I am Ready for My Close-up Now
The gift from my always organized and very efficient sister who drew my name in the Christmas Gift Pool this year arrived yesterday. I knew what it was so I saw no sense in waiting until Christmas to start using it. It is nice that once a year we have the chance to give and receive one nice thing that we aren't likely to buy for ourselves. Our family gift pool has many other advantages as well.
I wanted a new digital camera that could take better close-up shots. For botanical photography it really is an asset to be able to get clear detailed close-up shots. A camera with a macro setting or optical zoom is nothing fancy or expensive. It is just another feature that my first camera lacked.
I went out into the garden and starting learning how to use this new tool.
Umbrella Sedge, Cyperus involucratus in bloom.
You knew I was going to take a close-up of the Philippine Poinsettia. I can see things in this picture I can't see with the naked eye or even my reading glasses. Might be time to go to the optometrist.
Something else white, a Spathiphyllum. That spadix looks downright medievil for a plant called the Peace Lily.
Are you looking at me? The gorgeous Day Gecko getting some morning sun on the side of the house. The garden is filled and overflowing with these geckos that arrived about five years ago. The population of the Anoles has gone into a steep decline.
Tomorrow I may park myself in front of the wild basil and see if I can capture a bee on film.
11 comments:
Very nice photos Christopher. Your sister selected and excellent camera befitting of your artistic eye.
You can tell your sister that your readers appreciate that gift, too!
The leaves on the Poinsettia are rounded, not pointed~ en masse, that gives them such a different look from the usual Christmas kinds - less artificial somehow.
Annie
And the variegated leaf in the bottom of the picture of the gecko is striking as well. Your blog is one I will be returning to all winter to see actual plants growing outside!
Macro focus IS wonderful. I rely on it heavily for garden photos. Your pictures here are very nice. Love those day geckos.
The photo of the sea of white is Spathiphyllum?
Wow.
I planted a white bulb garden: white tulips (various divisions), white allium, white narcissus (various divisions) and so forth.
I think I might try an all white garden in another place. (That single photo inspired me.)
Nice.
The second photo is Philippine Poinsettia. The third picture is the Spathiphyllum.
The poinsettia is very inspiring. I may need that greenhouse afterall.
I know you had said something before about Philippine Poinsettia being sort of a nickname for that flower, so I wasn't sure if all the nursery workers would know which plant I was referring to if I were to ask for it by that name. So when I go to buy a potted Philippine Poinsettia, do I ask for it by that name or do I ask for it by its botanical name?
Christina I kinda doubt that you will be able to find a potted Philippine Poinsettia in Massachusetts. To my knowledge it has not entered the floriculture trade to any large degree.
In the field of horticulture because of regional differences in common name usage, the more names you can tell someone the better chance they may recognize the plant you are talking about. The proper latin name will only work if the person you are talking to has that knowledge or a reference book to look in.
The names I know it by are:
Philippine Poinsettia
Euphorbia leucocephala, proper latin name and
Pascuita
I like lizards. Are these geckos cultural invaders, or just new to your neighborhood?
The Day Geckos are immigrants from Madagascar. I am not sure how long they have been in the state. They landed either on Oahu or the Big Island first and then travelled to Maui maybe five years ago. I first saw them in the rich neighborhoods with all new shrubberies imported from all over the islands and from the mainland.
They came home with me to my garden in the truck loads of rubbish I chop and haul away on a daily basis about three years ago. Once they landed in an organic garden with a huge diversity of plants and dinner choices the population took off.
Yesterday I was doing some major planting at the house with the Organized Pile of Useless Rocks and saw a baby Day Gecko on one of the plants I had brought from my nursery. That house is only two blocks above me so they may be there already.
I also haven't heard any chirping from the Greenhouse Frog in months. Somebody must be eating them.
It's a jungle out there.
Great shots!!
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