Gardening with a Camera

Adventures with a Macro Lens

    At first I was going to write about the differences between using a 50mm lens with macro filters and a macro lens.  I had visions of switching the lenses and taking the same shot for comparison and then I actually used my macro lens for the first time.  I can't bring myself to take it off of the camera now!  Once I attached the Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM to my 5D EOS it blew my pants off!  If anyone would like to see some shots taken with a 50mm lens with macro filters, please check out my last blog post here: A zone 4 Spring .  Although I was quite happy using the macro filters with the 50mm lens, nothing could have prepared me for the HUGE difference I immediately experienced with the 100mm macro.

    I love gardening.  I love photography.  I love it when the two worlds collide!  Enough blabbing!  Here are my first macro photos!  

  It's been raining here, so I ran out in between the drops to discover how lovely rain could look through the lens!  Lilium tigrinum splendens

 I was pleasantly surprised by how close I could get.  Hosta

Hello ant!  Peony 'Festiva Maxima'

I ♥ this flower!  Narcissis Poeticus

Found this growing wild.  Aquilegia "Columbine"

This simple Iris is the earliest blooming one we have.

Here's another shot of it.  I unfortunately do not know what variety it is.  If any Iris lovers can identify this one, please leave a comment!

The silver foliage of Artemisia absinthium.  This plant is indeed the original source of absinthe.

The early flowers of Snowball viburnum 

 Garlic!

Even rust looks good under the maco lens!

More fun with rust! 

 TTV is a breeze with this lens!

This is Jerky The Turkey.  He was one of the pardoned turkeys when we used to raise meat birds.  He's 7 years old and I don't want to hear anyone call him ugly!

 

Jerky feathers.

Lastly, the queen of the farm.....or at least she thinks she's the queen!

    So there you have it folks!  I hope I did the lens justice on its maiden voyage while showcasing different textures.  I'm sure I've only scratched the surface.  I love this lens and hopefully do not sound like an advertisement for Canon!  It's just really a great lens!

A Zone 4 Spring

What's Blooming in the North Country

    With winter behind us we look forward to glorious sunshine and warm weather.  We go out to our gardens and inspect the ground, waiting patiently for that first bulb or plant to spring up and take away the doldrums. The somewhat mild winter killed one of my very favorite perennials, due to lack of snow cover, but I'm grateful that I didn't lose more. 

    Spring was early for us this year.  Our apple trees bloomed a full three weeks early and are already past peak bloom.  With all but one clump of bulbs left blooming, I decided to photograph the remaining spring delights, before they too were gone.  Spring is so fleeting and yet in the short space of time that it occupies, it awakens all of our senses perhaps more than any other time of year.  One could say that it's because we are left deprived from a grey and cold winter that we appreciate spring so much.  After many dark and cold days, spring certainly does wonders for the poor soul that climbs out of their winter bunker to discover an explosion of flora and fauna.  I think the bulbs, flowering trees and shrubs, the scent of the apple trees perfuming the air, and that first touch of a warm breeze is the real reason no other season can come close to topping it. 

    Heirloom or "old fashioned" plants are my favorite plants.  They may not be as flashy as the new hybrids out there, but they are hardy and have stood the test of time.  The following photos were taken using macro filters on my 50mm lens.  Here are some old favorites in bloom now:

 Dicentra Spectabilis 'Alba'  "Old fashioned bleeding heart"

Unfortunately, the geese ate all of the flowers off of my pink one so I currently can't show it off!

 Viola 'Bowle's Black'

A Victorian favorite

Syringa vulgaris  "Old Fashioned Lilac"

I found this growing by an stone old foundation and took a slip of it.  A few years later I had a fine blooming specimen!

The 'dreaded' dandelion!  

I love them even if they are a weed!  They're also very nutritious to eat!

 Nepata mussini  "Catmint"

Love its scented foliage!

 Narcissus poeticus

Given to me by my grandmother, who loved to share her heirloom flowers! 

Convallaria majalis var. rosea  "Pink lily of the valley"

Smells just as good as its white counterpart below.

Convallaria majalis  "Lily of the valley"

Smells like heaven!

 Pulmonaria officinalis  "Lungwort"

It's been in bloom since early March and although the blooms are fading, there is still that gorgeous foliage to enjoy!

 Myosotis sylvatica 'Bobo Blue'  "Forget me not"

And who could forget these blue beauties!

 Viola- Not sure of variety.  This one has been with me since I was a child and has followed me across three states!  It's now naturalizing and blooms in abundance.

 Lamium  "Dead Nettle"

It has nice foliage too!

 Last, but certainly not least---Apple Blossoms!!!

Oh, apple blossoms how I've fallen under your spell!

    They may be simple flowers, but I can assure you they are pure pleasure to the nose and the eyes!  Up next to bloom in the garden are the Peonies and Iris!  Stay tuned!