Sunday, June 12, 2011

Flower Power

I have recently discovered what a joy it can be to just look at flowers.

Heinrich Wenland
Not an amazing new discovery, perhaps, but something I have been too busy to do so far.

Salvia patens Blue Angel
Like every gardener, I spend a lot of time among plants, but I am usually doing something. 

Cécile Brunner
Weeding, deadheading, feeding, tying up stray branches and even watering are all tasks that take up most of my gardening time. I don't mind this: I enjoy taking care of plants, that is why I garden.

Nepeta
 When I can't find any weeds or spent rose blooms, I usually think about what needs improvement.

Rosette Delizy
 Every garden is a work in progress. I always find plants that clash, or have overgrown their space and need moving, or are not contrasting enough (I do tend to go for too much pink and purple...).

Geranium x Cantabrigiense "Karmina"













But I almost never simply look at my flowers.


All that changed yesterday, when I realized that I have no thoughts or pictures for the next blog post, so I took my camera and went into the garden waiting for inspiration.


Inspiration didn't come, but revelation did. Strolling around the garden and doing nothing but looking closely at even the smallest flowers brought me a lot of serenity and peace of mind. My heart rate went down, my mind cleared, and I found myself smiling for no obvious reason.

Lyda Rose

And I got a blog post out of it too. Which goes to show that one can always make something out of nothing.

Geranium "Rozanne" and penstemon "Apple Blossom"
Posted by Masha at 6:08 PM
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51 comments:

  1. debsgardenJune 12, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    An important part of gardening is taking the time to examine the wonder of it all. Your post is great because you made something very special in your garden. Thanks for sharing it with us!

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  2. MashaJune 12, 2011 at 6:50 PM

    Thank you, Deb. You are right, it is important to see the wonder of all the living things in the garden. I wish I realized it a little earlier :)

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  3. AnonymousJune 12, 2011 at 7:22 PM

    You post was wonderful, so I guess you found what you were looking for, peace of mind and serenity. Your images are beautiful too.

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  4. MashaJune 12, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    Thank you, Donna. The best thing is that even little things can make one happy.

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  5. sherryocalaJune 12, 2011 at 8:27 PM

    Amazingly gorgeous, Masha. Your talents were up to the task of presenting the full beauty of each flower in your garden. Thank you!

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  6. MashaJune 12, 2011 at 8:44 PM

    Thank you for such wonderful compliments, Sherry, they warm my heart!

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  7. Gabriel RochardJune 12, 2011 at 9:19 PM

    Dear Masha
    Thanks for coming by to my blog.
    The Nepeta picture is really gorgeous. You have a great eye and your camera must be very sharp.

    I'm very proud that you love the first picture of the recent sunset in Versailles ! One cannot say how beautiful the light was during this sunset.
    About the artichoke, do not worry : the background buildings is not related at all to the royal Kitchen garden! Vegetables & fruits are cultivated by the gardeners and then sold at the little cute shop, at the entrance of the estate. People living in the houses near the Kitchen garden can only admire their work.

    You wouldn't guess but last week I met two ladies coming from.... California, they were staying in Paris for a while, looking for the Château de Versailles entrance. And they wanted me as a daily guide! So funny how life is.
    Hope things are well in California.

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  8. MashaJune 12, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Wow, Gabriel. Thank you for the story, I like learning from you. I wish I could travel to Paris again, maybe one day...

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  9. letrecivetteJune 12, 2011 at 10:45 PM

    I love your pics!
    Monica

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  10. mariJune 13, 2011 at 12:06 AM

    Красивые фотографии! Мне тоже нравится смотреть на цветы!

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  11. ProfessorRoushJune 13, 2011 at 5:27 AM

    I'm always amazed at the beauty of your roses. There are at least two on here that I've never seen, and I immediately looked up Rosette Delizy, only to find to my sorrow that she's a Tea and I'll never be able to grow her outside of a greenhouse. I either need to move two zones south or global warming has got to hurry up!

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  12. AnonymousJune 13, 2011 at 5:36 AM

    Masha, you do have an eye for beauty in the garden. Your first shot of Heinrich Wenland is picture perfect! Thanks for sharing your garden world...

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  13. Roses, Color, and LightJune 13, 2011 at 7:16 AM

    Beautiful post! I love letting the garden set my mental and emotional pace for the day. A few moments strolling about the flowers in the early morning is wonderful. Every gardener discovers this magic in her own time. You will never look back. It's what keeps us gardening in our 80s, 90s and beyond.
    Sandra

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  14. OneJune 13, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    Masha, Your photos seem to be getting prettier each time. It's definitely a joy to look at your flowers.

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  15. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    Grazie, Monica, I am happy you do.

    Spasibo, Mari, I am glad to hear from you.

    Professor, that was funny! I am sorry you can't grow Teas, but then again, there have to be some once-bloomers that do great for you and won't grow for me. Nowhere is perfect :)

    RR, thank you for the compliment. HW is an interesting rose with Pernetiana blood, hence the flame colors.

    Sandra, thank you. I certainly hope I continue gardening in my old age, too. I am grateful for your encouragement.

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  16. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 8:19 AM

    Thank you, One, for your lovely compliments. I appreciate them a lot.

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  17. HolleyGardenJune 13, 2011 at 8:28 AM

    That's why I've enjoyed blogging. Now I stop to take pictures of the pretty blooms, and it makes me enjoy them all the more. Much better than just working in the garden! Glad you stopped to enjoy the beauty. Love how your pics are sharp up close, and get blurry in the background. Very romantic.

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  18. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 9:39 AM

    Thank you, Holley. You understood me perfectly.

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  19. klaraau01June 13, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    You have beautiful garden, Masha, so much healing, special energy!

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  20. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Thank you, Klaraau01. I am glad you feel about it this way.

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  21. organicgardendreamsJune 13, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    Lovely post, Masha! I feel, we simply have to "smell the roses" or "just look at the flowers" from time to time or otherwise we are missing out on something most wonderful. I am glad that you found a moment to just do that and even let us participate in it. I enjoyed looking closely at your flowers tremendously!
    Christina

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  22. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    I am glad you enjoyed it, Christina, thank you for letting me know.

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  23. Dani P.June 13, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    Beautiful, peaceful post , Masha !

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  24. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    Thank you, Dani. I appreciate your compliments.

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  25. CatJune 13, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    *smiling* this is the very reason why my garden isn't always as tidy as I'd like. My word for this year is "espy" and I've been taking more time to simply observe and be present in the moment. Sometimes I think I'd like my blog to just be a photo journal as I don't always have much to say but the garden does...

    I especially love your geranium shot...beautiful, rich color and light.

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  26. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    Cat, thank you and I feel exactly the same way - I like taking pictures and then have to think about the text... But pictures without the text are boring.

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  27. GigaJune 13, 2011 at 6:42 PM

    Piszę drugi raz i mam nadzieję, że teraz będzie dobrze.Nie mogłam wysłać komentarza w którym pisałam, że Twój nie różany ogród jest też śliczny z tyloma kwiatami. Pozdrawiam serdecznie

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  28. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    Thank you, Giga, for the persistence. I was not aware there was a problem with comments.

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  29. sweetbayJune 13, 2011 at 8:36 PM

    Lyda always makes my heart skip a beat. Such a beautiful rose. Yet another one that's on my must-order list..

    It is wonderful just to really look at the flowers, isn't it? I love your pictures of the Geraniums. Exquisite.

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  30. MashaJune 13, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Sweetbay, thank you. Lyda is wonderful, with elongated leaves and a strong fragrance and blooms that look like apple blossoms. I think it would look great in your garden.

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  31. GabiJune 14, 2011 at 6:26 AM

    Podobają mi się Twoje zdjęcia Masha... są naprawdę ładne... ale to także dzięki Twoim roślinkom... pozdrawiam Gabi

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  32. MashaJune 14, 2011 at 7:44 AM

    Thank you, Gabi, I am glad to hear from you.

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  33. VWJune 14, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    Such beautiful photos - you must have had good lighting for them. Gardeners do find joy in the process as much as the result, don't we? I love letting my mind imagine how to improve this or that aspect. But it's nice to stop and just appreciate every once in a while, until that one weed catches the eye and needs to be pulled, and then the clippers come out to deadhead there . . . .

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  34. MashaJune 14, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    You are right, VW, I also can only enjoy it until the first weed :). Light here is actually not good most of the time - lots of glare during the day, and often high winds in the late afternoon. It is challenging to get good pictures, but that's part of the attraction.

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  35. AlistairJune 14, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    Masha, your words today are as beautiful as the flowers which you have not been looking at. The picture of Rozanne is just terrific.

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  36. MashaJune 14, 2011 at 10:49 AM

    Alistair, thank you. I appreciate your compliments.

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  37. HeidiJune 15, 2011 at 2:58 PM

    Beautiful post and gorgeous pics. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy your lovely flower garden. The powers of flowers is amazing.

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  38. MashaJune 15, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    Thank you, Heidi. I am glad to hear from you again.

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  39. DonnaJune 15, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    Gorgeous shots....I love the close ups...you know if you run out of weeds come on over...I never run out of them...ever...I have found myself wandering and looking instead of weeding and deadheading this year..hmmm...

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  40. letrecivetteJune 15, 2011 at 9:58 PM

    Hi Masha!It's always a pleasure come here! I love your beatiful garden!
    Have a good day!
    Monica

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  41. MashaJune 16, 2011 at 7:35 AM

    OK, Donna, I will. I actually feel pretty bored if there are no weeds :)

    Grazie, Monica, for your compliments.

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  42. Jennifer@threedogsinagardenJune 16, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    Your photos are simply amazing. The colors are so vivid and lush!

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  43. JessJune 16, 2011 at 8:03 PM

    Masha - just wanted to comment on your pictures here.. that salvia one where you can see the fuzz... really good stuff. Makes me want to run out and buy a macro lens.

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  44. SandraJune 17, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    Great photos!

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  45. megimoherJune 17, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    These above said everything... but both they and you are right: just look!and enjoy.

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  46. Cathy and SteveJune 17, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    I am so guilty of the same thing! Your post really struck a cord!

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  47. MashaJune 17, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    Thank you for the compliments, Jennifer!

    Jess, thank you. I actually didn't use a macro lens, but a tele-photo:)

    Thank you, Alexa and megimoher.

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  48. Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade GardensJune 18, 2011 at 12:41 PM

    Masha, Every night, usually before dinner, I make a point of walking around the whole garden without a tool, a notepad, or a camera just staring at the plants. I get immense pleasure out of it. Blogging has also helped me spend time looking closely at plants through the camera lens. Carolyn

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  49. MashaJune 18, 2011 at 7:53 PM

    Carolyn, I am glad to hear that. Maybe I should start doing that too, and you are right, I have been looking at the plants more closely since I started blogging.

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  50. letrecivetteJune 18, 2011 at 11:04 PM

    Nice Sunday Masha!
    Monica

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  51. Sandra GardenerJune 19, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    Oh Wow! As usual, all your photos are just stunning ... all the flowers are so beautiful !!!

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I am so glad you have stopped by!

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