Entering the Arnold Arboretum in early July, I was prepared to focus on all the greenness after months of successive blooming phases: i.e., Forsythia to Lilac to Dogwood. Then surprising sprays of ivory and rosy lavenders drew me toward a distant tree I didn’t recognize. Through one small metal label on the trunk, a plantContinue reading “Captivated by a Silk Tree in Arnold Arboretum”
Category Archives: seasons
Yellow Blooms in Early April
After our aunt Ruth Stein died in 2011, our cousin Ann Monahan reliably sent us lively messages of remembrance on Ruth’s birthday, April 9. She often introduced her cheers for Ruth with the yellow blooms of early April.
Ann’s death on April 7 this year cut short such special poetic reminders to us and countless others in her life. The striking loss led me to gather images of yellow blossoms, in honor of Ann’s great array of ways to supportively connect people.
November Leaves, Above and Below
Bright Thanksgiving morning after rain, damp leaves underfoot reflected sunlit fluttering leaves against azure sky. The familiar, ever-changing wooded path near me called out to be captured close up below and broadly high above. That brief chance to take in fleeting moments of autumn leaves in progress led up to the photos in this post.
Tulips through a New Macro Lens
Delighted and excited, I now share Asa MacWilliams’ rewarding response to my request for tulip photos, including his words about planting and photographing.
Appreciate Wreaths
Holiday wreaths fit happily within the realm of ‘Pleasures of Plants,’ so one late December day I photographed several on my street and a bit beyond.The longer I looked, the more I appreciated their common and distinctive features. All are circular, continuous, connected, intertwined. Some are mostly evergreens, while others keep bare branches.
Edible Plants and Memories of Minna Lee, part three*
Words from Annie Monahan, Photos from Marjory Wunsch , photos from Lee family album
A rush — Still Learning To See
The sun-powered rush to grow, bloom and reproduce is under full steam now with wave after wave of plants hoisting their flowers up to the wind and/or the pollinators and the eyes of those who are seeing. They tempt with color—much of it invisible to my human eye—and scent and, for the insects, tiny magnetic […]Continue reading “A rush — Still Learning To See”
Fascinating Desert Plants from February in Tuscon, Arizona
During frigid February days in Massachusetts, I was happily transported by photos Julie Shaw texted during her brief family vacation in Arizona. Inspired by those radiant images from that distinctly different landscape, I asked her to share some in a post on Pleasures of Plants. Fortunately for all viewers, she responded with the following images, including well-researched enlightening captions and notes.
Look Back through Several Summers in Glorious Ongoing Gardens
After chipping away at ice layers on the city sidewalk in early February, I told Nancy Arons how I craved images from summer gardens outside her house in Pelham, MA. She soon responded with truly gratifying photos, including dates, plant names, and intriguing notes. Almost all her photos here are from late July, between 2015 and 2021, except for an irresistible October scene.
Join in Praises for Roses in Vases
Earlier in January, when I asked friends for photos of indoor plants, Sandra Millikin sent three from her home in England. All were roses in vases, each bouquet distinct and inviting. Her titles and evocative captions added context. The words and images suggested significant stories behind the roses’ arrivals and arrangements.
Pleasures of Plants 