentine’s Day. Of course, this does not mean that other flowers and potted plants are not popular.
It really doesn’t matter what you choose for the special occasion as long as it’s from the heart, and you remember to take care of your flowers once the big day is over. This means that you keep fresh cut flowers in clean water, with bleach to prevent bacteria from attacking the stems. The stems need to be cut off as soon as you get the flowers. While potted flowers need to be kept out of direct sunlight, which is fairly easy at this time of year.
[Via: Santa Maria Times]
Posted on February 6, 2009 with No Comments
Though most of us are not expecting flower at this chilly time of year, snowdrops are soon going to popping up where we least expect them. There is also a flower that is quite similar to the snowdrop called the snowflake, and they often get mixed up, as they both like the cold.
The scientific name of snowflakes is Leucojum; this type of flower is native to the Mediterranean and North America, with about ten different types belonging to this type. The Snowdrop, or the aestivum is the flower that blooms a bit earlier. The snowflake has stalk that pokes up above the flower and looks much like a strap, usually holding about five flowers. At closer glance you can see that snowflakes have little green patches decorating the tips of their petals — this is the best way to differentiate the snowflake from the snowdrop.
The snowdrop on the other hand is a flower that is native to Europe and Asia Minor, and it has entirely white petals. One stalk bears only one flower. The snowdrop also tends to bloom in late winter or early spring, instead of spring like the snowflake.
Lily-of-the-valleys can also be confused with these flowers, but they bloom in the middle of spring so there is still a bit of a wait before we see their heads pop up, too.
[Via: examiner.com]
Posted on January 21, 2009 with No Comments
Sunshine in the winter cannot be compared to anything else. The rays of the sun are at their lowest, they slant and are very subtle.
The winters are getting milder, which is not such a great thing, but offers us new planting possibilities and options for our gardens. It’s time to make the most of any rays of light that come our way.
You should try to find some warmer spots in your garden where you can sit and enjoy the beauty of winter. A summerhouse facing to the south and spots beneath deciduous trees is usually a good place to hide from the heat of the sun. But during winter wrapped up in a hat and coat, they can be a warm place from which to watch your garden.
This is where you can also plant some scented trees or shrubs, which will release their scent with the heat of the winter sun. South-facing walls made of brick or stone do the best job of absorbing the sun’s heat, and are a good place to plant winter-flowering plants. Shrubby honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissima, and viburnum, are the best choice. These plants will give you a subtle show of colour and a scent to boost any warm cup of coffee.
[Via: Telegraph.co.uk]
Posted on December 26, 2008 with No Comments
When you think of flowers, winter does not really come to mind. However, the Phipps’ Winter Flower Show is trying to change this.
When it is cold and dark outside, people really need the sight of beautiful and cheery flowers. The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden is offering a warm atmosphere for admiring these works of nature. The Winter Flower Show, opened today is full of Christmas cheer, the trees are decorated, there are multi-coloured poinsettias, thousands of bright lights and even Santa comes to visit.
Michele Frey McCann, Phipps’ exhibit manager and designer says, “I think this time of year, you need a break from a lot of the activities that are going on. Bring your family and friends to enjoy the flowers.”
[Via: Pittsburgh Tribune Review]
Posted on December 12, 2008 with 1 Comment
The first holiday flower to come to mind is usually the Poinsetta, it is the best-selling holiday plant, but there are some other winter-blooming flowers that you can use as an alternative.
Amaryllis is a bulbous plant that has one flower on a single stem and it looks a lot like the lily. There are many different sizes and colours to choose from. They make a wonderful holiday bouquet, and they last for a long time with little maintenance.
Christmas cactus loves sun and makes a good plant when it is not flowering. This flower also requires minimal care. The blooms of this cactus are pink, violet, red and white, and they look great in hanging baskets or containers.
Christmas topiaries are usually used as tabletop displays, they usually include English ivy, rosemary, juniper and a mini conifers. The conifers are trimmed into holiday shapes, reindeer, ornamental balls and Christmas trees. They are then draped with ribbons and Christmas lights.
[Via: IndyStar.com]
Posted on December 11, 2008 with No Comments
Many have given up on the hope of seeing colour in the winter landscape. However, camellias are now blooming and they have beautiful blossoms to offer in pink, red and white.
Camellia starts to bloom in October. Hybrids are also available, they are usually single flowered and not recommended as cut flowers, because they shatter if they are handled too much. They can be placed on sunny patios or in windows.
There is a japonica variety that blooms later after the first blooms begin to fade. The blooms of this variety are latge and they have single and double flowers. Gardeners will either float them in water or use them in arrangements.
Now is the time to pick out your camellias, giving you the chance to find exactly the right kind and colour.
[Via: OrlandoSentinel.com]
Posted on December 8, 2008 with No Comments
The holidays are coming up and you are probably going to have a lot of guests around. There are a couple of things you can do to add colour to your home to make it more inviting.
Pansies are the first on the list. They are small plants but unstoppable bloomers. There are two kinds of blooms: clear-faced and monkey-faced. Clear-faced pansies have petals that are only one colour, while monkey-faced pansies have a black interior surrounded by colored petals. Both types come in a huge selection of colour. Pansies are excellent as container plants — they just need to be kept in a place that gets lots of sun.
Johnny jump-ups and violas are another great option, and they are closely related to the pansy. They can be grown just like pansies, they just have smaller flowers.
If you want to add deeper shades to your home, then primulas and cyclamen are the best option for you. They have intensely coloured flowers in red, blue, white, pink, yellow, and bi-coloured bloom. Plus, they do not need as much sunlight as pansies.
[Via: my SA life]
Posted on December 3, 2008 with No Comments
Most gardeners would not believe their ears if they were told that there as sunny yellow flower that is easy to grow and blooms all winter long. Well if you have a conservatory, light porch or spacious window, the Abutilon or the “Canary Bird” is the flower of your dreams.
Abutilons are very rewarding as conservatory plants as they flower constantly. The name of the “Canary Bird” is obviously from its bright yellow colour, that we all associate with the little birds.
This flower was first bread in 1980 during the Victorian era along with other hybrids from Central and South America. In their native landscape they grow as shrubs on the edges of forests.
Victorian gardeners were experimented with their flower avidly — if it were not for their breeding techniques many flowers would have died out. Flowers from this era are known for their toughness, longevity and overall quality. Proof of this fact is that the “Canary Bird” won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
[Via: Telegraph.co.uk]
