"What if my wildlife photos have critters in them but you can't see the plants/flowers because the critters are sat on a patch of grass or open space?
Does that count as a submission, nonetheless?"
asked The Very Mistress in the comments of the previous GPE reminder post.
Yes, it's reminder time again for:
the House of
I N F O M A N I A C
Garden Photos Event 2023
Well, The Very Mistress raises a good point, and one that's been on my mind lately as I've taken some close-up photos around the garden, but without background for context, they could have been taken anywhere. So, I have come up with a couple of solutions:
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I spied this variety of ichneumon wasp (Amblyjoppa proteus - at least I think that's what it is?) while enjoying a G&T in my shade garden
Bitey wishes it to be known that these rather tiny, ambulatory anal beads do NOT belong to him. And they're certainly not mine, either!
I didn't realise the spider was nestled amongst the remaining few flowers of my Chocolate foxglove (Digitalis parviflora) when I took the top photo yesterday, so I didn't take a corresponding background-for-context photo and used one from earlier in the month instead.
You may come up with your own ideas for this photographic display quandry, but if you don't, or just can't be bothered, send me a photo of your garden-visiting lifeform(s) and a photo of the wider area so we can see that it was actually in your garden/greenspace/houseplant area, and I'll do all the technical stuff (i.e. messing about in MSPaint).
Wildlife aside - because it's only a voluntary sub-theme after all - the 13th annual Infomaniac Garden Photos Event will be held here later in the year. November, to be precise. If you haven't already made a start on photographing your expansive grounds | bijou courtyard | overgrown wilderness | rampant houseplants | tasteful city garden | impenetrable jungle | potted paradise [delete as applicable], I suggest you make start. Now!
You can send in anything from one or two photos of a prized specimen to a glut of "ohmygodsIcan'tdecideI'lljust sendEVERYTHING!". Remember to include captions for your photos, as terse or verbiose as you like, ideally stating what the plant is amongst other things. Of course, if you have no idea what the strange looking thing is that you've got growing in your garden, the Official Plant Spotter of Hexenhäusli Device and its Extensive Witchdom, nay, All of Blogdom Itself, Jon, will be on hand to identify it. And if he can't, I'm sure someone around here will be able to at least narrow it down.
This blog's gmail address for sending your photos & captions into is in my profile on top of the Sideboard over there. Or, if you have the Host's personal hotmail address, you can use that instead. The deadline for entries will be the end of October - although, you know we're a complete pushover (mainly the Host), so as long as we get some by Hallowe'en I expect we'll be accepting entries well into November. Again...
Speaking of Hallowe'en, I'd like to hold another Terrifying Triffidery Event on the 31st, so please include a photo (or photos) of a particularly spooky plant in your collection. Or, failing that, a rather more mundane plant which has been snapped at an odd angle/close-up/while drunk.
If you have absolutely no idea what I'm harping on about - perhaps you're new/pathologically forgetful/Savvy? - then may I point you in the direction of my Infomaniac Garden Photos Event page for more info.
And remember: The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event is NOT a competition!
☙❧
Right, let's have a look at how some more of the flora & fauna of Hexenhäusli Device are getting on, shall we?
Under the hosta leaves in my shade garden, are these tiny fungi
Crocosmia "Lucifer" struggling somewhat in the shade
A Crocosmia close-up
Some fuchsias and spiderplants strapped in for a ride on my green gate
(which is being climbed on by a passionflower this year)
Red Admiral on buddleia
Honeybees in their compost bin nest at the allotment
Spawn of Beaky having just gorged themself on Poo Face Grandad's blackberries
My garden is really boring in July, it’s just a green mass of vegetation. I have too many shrubs that finish doing their thing in June. I did remember to take some pictures earlier in the year, but now my garden is a soggy mess.
ReplyDeleteI am in whinge mode!
And I am a little afraid of your spider, and I can see great potential to mess around with your ‘look what’s hiding in my bush!’ photo displays - so I’d better learn how to create one!
Sx
You need some salvias and fuchsias, Ms Scarlet! They're only just getting started, and will go on until October/November... Jx
DeleteJon is right, Ms Scarlet. And you can add buddleia and crocosmia to the mix, too! Or just pop to the garden centre and see what's flowering now and pick up a pot of two?
DeleteAnd I'll thank you not to peer into my bush!
I just had a mouse in my garden. In broad daylight! Unfortunately, my camera was not at hand. And even if it HAD been, the mouse was on the EDGE of the garden where no flowers were visible. I cannot win! Not only that, Blogger makes me do at least 4 or 5 (sometimes more) attempts before I can leave a comment. I, too, am in whinge mode.
ReplyDeleteWhinge mode seems to be catching, Very Mistress. I've just moaned about dog poo bins in the village to my sister (as she's a parish councillor - bloody busybody!).
DeleteAnyway, I'm sure fauna of some description will turn up when you do have your camera to hand. Whatever it is might even vogue for you!
As for your comment woes, I have the same problem at some Blogger blogs (Mistress Maddie's for one), and have to turn the "enhanced tracking protection" for the site off by clicking in the little shield icon on the left of the address bar (I use Firefox). Jon was VERY helpful in sorting this out for me - and a few others as I recall.
Yours is looking lush! Mine is still very much at "Day Care" stage.But I'm hoping to show some "improvements" by Extravaganza time.
ReplyDeleteIf it helps, you can be one of the ones who push me over!
DeleteI've got a pot of nasturtiums and a pot of basil. I expect to eat both.
ReplyDeleteI'VE EATEN MY NASTURTIUMS AND THE BASIL'S GONE TO SEED.
DeleteNasturtiums run riot up at the allotment, but I can't possibly eat all of them otherwise I'll turn into one!
DeleteAs ever, we have an absolute plethora of photos that I will need to wade through for this year's Garden Photos Event, but at least there is still plenty of time for all that. And for critters, of which I have very few photos (despite the fact the place is buzzing with them!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are fab, btw... Jx
I hope a butterfly or bee manages to fly into shot at some point soon.
DeleteAnd, thank you!
ReplyDeleteLove your garden Mr De. and your photos are as fab as always. Our garden is full of all kinds of critter but as Jon has said we don't seem to have captured many on the camera this year (note to self - must try harder). I think what you have done with MSPaint is very clever, I can't get my head around it.
Looking forward to the 'I N F O M A N I A C Garden Photos Event 2023' immensely.
Ttfn
Oh, the Paint thingy is relatively easy, Madam A: just paste one photo onto another and draw on some lines. Even I can do it!
DeletePerhaps you should pourself a big glass of wine (and keep the bottle to hand), plop yourself down in your Wine Time Corner with your camera and see what turns up?
That's how I snapped the wasp, the spider, and the anal beads.
Your pictures are absolutely charming, but I do wish you wouldn't encourage The Mistress by quoting her, she's bad enough as it is.
ReplyDeleteI am terribly sorry, mrpeenee. I thought she'd be too lazy to get off her quince for a quote summons.
DeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea how those red flowers were called and now I know. I'm totally into the bees you have! I've tried to plant mostly pollinators and silkweed. I need my garden to serve nature.
XOXO
I was a little concerned about the bee nest the other day as I saw a wasp fly into it and the bees just ignored it. Hopefully the wasp was just after some of the more easily accessible honey near the entrance.
DeleteI'm looking forward to seeing some photos from your garden in November! (nudge nudge)
Between you and Mistress Maddie, I wouldn't even think of sending in a photo, even if I had a garden...but's it's not my thing anyhow. I do have a potted plant inside though. You two will have to give me garden ho tips. I meant hoe.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of invoking both Peenee's wrath *and* The Very Mistress herself, "may I remind you that the Garden Photos Event is NOT a competition" so there shall be no comparisons between a pot plant or two and a full-on garden.
DeleteYou know I'd love to see your indoor growth, Asriel - and I'm sure everyone else would as well! And speaking of hoes, I seem to recall seeing a photo of some of your windowsill plants at Mistress Maddie's once?
I have photos this time, sweetpea!! i just have to get them off the camera and on to the computer. Actually, I have to get from the camera to the MITM's computer, then to mine and then to you. I have an air MAC that doesn't have a port for the ...OMG, I'm going on far too much, but know that I haven't forgotten and I will be sending pics....eventually! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHooray! I hope all the technical jiggery-pokery comes together in time!
DeleteI have photos for submission (its the only kind of submission anyone can get out of me because I'm ornery as hell and all that.) The hard part will be pruning them down. I don't have anything truly spectacular as this year has mostly been about recovery for the things that survived the past two summers and the hard frost we got in-between. Non-death is still an A+ in my book! I accidently keep pissing off the native ground bees. First, I parked the lawn tractor over their home, then I dropped a bag of compost on 'em. Oops. No stings, just a lot of cursing in bee language at me.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, poor bees... Still, whatever doesn't kill them makes them stronger. I'd watch it if I were you!
DeleteI'm with you on the pruning down photos malarkey. It's a rather harrowing chore.
And my garden sounds much like yours - a lot of plants are recovering from the heat last year and the freezing winter/spring this year. Not to mention Bitey's "help" around the garden...