Flower season in Seattle

BigV • May 18, 2005 8:29 pm
I love digital cameras. The phrase "electrons are cheap" always brings a smile to my face. And I have sacrificed many many electrons in pursuit of these images. If you like flowers, read on. If you don't, move on.
BigV • May 18, 2005 8:32 pm
A lovely iris
BigV • May 18, 2005 8:36 pm
and deeper
BigV • May 18, 2005 8:37 pm
The lens is touching the flower petals at this point.
BigV • May 18, 2005 8:47 pm
lots of blue lupine
BigV • May 18, 2005 8:51 pm
and the stagehands :)
BigV • May 18, 2005 8:52 pm
this is the light I had to work with. I'm not complaining.
wolf • May 18, 2005 9:09 pm
BigV wrote:
lots of blue lupine


So THAT'S what Dennis Moore wanted!!
Happy Monkey • May 18, 2005 10:51 pm
Love the lupine.
Catwoman • May 19, 2005 4:59 am
Wow bv, that cheered up my dreary Thursday morning. :biggrin:
Silent • May 19, 2005 8:21 am
wolf wrote:
So THAT'S what Dennis Moore wanted!!



Yes that's right, the flower lupine.
Trilby • May 19, 2005 10:00 am
Beautiful. I loved all of them but the sky was what took my breath away!
dar512 • May 19, 2005 11:16 am
Wonderful shots, V. Have you ever gone up for the Skaggit Valley tulip festival?
zippyt • May 20, 2005 12:16 am
Verry cool Big V !!!! Verry cool !!!! :)
xoxoxoBruce • May 21, 2005 3:42 pm
Nice V...I love flowers. :thumb:
FloridaDragon • Jun 27, 2005 4:10 pm
Since this plant was beat up immediately after we moved in by both hurricane Francis and hurricane Jeanne, we weren't 100% sure of what it was ... now we have the proof that it is a bird of paradise.

FD
BigV • Jun 27, 2005 4:33 pm
Yep, no question there. That is a textbook example of a beautiful bird of paradise. Lovely! What gaudy, glorious, bodacious flower. Look at me!
xoxoxoBruce • Jun 27, 2005 10:27 pm
BigV wrote:
What gaudy, glorious, bodacious flower. Look at me!
They're the ones that are sure to get to reproduce. ;)
BigV • Oct 5, 2007 4:36 am
So tiny!

Yes, a little post processing... sue me.

I love this little beauty.
TheMercenary • Oct 5, 2007 9:09 am
Grerat shots. I love flowers. I have a number of pics.
skysidhe • Oct 9, 2007 4:05 pm
Thanks for sharing Big V.

lol @ "It's time for your closeup, Miss Lupine" :)
BigV • Apr 1, 2008 5:02 pm
pic01 -- Grape hyacinth.

pic02 -- Bug's perspective.
BigV • Apr 1, 2008 6:22 pm
pic 01 -- Daffydils.. what are they all gawking at?

pic 02 -- Tink's tulips, armed and ready.
Fongar • Apr 1, 2008 11:53 pm
my old picture with canon 410
Image

http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=25072007171203kc8.jpg
BigV • Apr 2, 2008 10:34 am
Hello and welcome, Fongar. Nice picture--looks like a pansy, do you know for sure?
kerosene • Apr 2, 2008 10:43 am
These are really lovely pictures, BigV. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Fongar • Apr 2, 2008 4:26 pm
nice at i got reply :)
i think pansy is right in english



reader since Jun 2007
member since Jan 2008
Sundae • Apr 2, 2008 7:23 pm
V I'm going to tell Tink you are reading my mind.
Your pics are pretty much my favourite Spring flowers.

(note to those who want to send expensive bouquets - also roses, lilies and orchids)

We call Irises "flags" and I have always associated them with my parents' tall, thin neighbour who grew them. And Daffodils are also called "Lent lilies" - I prefer your idea of a chattering crowd of rubberneckers though.

I had hyacinth on my desk the week before last, scenting the office. This week it's scented narcissus. Am sorta dreading the summer because the cheap flowers go of season. Maybe I can get some wildflowers.

Keep taking the pics V - they are wonderful.
BigV • Apr 2, 2008 7:28 pm
I saw several narcissuses on this latest walk... and I couldn't get a nice shot of any of them. All colors, pink, white, burgundy, blue, they are lovely. I'll try again.. they are so complicated...
Sundae • Apr 2, 2008 7:32 pm
Just realised I didn't say how gorgeous your photos are!
They're beautiful.
BigV • Apr 3, 2008 10:44 am
Thank you for your kind remarks.

Well, my amateur status as a photographer is no greater than my amateur status as a botanist. I misspoke yesterday. I had an image in mind of a flower I described as a narcissus but I was really imagining a hyacinth, like these. I knew that, and it bugged me as I walked the neighborhood last night. I intended to correct my misstatement this morning.

As I explored a little, I found out that I *have* taken pictures of narcissuses, and lots of them. I have just been associating them with the common name "daffodil". I had no idea.

So here are a couple shots of local narcissuses, so cheery and showy. I'll try again on the hyacinths and I promise more tulips to come. I saw some beauties yesterday.
BigV • Apr 16, 2008 4:36 pm
pic 01 -- Tink's tulips showing off.

pic 02 -- Even the laurels are in a festive mood.
skysidhe • Apr 16, 2008 4:46 pm
Beautiful! Thanks for posting them.

I'm think'in The tulips don't seem to mind the rain at all so why should I? In fact they seem perfectly happy to be cold and wet all the time.
BigV • Apr 16, 2008 5:40 pm
You're welcome. :)

It has been a pretty wet Spring, so far. Saturday was sunny and warm (73 deg F) and I got a chance to work in the back yard. But that was an exception weather-wise. I lately all my picture safaris are under cloudy skies. *sigh*
skysidhe • Apr 16, 2008 6:08 pm
BigV;446358 wrote:
You're welcome. :)

It has been a pretty wet Spring, so far. Saturday was sunny and warm (73 deg F) and I got a chance to work in the back yard. But that was an exception weather-wise. I lately all my picture safaris are under cloudy skies. *sigh*

yep, I did the exact same thing! I am under those same grey clouds neighbor. I just don't have a nice camera. ;)

Oh just wait until I do. I'll break UT's bank with all the neat photos I'd take. lol
BigV • May 6, 2008 6:45 pm
pic 01 -- Tink's tulips, looking north and in full bloom. They're a little past their prime now.

pic 02 -- One of the neighbor's gleaming beauties.
BigV • May 6, 2008 7:02 pm
Tulips! So beautiful, inside and out!
BigV • Jun 9, 2008 1:19 pm
pic01 -- Lily at the locks

pic01 -- Tink's lilacs from the back yard
BigV • Jun 9, 2008 2:04 pm
....
footfootfoot • Jun 11, 2008 10:42 am
Beautiful, what sort of film do you use?
Shawnee123 • Jun 11, 2008 11:19 am
I could almost smell those lilacs. Don't ya love 'em?

Great pics.
Tree Fae • Jun 11, 2008 1:05 pm
All of the pictures are very reminisce of Georgia O'Keefe. I love her paintings of flowers and have styled much of my art work after hers.
Flowers are always fun to take. These below were taken in Mexico and I have no idea what they are, but the colors are wonderful.
Clodfobble • Jun 11, 2008 1:36 pm
Lantana. They grow wild in Texas too.
BigV • Jun 11, 2008 7:20 pm
Tree Fae, the latanas are beautiful!

Clodfobble, *thank you* for that identification. I have always marveled at that blossom, but didn't know what it was.
BigV • Jun 11, 2008 7:26 pm
It's Flower Season in Hawaii too.

Photo Credit: SonofV

pic01 -- Yellow Hibiscus, the state flower, endemic to Hawaii.

pic02 -- A lovely slender plumeria, probably my favorite Hawaiian flower.
BigV • Jun 23, 2008 5:18 pm
A couple lovely roses at the end of the block...
fishfool • Jun 26, 2008 3:45 am
i love seattle :D
BigV • Feb 8, 2009 3:10 pm
I like this one. Lotus blossom.
Chocolatl • Feb 8, 2009 3:42 pm
I love the pollen on the lotus blossom! So wonderfully detailed.
Sundae • Feb 8, 2009 4:33 pm
Oh V!
(as opposed to oy vai)

Such BEAUTY.
I am floored with admiration.
Gravdigr • Mar 8, 2009 6:21 pm
V those are some excellent pics.

Florida that's one beautiful bird.

Here's my :2cents: worth:

Miniature Rose
Image

Columbine
Image

Chrysanthemum
Image

Oriental Lily
Image

Sorry 'bout the huge pic, but I couldn't help myself:D
BigV • Mar 8, 2009 7:21 pm
Thanks Gravdigr. Your rose is enchanting. Is that in your yard? It is just perfect, what a beautiful blossom. All your pictures are lovely. Thank you for sharing them.
TheMercenary • Mar 9, 2009 8:44 am
Love the Columbine.
Gravdigr • Mar 18, 2009 5:43 pm
Yes, [SIZE="6"]V[/SIZE] it is in one of Mom's flower corners. Only slightly bigger than a quarter.:D
BigV • Apr 21, 2011 6:17 pm
Here are a couple shots of the results of yesterday's "work". It was interesting to see the same flowers year over year. They really do look lovely. I broke one of the pink tulips in the process, it's now inside with me.
Sheldonrs • Apr 21, 2011 6:20 pm
Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than 2 lips. ;-0
BigV • Apr 21, 2011 6:22 pm
Sheldonrs;725409 wrote:
Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than 2 lips. ;-0


but, but.... tha's a cheeky remark.
skysidhe • Apr 21, 2011 9:24 pm
be-U-ti-ful!
Tulip • Apr 22, 2011 11:18 am
That is so pretty, Big V. Do you have to replant the tulip bulbs every year?
Sundae • Apr 23, 2011 8:49 am
I'll answer for him from experience.
No. Tulips and daffodils are perennials. The bulbs bloom every year.
I brought some bulbs back form Amsterdam for the 'rents. Supposed to be black, but in fact dark purple. Still, they stand out among the red and yellow :)

One of the things I like to see is where gardens are not completely loved by new inhabitants, but the perennials come up anyway. It's more likely in Indian/ Pakistani households, where gardens are kept tidy but not tended. British/ white households tend to let the whole thing go, so you can't see the flowers even if they do come up for the litter and plastic bags strewn about.
BigV • Apr 27, 2011 12:27 pm
Thank you SG for stepping in for me. I am enjoying blossoms from these bulbs year after year. I even have a couple child bulbs blooming. They really do look nice.

Though it does have flowers, I am not informed enough to identify them. But I did get the bamboo transplanted yesterday during a prolonged sunbreak. Here are a couple pictures. Please excuse the neglected condition of the yard, it has been too crappy to actually do any yardwork.

one before, one after.
BigV • Apr 27, 2011 12:32 pm
Behold! Grape hyacinth OF THE GODS!!!!!!

:p
FloridaDragon • Apr 27, 2011 9:11 pm
Seeing BigV's tulips reminds me fondly of the ones we planted in CT when we were there ... some plants simply do not do well in FL and tulips are one of them.
Tulip • Apr 27, 2011 9:29 pm
That is so pretty.
BigV • Apr 27, 2011 9:45 pm
FloridaDragon, those are gorgeous. I love seeing them in crowds like that. CT, eh? Well, you have your Birds of Paradise to comfort you, don't you?
Gravdigr • May 12, 2011 3:34 pm
V, that's a great shot of the grape hyacinth, it's hard for me to capture those itty bitty upside down things.

Clematis.
BigV • May 16, 2011 12:42 pm
violet
calla lily
Tulip • May 16, 2011 1:41 pm
How come that violet looks black? :3_eyes: The red calla lily is pretty. I've only seen white ones.
BigV • May 16, 2011 2:20 pm
Hi Tulip

The violet looks black because it was deliberately bred to look like that. All the out of focus black blobs in the background--more black violets. They were striking.

The calla lily was beautiful, it seized my attention, that's why I took a picture of it. I'm glad you like them.
BigV • Sep 12, 2011 2:10 pm
These could go in the What is this thread, because, well... what is this thing?

It is growing against the west wall of the house, and has almost completely hidden the bathroom window. Just last week these beautiful orange-y blossoms have appeared. Can any of you identify it?
Lamplighter • Sep 12, 2011 4:13 pm
BigV;755827 wrote:
These could go in the What is this thread, because, well... what is this thing?

It is growing against the west wall of the house, and has almost completely hidden the bathroom window. Just last week these beautiful orange-y blossoms have appeared. Can any of you identify it?


I'm pretty sure it's called a "trumpet vine".

We have it on the side our home too.
It was very popular when the wealthy were building their large "Craftsmen bungalows" in Pasadena, CA back in the 30's
BigV • Sep 12, 2011 5:05 pm
so good to see you again Lamplighter!

Thanks for the answer, I am sure you're right. Here's a good link to some good discussion about the care and feeding of the Trumpet Vine (like mine, yours may differ). I will gladly cut this one back severely when the weather turns.

It's beautiful, but I don't want it to cover the house.
Lamplighter • Sep 12, 2011 6:56 pm
Yes [SIZE="3"]V[/SIZE], you do need to keep it in check.
In southern CA, they grow it on pergolas to keep it off the house.
I think the blossoms come out mainly on 2nd year growth.

Ours, in one season will climb from the main trunk 12 ft up a rock wall
and start growing in behind the 2nd story cedar shingles.
If left there the vines will break out the shingles.
It verges on being a nuisance, but we keep it out of tradition for the style of our house.
Clodfobble • Sep 12, 2011 10:48 pm
They're common around here, usually seen taking over the 6-foot privacy fence between backyards. They fill in so densely that you are left with a sloped hill of green that can't really ever be removed from the fence underneath, you just have to rip it all out and start over.