photos of plants

Thanks for this very interesting Blog.

It's very true that a picture(or photo) 'paints a thousand words' as the old saying so correctly states.

The great thing is- you can keep a record through photos of your achievements and sucesses, and also identify where things can be improved.

Alan my partner is a professional photographer,and when we are adding new plants or extra features in our garden he always gives sound and sometimes 'alternative' advice because he see things through the 'eye of a photographer', and that gives another dimension to planning and planting.
It's also very useful advice and experience to be able to draw on. My background is in fine art and education, so it's worked out as a very good combination of skills!

Historically it's interesting to see that some of the most forward - looking innovators in the garden design and planting scheme world have been talented artists with a good eye for colour,pattern, texture and form.
Thanks for this interesting Blog that supports the role of the visual arts in gardening. It's such an important element in gardening that we mustn't forget.
Best wishes,
Grenville and Alan

Wonderfully put Grenville/Alan i could listen2 u go on all nite Grenville with your words of Wisdom& Knowledge :) Just Want2add that iv become addicted2Goy 4 its Gardening&Beautiful Pics that members Load 4us all to see ,iv become greatly Interested 2 in Photography since becoming a GOY Member Islander i know what your saying :)

Grenville:That's very interesting.
Combining artistic talents with the world of gardening must create so many new ideas.

Yesterday I posted a remark on one of your photos, where I could see you and Alan had put a lot of thought into the various shades of green in the composition.

As Islander says, seeing photos on the screen, we say Wow. We can see things clearly and in a different light.. Some, such as butterflies, are depicted in the detail we'd never hope to discover when we spot one in the garden.

Since I joined GoY, I find myself looking at my plants in a completely different way, and thinking :How would that look in a photograph ?

Historically, maybe garden designers thought similarly, but in their case: How would that look as an oil painting? or: Would that make an attractive water colour picture?

Islander, I'm really looking forward to more of your photos and blogs. I've certainly enjoyed what I've seen so far.

Islander, you are absolutely right. Before I joined GOY I took general photos of the garden but not really of individual flowers. When you look at a flower close-up you see it in a completely different way. You see the inside shapes and the texture of the petals. Sometimes there's shading, too, towards the centre.

On a different note, I have the greatest admiration for those visionaries who planted landscapes for the future. We now have the pleasure of looking at the beauty that they created for us!

This is all definitely true for me, also. I may sometimes never get that great pic, but the thought of getting it helps me greatly in advance, as far as design, layout, colour combos, etc.,are concerned. There is no doubt that the advent of digital photography,PCs and the 'Net have now inextricably linked gardening with photography. Digi cameras have replaced the old hand-painted pictures of rare plants. I was, however, pleased to see, recemtly, a competition for artists to re-create the old Victorian and earlier drawings of plants. Modern photography, in my experience, has greatly surged as a hobby. For gardeners, I believe that it has made us more aware of what we have, and what we want.We look so much closer at what we grow, noticing the colour combos, wildlife, etc.. GrowsonYou must, surely, be a prime example of this, with the most fascinating collection of plant, and wildlife pics I have ever seen in one place.....photography is,indeed, instantaneously amazing nowadays!