Thursday, January 12, 2012

The winter garden

Through my photography course I've been looking at images taken in the woods in winter and it's encouraged me to appreciate the greys and browns and beiges of the winter garden.  Take a look at this lovely photo of a seedpod on Zinnia's photostream.  

So this morning I took my camera out in the back yard and sure enough, there's beauty out there now--even in the sogginess and the cold.  Here's what caught my eye.  Two little dried up apples hanging on for dear life to the apple tree.

A little trumpet shaped leaf curled into a wrought iron lantern.



































Frost patterns on the little sedums and the cedar twigs growing in a wooden box on the deck.  The sedum leaves remind me of frosted grapes.

















An interesting torch-like shape above the honeysuckle vine.  This is what's left after the birds have eaten the bright red berries seen in the image below.













Yes, there is beauty in the winter garden if you take the time to look.







8 comments:

  1. Your seasonal change is just Beautiful.

    The Tucson landscape stays basically the same, add a little something here take away something there.... we don't get the flux you do.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Hi Parsnip,
      The flux in the landscape is nice in a way, but I think the winter period could be a bit shorter! We experience this bleakness for a good three or four months. Not that I should complain. We do much better than, say Manitoba, where they have winter for five or six months.

      I do love the landscape in the southwest. We're looking forward to traveling down there in the old motorhome in February.

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  2. Great winter shots, Joanna. The beauty of nature is still there in the winter, isn't it? We just have to remember to put on our winter eyes to see it all!!

    I love those juicy red berries and the sedum leaves really do look like frosted grapes, I was going to say that and saw that you had actually written it!

    A lovely collection of winter's beauty and quiet charm. I enjoyed it all!

    What a friendly gesture to put a link to my seed pod on Flickr!

    Sandra

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  4. Beautiful photographs, Joanna. I'm enjoying the fruits your education very much.


    I own a photograph of a Michigan lighthouse that is monochromatic--shades of grey, white and black--with the exception of the roof of the lighthouse. The photographer gave it a bright red roof. The picture makes me happy every single time it catches my eye. Otherwise cold and desolate in appearance, it's that red roof that does the job.

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  5. Hi Rudee,
    Thanks for the feedback. The photograph you describe sounds amazing. Have a great day.

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  6. Winter's beauty is muted and pared but so interesting - great texture and shapes leave more to the imagination.

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  7. Lovely photos from your winter garden. I did think those were some forgotten grapes. Or maybe you were making ice wine. Funny how frost can disguise so much in the garden. I am always happy to see the changes in plant life...even the seemingly-unchanging evergreens do have their seasons.

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