July 2, 2010

Red and Blue, and White



Adding color to the vegetable garden, vivid red poppies and heaven-blue delphiniums are now in full bloom. The poppies reseed themselves all over the garden, splashing it with color. I planted the delphinium in the midst of vegetables because it wasn't doing well in my wet flower borders. I enjoy the mix of flowers and vegetables, and later in the season there will be sunflowers, cosmos, and lavatera.




There is something very touching to me about the soft dusting of golden pollen on the papery petals. Some of the poppies have white in their centers, others black, and the reds vary from vermillion to crimson to pinkish red.




When you look closely at a delphinium blossom, it has an air of the fanciful, its color almost iridescent, its long spur flowing out behind, and the little 'hands' folded in its center, shyly protecting its private parts.




And to make this post appropriate for the Red White and Blue July 4th weekend, here is the white: a shasta daisy, proudly blooming in the small border in front of my porch. Have a wonderful holiday weekend everyone!

5 comments:

  1. Altoon,
    This post is such a joyful delight. Every flower in your garden shines with special color and life in the lens of your camera. What a sweet holiday acknowledgment.
    I have been digesting the "why make art" post for the past several days as well. No answers. Still so much to learn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That soft blue delphinium makes for a very different R/W/B combination. Living where there are frequent high winds means delphiniums haven't been part of my garden for years. Too much staking and heartbreak. But few flowers are more beautiful than a stand of delphiniums on a summer's day ... Very hot and humid here all day, felt very much like tornado weather but nothing happened; not even the predicted rain.

    ReplyDelete
  3. thanks, Deborah, for your comment. Capturing images of the flowers in my garden increased my enjoyment of them, and I'm happy to share that pleasure.

    Linda, I so love delphinium that I take the time to make a wire hoop to hold them together, held up by a wooden stake. Actually not much work at all and necessary here because it's very windy like at your garden. So far we've had perfect summer this weekend: sunny, hot and getting more humid.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Altoon, you have such an eye for detail and these flower images are exquisite! Yes, that pollen dusting is touching.

    ReplyDelete
  5. thanks so much, Maggie. What is it about the pollen that is moving? maybe its delicacy, and the sense of possible new life.

    ReplyDelete