My Garden Becomes a Photo Studio, sort of

Steve Asbell suggested using a piece of black poster board as background for houseplant shots. Now,  I don't just run to the Dollar Store like it was around the corner -- it's fifteen miles one way. I did have a little pack of cardstock and a piece of cardboard so I improvised.

I want to make a post on winter weeds, the good and the bad. Weeds show up in photos as a blob of green and more green. What do you think of the Henbit above with its nice neutral background rather than weeds and dry grass? I think you could identify Henbit from it.

Henbit is one of those weeds that get to stay because beneficials seek it and the little flowers are kind of cute.  It goes away when the weather gets hot.

Dianthus 'Bath's Pink.'

 

Cardstock backdrop in hand, I was all over the garden.

 

Hyacinth. Pink when it opens.

Dogwood seeds and buds.

 

Early White Azaleas.

I kind of experimented with letting the background show. Yes.

 

Lantana, a favorite of American Painted Ladies when it's warm.

Oxalis blooms and Parsley

 Orchid, inside the house. I had a terrible time with these before because they're in front of a window.

Many of the plants pictured above are here on Secrets of a Seedscatterer.wordpress. Yesterday there was no backdrop so you can see how they look with their normal background. I thought it an improvement, what say you?

Joining Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday. Come join the fun!

Black Swallowtail Butterflies on Pinks -- Video

Dark Swallowtails were swarming Bath's Pinks this

morning and nectaring on a little 'Alabamense'

Native azalea as well.

Perhaps my lack of expertise in making a video

will be offset by the charm of the butterflies.

It's a real task to ensure a succession of blooms for

butterflies. A Sulphur found Pentas blooms placed

in front of the greenhouse for planting out.

When the weather first begins to warm,

Early butterflies visit chickweed and others

for nectar so I leave the weeds.

Hot sun soon takes it out -- mine is already dying.

It's dry here. I'm watering Dianthus barbatus seedlings

set out so Sweet Williams follow Bath's Pinks

The rest of the Pentas cuttings are ready to plants.

Tiger Swallowtails were visitng azaleas and

the remaining camellia blossoms.