Garden Photo of the Day

A Garden’s Beauty Is in the Details

Looking at the often overlooked

Today Lawrence Pratt is giving us a magically intimate look at some beauties from his garden in San Jose, California.

Our fallow garden planter is spending the winter hosting a variety of ground covers, including a smattering of field peas (Pisum sativum, annual) that are now in full bloom. A night’s rain provided a photographic garnishing of drops on the blossoms, and I was able to slip my black backing photo board behind these two items for a nicely highlighted image.

I’m a retired Silicon Valley technical writer and over the past several years have worked with my wife to plant and cultivate yards containing mostly native, low-water-usage plants at our San Jose home. Over the past several years our home has been part of the Santa Clara County “Going Native Garden Tour.” We also keep planter boxes in which we plant fall/winter and spring edibles. Unfortunately, climate change has made summer gardens an impractical and water-consuming effort.

Two pea blossoms magically captured with glistening droplets of rain on them. These images show so clearly the great rewards you can find if you stop and look closely at things in your garden. We usually grow peas for their edible pods and seeds, not their flowers, but these beauties make you see them in a whole new way.

Another pea blossom, again seen from behind, perfect in every way.

A white-flowered pea.

And a shot of a pea bloom in black and white, which highlights the intricate pattern of veins running through each petal. Garden photography can be such a great way to delve into the details of each plant and to enjoy every aspect of its unique beauty and perfection.

Finally, a glowingly brilliant yellow rose, again dappled with rain droplets. May we all take the time to look this closely at our gardens and celebrate the beauty we find there!

 

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Comments

  1. nwphillygardener 03/12/2019

    Truly Inspired Photography!

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 03/12/2019

    Great photos.

  3. User avater
    simplesue 03/12/2019

    I loved seeing your detailed observations of the pea blossoms. There really is so much magic in the details. I've never grown peas and would have thought that was an ornamental flower, not a vegetable blossom. They really are beautiful. The black background really makes amazing photos!

  4. paiya 03/12/2019

    Your photos and your flowers are magnificent. I never stop admiring the wonders of nature - such intricacy and beauty

  5. Musette1 03/12/2019

    gosh, those photos are marvelous!

  6. cheryl_c 03/12/2019

    Your photography is stunning. Right over my monitor I have an enlarged photo of raindrops on nasturtium leaves - yes, noticing the little things brings yet another dimension to gardening - and to life!

  7. User avater
    user-7007816 03/13/2019

    Beautiful photography. There is always, always something amazing going on in the garden. We just need to stop and appreciate.
    Thanks for sharing and reminding me.

  8. User avater
    bdowen 03/17/2019

    Beautiful photography and important, thoughtful message. Thank you for sharing both.

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