My Garden WIldflower Patch

Last year, I decided to turn some of the vegetable areas into wildflower 'meadows' and bought some seed from a recommended firm (Boston Seeds). It contained both annual and perennial species so last year was dominated by Corn cockles, Corn Marigold and Cornflowers. This year the various biennials/perennials have taken over with Red Campion, Salad Burnet and Wild Carrot dominating with other species in the gaps. The Corn cockles have seeded elsewhere so there will be plenty for seed gathering for next year.

 

Devon Woods

I spent a very enjoyable day photographing in various woods today. Thanks to Susan Brown for showing me round and lunch. I was practising with my Shift lens ready for a trip to Wengen for the alpine flowers later. The first picture is taken with the 24mm end of the 24-70mm lens; the second with the shift lens showing the relative shift of the fern compared to the background. The other images are also using 24mm Shift lens except for image 6, which is the 200mm end of the 70-200mm lens, and the last two taken with 50mm macro.

The Amazing Dandelion

One of the things I like best about photography is that it makes me look more closely at seemingly common subjects. Last year I noted that the Dandelion has evolved a truly amazing mechanism to ensure that the flowers have the best chance of pollination and the subsequent seeds of dispersal.

The flower is borne on an upright stem above the leaves to attract insects. When pollination has occurred the stem grows/bends downward so that the dead flowerhead with the developing seeds is now at ground level below the flowers. When the seeds are ripe and ready for dispersal, some growth or turgidity mechanism causes the seed head to be lifted above the flowers and leaves for dispersal of the parachute seeds by the wind.

I would love to know what physiological processes are involved if there are any botanists out there.

White Wild Flowers

Four more wild flowers out in the garden this week. Above is Alliaria petiolata (Hedge Garlic, Garlic mustard, or 'Jack-by-the-hedge' ) and Lamium album (White Dead Nettle).
Below Symphytum orientale (White Comfrey) and Anthriscus sylvestris (Cow Parsley)

More Markers for Yearly Comparison

Some more of the wild flowers out in the garden this week.
Groundsel, dog violet,dandelion, ivy-leaved toadflax, forget-me-not,snake's head fritillaria, red dead nettle, alkanet and celandine