photography and musings from a Midwesterner
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Desaturated Coneflowers © 2010 Bo Mackison
A pair of purple coneflowers, photographed at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison Wisconsin. I often see personification in my botanical photographs. To me, it looks like the two flowers are holding hands, you know, the way you might casually intertwine fingers with your lover or child as you stroll along…
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Wabi Sabi Dahlia © 2010 Bo Mackison
This photograph is the last in the series of dahlias I’m posting on Seeded Earth (though there are many, many more in my treasure piles). I showed you ‘Esther’ as a new bud with the light from the setting sun giving her a warm glow. I showed you ‘Esther’ with her petals just beginning to fully unfurl. I gave you a peek of ‘Esther’ from a vantage not often seen – the undersides of the dahlia, softly lit (and one of my favorites). I posted a photograph of ‘Esther’ close up, so close you could almost see her heart. Today we say good bye to ‘Esther’ the dahlia, as she is on the wabi-sabi part of her journey.
What is wabi-sabi? As defined by architect Tadao Ando:
Wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It’s simple, slow, and uncluttered-and it reveres authenticity above all.
Seems fitting that this is the photo for today. Today is one of those wabi-sabi sorts of days.
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A Dahlia with Heart © 2010 Bo Mackison
Continuing the photo series of the dahlia called ‘Esther’, photographed at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison Wisconsin. AMazing how many personalities a single flower can exhibit – rather like their human counterparts.
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Sunlit Dahlia Bud © 2010 Bo Mackison
Just as the sun was setting, the light cast soft golden tones on this single Dahlia bud. Photographed on my third trip to Olbrich Gardens in the past three days. Soon they may put me to work there!
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On the Ground Looking Up © 2010 Bo Mackison
Another view of the ‘Esther’ dahlia, this time from the ground, looking into the dahlia foliage. Photographed at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin.
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A Dahlia Called 'Esther' © 2010 Bo Mackison
What a great morning! Sherpa and I spent several hours this morning at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens on the east side of Madison. The place was really busy: there is a temporary exhibit called Blooming Butterflies in the Bolz Conservatory. We didn’t visit the butterflies this morning – I can do that on a thunderstorm-y day – but if you are in the area, I highly recommend checking out this special show.
We had a great morning in the outdoor gardens. Even though we were out early, these gardens don’t open until 8 a.m., so we brought the giant diffuser along with all the other gear. It folds into a small package when not in use, but fully opened it is 36″ in diameter. I had a very enthusiastic 12 year old ask me if it was a Frisbee! I told him “no, but as light as it is, it would fly a long way.” I’d hate to chase it if it was picked up by a gust of wind, but my new friend would have enjoyed the chase. I did decline when he asked if I’d like to give it a toss.
I think the favorite flower of the morning was this dahlia, properly named ‘Esther’ and really showing off her bright colors. I photographed the dahlias in many poses, but do like this particular dahlia, not quite fully open, but strikingly beautiful in her youth.
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Red Poppy © 2010 Bo Mackison
Macro photograph of red poppy, taken at International Boundary Park on the British Columbia, Canada/Washington border.
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Poppy Sunset © 2010 Bo Mackison
Just before crossing the border from Washington state into British Columbia, Canada, we stopped fora short break at the International Border Park. The park had a small sculpture garden and quite a few beds of flowers including one with a huge stand of blooming poppies. I took a few photographs before getting back in the car and joining the stream of cars heading through customs.
Today I worked with several of the poppy images, including this macro shot of a poppy interior. When I desaturated the colors, the photograph of the poppy reminded me of the sunset I had just watched through my studio window.
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On Watch @ 2010 Bo Mackison
Macro-photograph of a yellow daylily, photographed at Chicago Botanic Gardens.
Little periscopes, hmm? Wonder what they see…
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Red Daylily © 2010 Bo Mackison
I spend lots of time visiting botanical gardens. I love botanical gardens, especially the ones where winding, almost secret paths lead from area to area. One minute I’ll be wandering in a rose garden, the next, in an alpine conifer garden, then a trip across a bridge brings me into the magical world of a Japanese Garden. I love all those grand sights, the vistas, the fragrance only a million roses in one garden can offer. But I am one of the lucky ones. I don’t have to go to a garden across town or across the state to get my flower fix for the day. For there are gardens just outside my home.
I don’t live in the country, though a country home has been on my life list for decades. I don’t think it’s going to happen. We are too content in our home on the edge of the city. And after living here for nearly 25 years, the barren lot we purchased has been lovingly transformed into a luscious green space. The trees we planted back then now reach way beyond our roof. The gardens we planted with little bits of plants now mound high in the summer with bouquets of perennials. The rock garden is well established, as is the hosta garden. I have my little space of country here on the edge of the city.
I love looking at my flower gardens, but I don’t take photographs of them as often as I might. So for the next week or so I will offer a few photographs of my own gardens along with my favorite visiting garden spots.
Today’s flower is the lovely daylily, from a plant I transplanted from my grandfather’s garden in western Illinois more than 20 years ago.
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