Today we’re in North Reading, Massachusetts, seeing the world through the eyes of talented amateur photographer Maureen Budney. She grew up with a love of gardening passed on from her mother, and she loves taking pictures of the beautiful sights she sees during the day.
A bumblebee hard at work on a cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus, annual). Cosmos is native to Mexico, with native populations reaching north into Arizona and south as far as Costa Rica, but it is now a beloved resident of gardens all around the world. Easy to grow from seed, it is a favorite of pollinators and a great cut flower as well.
The cosmos in this action shot has a beautiful darker eye and edge to the petals. Cosmos come in a wide range of colors and patterns. If you save seed from cosmos, be sure to take it from the plants you like the best to ensure that you have your favorite colors and forms year after year.
A lovely, intensely dark red cosmos.
The flowers of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6–9) are beautiful at every stage, even here as they are beginning to gracefully age and fade.
Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata, Zones 3–8) is a reliable shrub that easily adapts to a wide range of climates and conditions. Older varieties are white or cream, sometimes taking on a reddish hue as they age, but some newer selections boast strong pink colors in the flowers, as seen here.
The flowers of this beautiful pink panicle hydrangea are beginning to fade from pink to tan.
Nothing does fall color like a sugar maple (Acer saccharum, Zones 3–8). Sunlight encourages the development of red color in fall leaves, sometimes producing a two-toned effect as seen here, with the outer leaves, which are exposed to more sun, flaming up red while the inner leaves are yellow.
A closer view of these astonishingly beautiful leaves.
Frost on the fall leaves of a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9).
A cardinal stands out in a garden filled with snow.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Comments
The frost on the Japanese maple is a reminder that there is beauty in every season.
It was very early in the season, October, but beautiful nonetheless.
Beautiful photography!
Thank you!
Awesome photos ! Wonderful thx.
Thanks so much!
My, my, that sugar maple is a real wowzer!
It really was. Even better in person. I actually pulled my car over and got out to take that shot!
You are so right. There is beauty in every season. We just need to open our eyes. Thanks for such a nice photo display. Great job.
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed them.
These colorful photos surely brightened my morning - thank you so much for sharing. The frosty Japanese maple leaf is especially lovely.
Glad to know the photos are appreciated. Thank you!
Love that great shot of the bee flying off from the Cosmo!
The frost on that Japanese Maple is spectacular!
I want to see more!!!!
That bee was a complete surprise. He was on the flower, but the moment I snapped the photo he flew off. I had no idea until I went to look at the photo.
What a talented photographer you are! Your photos evinced fond memories and thoughtful analysis of fall to winter changes. Well done!
Awww, thank you sooo much. I’m new to photography, it’s been exactly a year this November. I take all my pictures using my IPhone. So glad you enjoyed them.
I see an exhibit in your future! My son is a commercial photographer now but he started with exhibits and who knows where it might take you! Just such lovely shots!!!
Thank you! Such a wonderful compliment. Means a lot!!
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