You Are My Sunshine

Life just keeps getting better and better here in garden land.  Since I last joined you I’ve started a garden photography business it’s  definitely a work in progress but it does mean that I can spend time photographing without having to be any where else as I’m actually at work!!!! if you catch my drift.

One of the perks of my new profession was  spending  a few wonderful hours  in Soaperie Gardens, Kirkcudbright, one  sunny afternoon; photographing bees that were gathering nectar from the crocuses, in the hope I could sell them on a stock photography site. Whether I sell them or not, both myself and the bees had the most wonderful afternoon The bees as you can see couldn’t believe their luck and probably overdid it quaffing all that nectar. Such happy times.

 

The day after, before the sun disappeared for a while. I was photographing some daffodils. I  was lucky to find a few pots of them sitting on a customer’s patio steps, flowering their little yellow heads off, emitting  their own brand of spring joy. I’m particularly fond of  dwarf daffodils such as ‘Tete a Tete’ and ‘Jetfire’. The dwarf varieties are particularly good if you live in a windy place.

Weed Free – Yipee!!!

It’s probably a fantasy we all have from time to time as gardeners, wishing that our gardens were weed free so we could spend more time enjoying our blooms. Well I can’t promise an end to all weeds, but the pictures below, although not very exciting, show it can be done.

What the pictures show is an area in a customer’s garden which used to have a blackcurrant bush . A few year ago I took out the bush and in order to stop the weeds growing, I covered the area with some landscape fabric, or as it is also known, some weed suppressant membrane. Low and behold, when I pulled back the fabric recently, there was not one weed, so if you are leaving an area fallow for a while, cover it with landscape fabric and forget all about the weeding.

Blue is the colour

Among the many spring bulbs entertaining us at this time of year, are Chinadoxia or ‘Glory of Snow’. The lovely blue flowers brighten up any spring day and over time they will naturalise. Whats not to like?

Garden photography watch and learn

When it comes to photography one can learn a lot by just sitting and watching other photographers. I’ve done this on many occasions and always reaped the benefits. For instance, if you are out photographing and you see another photographer, watch them and see what they are photographing and how they are doing it. On one occasion I did this and after they had gone, went to their spot and discovered a new angle from which to take a picture.

You can also use it as an opportunity to critique their technique and compare it to your own.  I tried this as I was photographing the bees and crocuses in Soaperie Gardens . As I did so, I saw many people roll up and take photographs of the crocuses.  Out of about twenty people, only one other photographer spent a long time studying what was going on and walking round looking for new angles. One thing I did notice was that nobody apart from yours truly, spent anytime laying down, taking a picture at flower level.  Taking your time can make the difference between a snapshot and a photograph.

Daffodils in Bloom

A fortnight  ago in the garden photography section, I was speaking about planning a shoot with the daffodils on the Moat Brae. I’m pleased to report everything worked out well, as you can see from the results below.

Foreign Climes

Shock, horror, I recently took a few days off to head down South to Manchester and Leeds. It was a shock but fun, because after eight years of fresh air and the green pastures of Kirkcudbright, I found myself in the concrete jungle.

 

On My Way down South –  Choo Choo

I must admit, the break became too much and after three days, I set to work in my son’s garden,  as I told him  I needed to ‘feel the soil in my hands’. I know, sad but true, although I’m sure you understand. Anyway, as I wandered around both cities, I was comforted to see some flowers brightening up the urban landscape. So if you do ever get stranded in a big city, keep a  look out for our flowering friends.

Gardening on High

I’m always interested in the work of other gardeners and while in Leeds I noticed a chap gardening  up a ladder. It looked a bit of a precarious occupation and I’ve got to say I wouldn’t want to swap jobs, but much respect to this chap for making Leeds a brighter place.

Careful with that container!!!

 

Bye for now

Next time we meet the clocks will have gone forward here in the Scotland, which means lighter nights and hopefully some warmer, drier weather, although being March, there is no guarantee of this. Whatever happens, I’m sure I will be having fun doing the first mow of the season, as well as many exciting gardening jobs.  I’ll See you on Thursday 28th March. Until then, happy gardening.

Best wishes Dave.