Monday, December 22, 2008

Lofty Ambitions

Standing Tall In The Day's First Rays

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


This week, we've been asked to picture something related to Christmas and the festive season. As it's summer here, there is no shortage of colour in the gardens of Melbourne, so I chose to photograph a plant called agapanthus, which is just coming into full blossom now.


With Christmas just a few days away, the sun is up really early. As you can guess, there's a certain photographer who is always up early too. And that's when I saw my opportunity, early yesterday morning. I have never grown agapanthus in my garden, but a neighbour of ours has a row of them on his perimeter fence.

In fact, if you look carefully at the first image, you'll see his fence in soft focus in the foreground of the frame. Very few Australian homes have fences in the front yard, preferring to present an open look and allowing easy access - but the metal spikes of his fence form an contrasting motif in the foreground of the first shot.


As the sun came up, the agapanthus lit up with the first rays of the day, so I simply walked down the street to take this series of shots. I've only ever seen agapanthus in two colours - lilac and white, but I'd love to know if you've ever seen any hybrid varieties or any types in a different colour.

These plants grow to about a metre and a half tall and like anything that size, they look great when planted en masse. And they're really easy to propagate, too. When they mature, you can literally cut the bottom clump in half, plant them separately and hey presto, you have two giant plants instead of one.


Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

26 comments:

Cath said...

They are reaching for the sky with their tendril petals! I have never seen these flowers. They look like giant clovers! Gorgeous.

Arija said...

Great shots David!

Hilary said...

So beautiful. *sigh*
Winter is so long.

Day4plus said...

I do like agapanthus. I have had them before. Those shots are beautiful. They look specially beautiful because I am snowed in with about 3ft of snow. Send me the sun. MB

Lee said...

Gorgeous pics, David! The bright sunshine made me feel all warm. Those are indeed wonderful looking flowers. Are you perhaps going to try to add some to your own beautiful yard?

Peace!

spacedlaw said...

We have got these at work. I believe they are related to the garlic family but bumblebees LOVE them.

Saz said...

Simply gorgeous!! Please drop by and read todays (sunday) post!!

Jo said...

Oh, gosh, those are beautiful.

When you're finished with the sun, would you mind sending it back up to us?

Brrrrr....

Maggie May said...

I have a pot of purple ones and I wrap them in fleece just before the winter starts. They flower in August over here.
Lovely pictures...... lovely colours.

cheshire wife said...

I love blue flowers. There is something very special about them.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I love the lights in those photos.

Gill in Canada

Mommy Jo said...

No flowers in our corner of the world. Just that white stuff called snow. Thanks for warming me up with these great photos!

Unknown said...

Agapanthus is a plant that I really want in my gardens too. Great photos!!

Sandi McBride said...

Beautiful! Makes me long for summer on the first day of winter.
Sandi

Unknown said...

Really great shots. It would be interesting to go through a holiday and new year in Australia. It must give both a completely different feel.

Roan said...

It is so nice to see flowers and know someone is enjoying a fine summer day. It's nearing zero here tonight.

Hccm said...

The garden photos are so beautiful, I must say I have never seen flowers like that before. You are very lucky.

Alyson | New England Living said...

Love those shots! Christmas certainly had a different look on your side of the world.

The Good Life in Virginia said...

always enjoy these...we had them when i lived in california...lovely post.

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

Beautiful..I can imagine a field of these. The sight would have been spectacular :)

Merry Christmas to you David! :)

Judy said...

I have never seen flowers like these before! They are beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

humanobserver said...

They look gorgeous....Brilliant capture...I love flowers very much as you can see many beautiful flowers on my foto blog....

Lisa Gatz said...

Beautiful! A nice treat from this winter-beseiged place.

DogLover said...

Great photos, David!

There's little colour here (in England), but the good thing is that the sun has begun to set later in the evening - we've gained two minutes already.

Sadly, for you it has begun setting earlier! but for the rest of the year you will still be gaining light in the mornings ...

Hilary said...

Just beautiful. I love the subtle spike fence in that first shot - which I have to admit, I didn't see until you "pointed" it out.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

David: It is a beautiful flower display. I thought you had done macro work on clover because I didn't know the flower.