early April weekend efflorescence

[15_the_circle]

[OT from cottage renovations]

the weekend's light was variable on Saturday and much better on Sunday. 

I have a feeling that this is going to be a long, difficult spring if last autumn's level of distraction with the effect of light is any guide.  at this early point in the season and with so much more to come even what's out so far exceeds my ability to record:  if a single flowering tree can leave me completely overwhelmed, how am I going to cope with azaleas and dogwoods? 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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fireworks in Wade Park

scaling down is a recurrent theme in this space. 

forgive me the title, but this little bloom has an uncanny resemblance to skyrockets and polychrome air bursts. 

lungwort

lungwort is a small, pretty plant whose blooms resemble the Virgina bluebells of which I am so fond.  the plants in this highly magnified view were brought to the Grove from somewhere in the Old Dominion and seem to be quite happy here. 

lungwort
Grove Avenue

magnolias

the magnolias are in bloom.  with their droopy languid flowers, somtimes sparse but often coming forth in a wanton profusion that belies their delicacy of colour, they have a sensuality verging upon the odalisque.  only the opium poppies can outdo them in this regard. 

this one is in Howard Park, caught in Saturday's afternoon light: 

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this spectacular tree can be found at 5^th Avenue and M^cCauley Street, seen here in Sunday's morning light. 

this new blossom's tip is still bound, giving it an unusual transitional shape. 

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double stellate magnolia
Town Nursery

many thanks to Charles Horan for the Nursery tour, and to Maisie and Declan for giving me the chance to buy him a drink [at their lemonade stand]. 

C&O

when the cherry trees come into bloom they put forth an abundance that simply doesn't work on a small scale.  see, for instance, this image from three years ago. 

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coming back to the present, it took several attempts over the weekend to find the right lighting for this composition: 

C&O - Cherry and Oak (with a garnish of forsythia)
Chestnut Avenue

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Absolutley wonderful images of nature's amazing variety and beauty. Thank you for sharing your art, George.

Brenda G.

efflorescence...

[(Anonymous)]

What lovely imagery - the words and photos of Spring! I can relate to the overwhelming headiness of magnolias, jacarandas (do you have these in The Grove?)and the cherry blossoms .
I visited my friend Tricia in Washington Grove in the fullness of summer several years ago and she sent me this site. It's been a bit of magic to see it change with the seasons and the cats that come and go. Here it's autumn although kangaroos and eucalypts don't seem to notice. The introduced deciduous trees and plants are responding to the chilly evenings as am I, thinking of getting the chimney sweep to work his magic so I can have the fire wraiths play safely in my fireplace. Bec

re: efflorescence...

[15-the-circle.livejournal.com]

kangaroos and eucalyptus in the fall, you must be viewing this from my (literal) motherland Down Under.  so greetings from Maryland! 

here we are not within the climate zone of the lovely jacaranda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacaranda), nor of the wattle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cootamundra_wattle), but both are as evocative to me of southern California as they were to my mother of Western Australia.  I do, however, have a platycerium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staghorn_Fern) that finally got over the shock of forced relocation and has been living quite happily on the bathroom wall over the shower.  it came from a huge specimen that had been in the family for over 30 years.  I'm planning on letting it spend the summer out on the porch.