The Big Ivy area near Barnardsville NC is known for its spring wildflowers that line the gravel roads. It is easy pickings for photographers – little or no hiking. The only tricky part is finding parking and deciding on a subject. On one trip, there were 36 different wildflowers, but not all of them were … [Read more…]
The North Carolina Department of Transportation planted fields of Poppies and Lupines near 2 different exit ramps that are a 10 minute drive from our house. I love poppies with their hairy stems and abstract petals and patterns. Most of the poppies are orange with a few pink thrown in. There are a few wildflowers … [Read more…]
We live about 15 minutes from an entry to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Right off the access road is an area where Pink Lady slippers bloom every spring. I have been going up there every May for the past 5 years to photograph them. They are located right near a popular trail and I watch … [Read more…]
Easter is a good time to go to the conservatory for an early look at spring and celebration. I loved seeing this Easter Lily with half of its petals having fallen to the ground, showing off the green veining on the inside. There was an amaryllis left over from the winter with a lovely flow … [Read more…]
The Dogwood in the Asheville area had a rough spring. During blossoming the flowers were hit with several cold snaps. Many of the blossoms sustained some damage and there were fewer blossoms than last year. Damaged flowers are not as photogenic, but there are still may opportunities to be had, if the photographer has the patience to … [Read more…]
I had very good luck at the conservatory today. I arrived after they had sprayed down the Calla Lilies and the water drops had begun to form larger drops in strategic places. I like how the tip of one lily is dripping into the cup of another lily. The one below had an unusual double … [Read more…]
There is always much speculation in the spring amongst photographers, botanists, and hikers as to when to visit Big Creek in the Smokies — in late March or early April. It is one of the first areas for wildflowers to bloom near Asheville. It is about an hour’s drive west on I-40 to the first … [Read more…]
When you don’t have time to drive out in the wilderness, the Botanical Garden at the University of North Carolina in Asheville is a great place for photography of native plants. They collect plants from the Appalachians and have a very pleasing display with easy access from the parking lot and a series of paths that … [Read more…]
I can’t resist the temptation to get out as soon as the spring bulbs begin to poke their heads out of the ground. It’s fun to try to get a new view of an old favorite. The above photo was one of a large grouping blooming in my daughter’s garden in Mississippi. Close-up it … [Read more…]
This year was a good year for spring blooming magnolias. Many years there is what gardeners refer to as the Magnolia Frost. The blossoms come out and there is a spring freeze. We only get to enjoy the blossoms for a day or two and then the frost turns them brown. This year the Magnolia … [Read more…]