Plum Perfect

Hello, my friends! Today’s post is a celebration in pinks and grey-blue of one of our favorite spring joys: the blossoms of our Blireina plum trees.

If you’ve visited here in past years, you might recall that every March I go a bit crazy during the brief appearance of these magical, fragrant flowers. So much loveliness to capture! And this year, with a sudden spell of unseasonably warm weather, the blossoms opened literally overnight and soon will be falling like fairy dust or like the snow that many of you have been experiencing.

Our Easter weekend was blue sky, billowing clouds springing across it like new lambs and summer temps which brought forth an explosion of pink and white beauty citywide. Perfect weather for a summer day and astonishing for March. All the more panic-inducing than usual because the window for photographing it all will be swift – the rains return in a few days. And so, my studio has been filled with bucket loads and arm loads and table loads of blossoms – not only plum but cherry, quince and magnolia. Not to mention the bounty from the woodland garden of narcissus, hyacinth, bleeding heart, hellebores, vinca and so much more.

But of all the pink blossoms floating around us, these from our plum trees are most special. Growing in our own garden, with the loveliest ruffly petals and sweet smell, they bring smiles and joyful thoughts of Spring’s arrival and a reminder to embrace and cherish her fleeting treasures.

Wishing each of you much beauty and grace this week.

love,

G

Spring Snowflakes

 

 

Hello friends and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Celebrating in green and white, and since many of you are experiencing unexpected (and perhaps un-wished for) snowflakes this week, here is a sweet flowering bulb called just that – Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum). Along with its variant, Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum), it is sometimes mistaken for a snowdrop, but flowers a week or two later. So, although you may not appreciate winter hanging on as it seems to be in many areas, this shows that some spring snowflakes can be most welcome.

Our woodland garden is awake and blooming with daffodils, hellebores, early rhododendrons, hyacinth and periwinkle! The first robins and winter wrens are singing with gusto at dawn and, a sure sign of spring: D is preparing the lawns for new seeding. The office is filled at this moment with the heady scent of a luxurious bouquet of deep purple hyacinth, harvested yesterday by Erin from her greenhouse at Floret. (I do know I am very lucky!)

Wherever you are, we wish you a week of happy adventures and joy in the simple beauties of life.

with love,

G

Back to the Garden

Hello, friends! While I continue to edit the almost embarrassing riches of our photographs of Venice, I wanted to say hi with a few more spring images that have recently gone into my shop. (Those on my mailing list have seen some of these already.)  We’ve had gorgeous, summery weather in Seattle so we’ve escaped to the garden often – tidying up, taking photos or working from laptops and iPads.

I admit it’s taking me much longer than anticipated to get back to my regular blogging schedule, between travel, shooting the bounty of blossoms here and recent house guests. And soon I’ll be traveling again. But, I will have another Venice post up this week for you with favorite images from the city. For a sneak peek, you can check here!

Thinking of you, as always, and sending fondest wishes for a fabulous week.

with love, – g