Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween
Phalaenopsis Orchid
(fay-lay-NOP-sis)

Happy Halloween to everyone. This pumpkin was fiber optic and its eyes would glow orange every few minutes. Right now I am building a new website for the regular digital flower pictures.com. It would have been easier to hire someone at this point but I wanted the experience even if that means muddling through the process. It is taking a lot of time but should be a major upgrade when finished. I will post a preview link soon.

This Orchid picture was shot out on Long Island late this summer. It seems to be one of the more popular Orchids. They are easy to grow and seem to bloom for a long time. The each flower stem can last several weeks.

Liv Tyler Hybrid Tea Rose

Hybrid Tea Rose
Rosa 'Liv Tyler'
Synonyms: Comtesse de Provence, Meibacus

Since there haven’t been too many rose photographs here this year here is a late season Hybrid tea named after the American movie starlet Liv Tyler. She also had a famous father. He is one of the Toxic Twins. Personally I have always loved Aerosmith and think of them as the American equivalent of the Rolling Stones.

This rose like its namesake is very pretty but not in a flashy way. It has a great scent and a nice color. This rose was growing at NYBG and even last weekend the rose garden still had a lot of flowers. The roses tend to get a bit scruffy this time of year with various holes, spots and pockmarks.

Here is the lowdown on ‘Liv Tyler’
Petal Count: 75 to 80 petals
Average flower diameter: 4.75 inches
US Introduction: Star Roses, 2007
Seed Parentage: Centenaire de Lourdes × Duke of Windsor
Pollen Parent: Regatta
Originally released in 2006 in France as ‘Comtesse de Provence’

Here is a link to some thoughts Liv had on having a rose named after her. Short Article

Maui Skywatch

Maui Skywatch

This Skywatch Friday is a little early but Thursday seems to be the best day to post. The skies over Maui were an ever changing tapestry of clouds and colors. Since we spent a lot of time upcountry there were a lot of drop dead gorgeous views of the island and the sea. This first photo is an abstract of some windy Palm Trees.

We have now visited Maui three times and each time I still walk away feeling like there was something new and enchanting each time. It is not unusual for me to have a mystical experience when visiting the island. This time it was this moment.


That is the sun poking through the Iwo Valley. We were walking across a parking lot it really felt like the eye from the Lord Rings was looking out over the valley. Except this was a very benevolent light. Where it got a little weird was looking down everything seemed bathed not in the golden rays of sunset but a very white light. It was about as bright it gets without being harsh. Things seemed to slow down and get quiet when I snapped the picture and after that everything started up again. Later I realized that I become transfixed for several seconds. Unfortunately I didn’t even check the settings and ended up with a picture that doesn’t quite measure up to when the scene played out before us.

This table had a mighty view and it was free, too. This is at the upcountry AKL Lavender Farm . If you want to go on a tour it costs something but we just walked around the garden on our own. It was a very impressive garden and it beat the lavender fields by a mile, in my opinion. That is the island of Lanai in the background.


Visit Sky Watch Friday for more skies around the world.
SkyWatch Friday Home Page

Fuji Spider Chrysanthemum

Fuji Spider Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum x morifolium 'Descanso'
(chri-san' thah-mum)

Hawaiian Bamboo

Hawaiian Bamboo
Phyllostachys (fy-lo-STAK-iss)


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Wordless Wednesday

2009 Kiku Show at the New York Botanical Garden

2009 Kiku Show at the New York Botanical Garden
Chrysanthemum ‘Autumn Eyes’

What a difference a week makes. Last Sunday we were attending the Maui Ukulele Show and this Sunday it was the Chrysanthemum Show at the NYBG. This years show seemed a little toned down (what doesn’t these days?) on the decorations but as far as the plants go it was the best ever to me. There seemed to be more different and interesting Chrysanthemums.

The Pillar type mums were fantastic and while they may have had them at previous shows I didn’t remember them being all together and prominent. The large mums were gorgeous as were my favorites the cascades. All in al the show, which I have heard will be the last (not sure), is worth attending.



There was some nice fall color at the garden. When you put that many plants together the tapestry of color you get in the autumn is amazing.

Bougainvillea 'James Walker'

Bougainvillea 'James Walker'
(boo-gan-VIL-lee-uh)

Who doesn’t go to Hawaii and take a picture of Bougainvillea? It is kind of hard not to when it is planted in almost every yard. I guess it is kind of like tropical Forsythia in that way. It was blooming pretty heavy in the garden of the house we stayed at. The colors were all mixed up and that looked nice. This was the only named cultivar that was labeled. It was waiting to be planted and the name was written on the pot.


It seemed to working very well as a privacy fence although it looked like it needed to be pruned fairly often. The thorns were not evident but still sharp. I was taking pictures of it every morning and one morning as I walked by a thorn caught my sunglasses and ripped them off. Thankfully that was all it did other wise there would have been some pain involved.

We grow a couple of Bougainvillea in the conservatory at work and usally put a couple of plants out in pots as annuals. I am not the one to look to for cultural expertise. Try this ehow page by Barbara Fahs for more information.

‘James Walker’ seems also to be called ‘Ambience’. It has orange bracts that turn to hot pink. It really provides a nice contrast. This second picture shows how bright the colors are.

These next pictures were shot with the D70s and the 105mm VR Nikon lens. It is a powerful combo and when I remember to use the 105 on the D70 it usually produces good results. I hope you enjoy them as the Butterfly was being a teaser and generally uncooperative. It took a long time to get these two shots.




For more flower pictures from around the world check out:
Today’s Flowers . The links open at 1400 GMT.

Canna Lily and a Few Maui Snapshots

Canna Lily and a Few Maui Snapshots

This orangey-red Canna Lily was blooming in Upcountry Maui. Yesterday was all about trying to get over the trip home and going through the pictures from the trip.

It is again going to be windy and rainy and cold here today. A real typical fall New England day. There is still some autumn color left and hopefully the rain won’t knock it down before I can get out there with the camera.

The next picture is from Lahaina Harbor. Lahaina is a good place to hang out as a tourist as there are plenty of good restaurants, shops and scenery. There are even a couple of high end art galleries.
Click here for a Virtual Tour
(it does take a minute or two to load)


The vintage Mercedes-Benz was spotted in the cowboy town of Makawao. It is an interesting little place with some cafes and galleries. This thing was in showroom condition inside and out.


The last photo is from Ho'okipa Beach, which is famous for all the windsufers that go there. There were a couple of regular surfers there too.

Another Waterlily

Another Waterlily

We made it back to Connecticut after an 18 hour trip. It is raining and in the 40’s here right now. At least it isn’t snowing. I will be sorting these Hawaii pictures for a while. The flowers came out well but I am just not happy with the landscape shots I took. It was a short but sweet trip and totally different from the other times we have visited Hawaii. We met a lot of my sister’s friends and saw a bit more of daily life.

Today is going to be a little hectic but one of the main things is to get the dogs. I really missed Ruby and Juno. Planning for work next week is another item that needs to be taken care of. Reconnaissance of the gardens is the first thing.

This waterlily was blooming in the Upcountry section of Maui. I thought interesting because of the purple tips and the diminutive size. The Orchid table was a t a little roadside stand. The prices were pretty good as the plants were really beautiful and healthy.

Hawaiian Water Lily

Hawaiian Water Lily Close up

Wordless Wednesday

Lobster Claw and Flamingo Flower

Lobster Claw and Flamingo Flower
Heliconia and Anthurium
(hel-ih-KOH-nee-uh) (an-THUR-ee-um)
Maui, Hawaii


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Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday at Work of the Poet.

Orchid Tree

Orchid Tree
Bauhinia purpurea
(baw-HIN-ee-uh) (pur-PUR-ee-uh)
Synonyms: Butterfly Tree, Mountain Ebony, Geranium Tree

There are several specimens of this tree growing in the yard next door to the house we are staying at. It sure is a beautiful little tree and there seems to be a little fragrance coming from the flowers. After reading up on it there were several reports of being weak growing and unattractive out of flower. None of that matters right now, it looks beautiful!

Yesterday was the annual Maui Ukulele Festival and it was a lot of fun. I think I got a little too much sun. The music was great and there will probably be a few more pictures of the festival posted here later.

This probably the most famous ukulele player. Herb "Ohta-san" Ohta. He sounded fabulous. For more information.

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia reginae
(stre-LITZ-ee-uh) (ree-JIN-ay-ee)
Synonym: Crane Flower

Aloha. Yesterday we spent all day in the ‘upcountry’ part of Maui. Lets just say there were flowers everywhere. After attending the Scottish-Hawaiian Festival we drove over to the Winery and the Lavender Farm. The Winery features among other things Pineapple wines. The wines tasted good and the tasting was free. They had a nice garden at the winery also.
Tedeschi Vineyards

The lavender farm had a lot of lavender (go figure) and a wonderful garden. The garden is one of the best I have seen in the Hawaiian Islands. We ended up spending hours lost among the plants and flowers. That is were the Bird of Paradise picture was taken. This other picture is an Aloe bud that I saw on the side of the road as we walked up to the festival. Where we parked had a long Hibiscus hedge and when I opened the car door several branches and flowers poked into the car. My kind of parking spot!
Ali'i Kula Lavender Maui


For more flower pictures from around the world check out:
Today’s Flowers . The links open at 1400 GMT.

Julia Child Floribunda Rose

Julia Child Floribunda Rose

We made it to Maui and it was a sunny 85 degrees here when we finally landed. Karen got upgraded but I didn’t so I ended spending the 8.5 hour flight crammed in coach. For those that don’t know I am six foot six inches tall and of course there was another large person next to me. A bit of hell before paradise :lol:

These rose shots were taken at the NYBG Rose Garden last weekend. I will be prowling about for some Hawaiian flowers today and possibly some landscape photos.

‘Julia Child’
Registration Name: WEKvossutono
UK Name: ‘Absolutely Fabulous’
Breeder/Introduction: Tom Carruth (2004)/Weeks Roses
Petal Count: 30 to 40
Flower Size: 3”
Fragrance: Strong, licorice
Parentage: Seed: Voodoo × Hybrid of R. soulieana × 'Summerwine'
Pollen: ‘Top Notch’


This other shot is ‘Rainbow Knockout’ rose. A 2007 introduction by William J. Radler and Conard-Pyle (Star Roses). It had been trained into a small tree.

Helga Garden Mum

Garden Mum ‘Helga’
Chrysanthemum x morifolium 'Helga'
(chri-san' thah-mum) (mor-ee-FOH-lee-um)

This mum had an interesting habit and color. It was only about 10 inches tall but 24 inches wide. The effect of the color was less yellow as you moved away from it. Here is a link to some more information on Chrysanthemums:
Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont


Tonight we are staying over at Newark Airport to prepare to fly to Maui on Friday. The flight goes Newark-Dallas-Maui. I am going to try and keep this site going from Hawaii but have to see what the internet situation is there. I hope to be out taking some good pictures. I haven’t packed anything yet so it is going to be a mad rush when I get home from work. Aloha to all.

Wide Angle Dahlia

Wide Angle Dahlia
Shot with a Sigma 24mm/f 1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro lens
Nikon D70s
Wordless Wednesday

About Face Grandiflora Rose

Grandiflora Rose ‘About Face’
Synonyms: ‘Pride of Cheshire’, WEKosupalz
2005 All-America Rose Selection (AARS)

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Wordless Wednesday

Passionate Kisses Rose

Floribunda Rose
Rosa 'Passionate Kisses'

Yesterday I went to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx since my membership renewal came during the week. The garden was in beautiful shape and while next weekend and the weekend after will be better for fall foliage there were plenty of flowers to be shot. My little photographic goal was to get a least a few pictures of roses that hadn’t been posted here before. The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden still had a lot flowers. It was a little disappointing that it was so windy but the wind kept blowing these blasts of rose scent over me. At one point I felt a little light headed and overwhelmed by the heavenly fragrance.


‘Passionate Kisses’ had a really bright color that was almost shimmering as the flowers were being tossed about in the wind. Its registration name is ‘Meizebel' and it was introduced in 1998 by Meilland International.

There was only one of the 2010 AARS rose selections that I could find. It is called ‘Easy Goes It’ and it is a small statue rose with a great orange color. After getting home and looking at this page I realized that there was only one winner selected for 2010. Click the link to find out more about ‘Easy Goes It’.


We had a freeze warning for last night but it only got down to 33 degrees (F). It certainly is coming soon.

It is going to be a busy week.

Robinson's Painted Daisy

Robinson's Painted Daisy
Tanacetum coccineum 'Robinson's Mix'
(TAN-uh-SEE-tum) (kok-SIN-ee-um)
Synonyms: Pyrethrum coccineum

For the first time in a long time we had some Painted Daisies in the cutting garden this year. I had all but given up on their cultivation but they produced well and since the flowers were constantly being cut the flowers kept coming. They have even had a little resurgence this fall. The flower is a real classic and most of my ‘mix’ was pink. The foliage on this plant is an added bonus. Finely cut and kind of ferny and a nice shade of green it looked good all season.

There is a lot of information on Painted Daisies here. The website killerplants.com is a lot of fun and has a wealth of information on plants.

This is a black and white picture of Dahlia ‘Vancouver’. It is nice this time of year as the flower gets a darker red later in the season.

Some Old Fall Shots

Some Old Fall Shots

One thing nice about digital photography is that you can compare shots over several years easily. These were taken in the fall of 2005 and from the other photos on the ‘roll’ we were having a nice fall. There were pictures of a job we installed that year and it is amazing how much it has grown in four years. The flower picture, which is an Aster, was taken on October 3rd and the Japanese Maple leaf was shot on October 20th, 2005.


Hopefully I can get away for a few hours this weekend to take some seasonal photos. It is best to go early in the season because that is when the displays are at their best. Maybe there will some nice fall color but it seems to be coming in drips and drabs this year. I wonder what this fall will look like when I am looking back at it in 2013.

Golden Trumpet

Golden Trumpet
Allamanda cathartica
(al-uh-MAN-duh) (kat-AR-tik-uh)
Synonym: Yellow Allamanda

This was the first time we grew this plant and after a little bit of a slow start it really has been great. Since it is only hardy to USDA Zone 9 we are growing it in a large container. It probably grew about 6 feet tall but the branches fell over for a final height of about 4.5 feet. It has been flowering profusely for several months now. I have seen this flower growing down in Florida where it gets much bigger. It really seems to thrives down there.

Allamanda 'Cherries Jubilee'

This red vine is planted in a container next to the yellow Allamanda. It has also done well. The flower seems a little more refined than the yellow but didn’t look as good with the Scarlet sage and red Verbena that I planted with them. The Peach Verbena did look better with the ‘Cherries Jubliee’.

This bud looked like it was smiling at me.

Central Park Sunflower

Central Park Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
(hee-lee-AN-thus) (AN-yoo-us)

This bold fellow was blooming in Central Park a few weeks ago. The Sunflowers did really well considering that we didn’t really get that much sun around here this summer. They add so much to the summer and fall garden. This flower, which I am assuming was a cultivar, really had nice grayish blue green foliage. The size of the flower was large but not really over powering. It was just about the size.

Wow, was it windy here yesterday. We also got a half inch of rain before the winds arrived. I heard of a peak gust of 46 mph (around 75 kph) but think it was more like in the 30 mph range where I was. There were several roads closed on the way home and numerous power outages that made driving a little difficult. We will be picking sticks for a long while.

This shot was a try at recreating the black and white Sunflower that was posted here in September. In some ways it worked and in other ways it didn’t.


Work has been pretty busy and today we are making the big Chrysanthemum planting (150). The other thing we have been doing is a transplanting rampage. Since a lot of our gardens are starting to mature there are plants that I have resisted moving in the past that have simply gotten too big. They have to move now. Once we started it has gotten to be interesting. Having a lot of space to try some new things and some mature plants to plug some holes has been great. This probably should have been done years ago but I tend to hang on to the way things are in the garden. A bold stroke is sometimes needed and can bring about a nice feeling of change.