Showing posts with label Garden and Flower Photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden and Flower Photography. Show all posts

Coral Charm Peonies

Sunday, April 24, 2022


Coral Charm Peonies- www.gildedbloom.com


The coral charm peony is one of the most fascinating late spring flowers.  Over the course of just a few days, it transforms itself from an intense coral bud to a bright watermelon pink bloom then turns a soft apricot tone and finishes as a faded cream color.  The blooms are large and lacy with many layers of petals and are stunning in arrangements.

Coral Charm Peonies- www.gildedbloom.com

Coral Charm peonies are herbaceous perennials and prefer full sun.  They grow about 24" tall and 2-3 ft wide when mature.  Peony plants often take a year or two to get established and usually produce few or no blooms the first year.  In four or five years the plant will be fully mature and have many blooms if it receives enough sun and proper care.

Coral Charm Peonies- www.gildedbloom.com

Peonies form a lovely complement with ranunculus and snapdragons as they are all flowers that thrive in late spring.  The round shape and large scale of the peony blooms overshadow the smaller ranunculus and the stalky snapdragons when arranged, but the three flowers together provide visual interest.

Coral Charm Peonies- www.gildedbloom.com

Observing the changing beauty of these flowers inspired me to create this acrylic painting on canvas, titled "Coral Charm".  Additional information can be found here.

Coral Charm Peonies- www.gildedbloom.com

Winter Garden Delights

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Winter Garden Delights- www.gildedbloom.com

The first month of the year brought an abundant winter garden harvest along with many cold and cozy days to relax inside.  Here in central California the weather is usually mild, so it is possible to grow a culinary garden throughout the winter.  This year, the focus has been on salad greens and citrus which grow and thrive in cooler weather.  The Meyer lemons, blood oranges and limes have been bountiful.

Winter Garden Delights- www.gildedbloom.com





Creating a cool season garden involves planning what you want to eat as well as how you want to access the garden on cold or rainy days.  Since we like to harvest our salad greens right before they are served I keep several salad bowls filled with Mesclun lettuces on our outdoor table.  These are easy access at dinner time as they are right by the kitchen door and one can step out, snip a handful and go right back to cooking.  They are also cut and come again varieties, which means that when they are harvested, they grow back in a few weeks.  The autumn pomegranates from our tree are being dried for use in arrangements.

Winter Garden Delights- www.gildedbloom.com


Head lettuce like the ruby romaine shown above is grown in a raised bed.  

Winter Garden Delights- www.gildedbloom.com

French chervil is easy to grow in pots and can be placed in a windowsill or on a patio.  Here freshly harvested key limes are staying cold on an outdoor shelf until they are used.

Winter Garden Delights- www.gildedbloom.com

These ruffled pansies were a pleasant surprise as I planted seeds in the fall and they are now blooming! I am happy to see the first signs of spring approaching...

Styling Cymbidium Orchids

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Styling Cymbidium Orchids www.gildedbloom.com

Cymbidiums have always been my favorite variety of orchids.  I've been collecting them since I was in college and fell in love with a neighbor's wine barrel full of amazing blooming orchid stalks.  Over the years,  I have added many plants to our container gardens and have enjoyed spectacular blooms.

Styling Cymbidium Orchids- www.gildedbloom.com

Cymbidium orchids originated in the Himalayas and tolerate unusually cold temperatures.  They are found throughout Asia and produce large robust blooms in late winter or early spring.  The flower stalks can last 4-6 weeks.  Different orchids in our garden have been in bloom since late January and I cut the pink flowers you see here last night for the arrangement.  They should stay alive and beautiful for another few weeks.

Styling Cymbidium Orchids- www.gildedbloom.com

Cymbidium is easy to style but must be handled carefully as the flowers are very fragile.  To create this mixed arrangement, I put the stalks of orchids into a tall container and then combined them with sprigs of heavenly bamboo recently pruned from the garden.

Styling Cymbidium Orchids- www.gildedbloom.com

Since our deep purple tulips are currently in bloom, I added a few throughout the design to enhance the color of the orchids.

Styling Cymbidium Orchids- www.gildedbloom.com

This arrangement is about 2-3 ft tall and makes a stunning centerpiece.  I plan to refurbish the blooms in a simpler vase in the weeks to come.

Black and White Anemone Arrangement

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Black and White Anemone Arrangement- www.gildedbloom.com

The garden is finally blooming again after the dormant days of winter and some of the first flowers to emerge this season were these black and white anemones. I'll admit I was so happy to have them decorate the garden after the flowerless winter months that I harvested them late for this arrangement.  Still, the soft white blooms add a hint of spring to our home!


Black and White Anemone Arrangement- www.gildedbloom.com

This beautiful variety of anemone is a dramatic addition to arrangements and is remarkably easy to grow.  I have combined it with dusty miller, burgundy heuchera, and a few sprigs of white candytuft put in a blue and white ceramic vase.  

Black and White Anemone Arrangement- www.gildedbloom.com

The black and white anemone, with its showy dark center,  is a favorite flower for wedding bouquets.  When it first opens the center is a deep navy blue which turns to black and spreads as the bloom ages.  Although these appear to be quite delicate, they are actually cold hardy and last many days in vases or arrangements.

Early Summer Roses

Saturday, May 27, 2017


Coral Roses- Early Summer Roses- www.gildedbloom.com

Roses add a touch of classic beauty to the early summer garden with their lovely colors and sweet scent.  In May ours begin blooming as the air becomes warmer and the sunlight lasts into evening.  Shades of orange, red and yellow fill the patio garden and welcome the beginning of a new season.

Yellow Roses - Early Summer Roses- www.gildedbloom.com

We have tree roses in pots, like this vibrant variety which blooms yellow in May then fades to a softer orange tone as the summer progresses.  Others are planted in the garden and create a show of climbing color like those shown below.

Blaze Roses- Early Summer Roses- www.gildedbloom.com

These "Blaze" roses are covering the fences now and blooming profusely in the sun.  They are very lightly scented and produce a multitude of blooms per plant.

 Iceberg Roses- Early Summer Roses- www.gildedbloom.com

The "Iceberg" roses are also blooming now and their bright white flowers catch the light, making the landscape glow on summer evenings. They are also lovely in arrangements with just a few sprigs of white azalea blossoms.

Early Summer Roses- www.gildedbloom.com

Sometimes a single rose in a simple pottery vase is more perfect than any large bouquet could ever be.  This delicate, subtly scented rose is stunning on its own without the distraction of other flowers...
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Flowering Plum Trees

Friday, March 3, 2017


Plum Blossoms- www.gildedbloom.com

It is that beautiful time of year again when the trees are starting to bloom and fill the air with the sweet scent of spring.  I like to walk in the mornings and take in the beauty of the season.  

Flowering Plum Trees- www.gildedbloom.com

Last week I brought my camera along and found this flowering plum tree to photograph.  The blossoms are a very subtle pink and catch the light beautifully.  Later this tree will grow dark purple leaves that are lovely until the fall.  

Flowering Plum Trees- www.gildedbloom.com

After coveting these branches (which would look gorgeous massed in a big vase in our living room) I'm seriously considering planting a flowering plum tree like this one in the backyard.  They are so pretty throughout the year...

Flowering Plum Trees- www.gildedbloom.com

Flowering Plum Trees- www.gildedbloom.com

But until then I'll be enjoying the landscape on my morning walks.  Also...

Darling Ducks- www.gildedbloom.com

These adorable little ducks are often my companions during these a.m. strolls.  They are visitors to our neighborhood this time of year and are usually found in pairs sleeping on lawns or waddling down the street on rainy days.  Although they don't like to pose, I managed to snap a picture of them just for you.

Early Summer Peonies

Monday, June 13, 2016

Pink Peonies and Periwinkle Hydrangeas - www.gildedbloom.com

Pink peony flowers are spectacular in early summer.  I look forward to purchasing a bunch at the market to enjoy the large and showy blooms and their sweet floral scent.

Pink Peonies- www.gildedbloom.com

They are a pleasure to photograph because the many layers of petals on each bloom reflect the light.  These photos were taken in the early morning just after sunrise when natural light has a subtle glow.

Pink Peonies in Decorative Pot- www.gildedbloom.com

Peonies are beautiful on their own, placed in a decorative pot or vase with no need for filler or accent flowers.  The blooms are very fragile and often drop petals when they are handled so it is important to be gentle when arranging them.

Pink Peonies and Periwinkle Hydrangea Blossoms- www.gildedbloom.com

Softly colored garden hydrangeas or other flowers may be paired with them for a mixed bouquet.   Here the cool pink of the peonies is enhanced by soft periwinkle blue hydrangea blossoms.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day: Daffodils and Ranunculus

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Yellow Daffodils and Orange Ranunculus- www.gildedbloom.com #floralphotography

Daffodils and ranunculus are in beautiful bloom now in the garden.  Their soft lemon yellow and warm orange colors remind me of sunshine peeking through the clouds on a rainy spring day.  These photos were taken on just such a day, when a few moments of sun illuminated the garden and I rushed out with my camera to photograph the dreamy light. 

Daffodils and Vintage Porcelain Plate www.gildedbloom.com

A vintage porcelain plate with a pastoral scene of country life shares the same color scheme and captures the character of this peaceful day.  

Daffodils and Ranunculus in Vase www.gildedbloom.com #floralphotography

Gathering the blooms to bring inside before the next rain, I filled several small vases for the entryway. Now the scent of spring flowers fills the house!  Have a lovely week...

A Winter Camellia Arrangement

Monday, January 11, 2016


A Winter Camellia Arrangement  www.gildedbloom.com #flowers

Camellias are one of winter's most stunning flowers and ours begin blooming in January.  The earliest variety to welcome the new year usually is this soft pink Debutante Camellia.  Its profusion of petals in soft blush and light pink are a lovely prelude to the parade of flowers that will follow.

Pink Camellias www.gildedbloom.com #floralphotography

The twirling waves of petals and round shape of these camellias make them a perfect choice for a simple design that draws attention to the flowers by eliminating the foliage. 

A Winter Camellia Arrangement www.gildedbloom.com #flowers

I chose a gold pedestal bowl for a container and trimmed the camellia stems to about 3-5" long.  Then I stripped the leaves from the stems before inserting them into the water-filled bowl.  The shortest stemmed flowers were placed around the edge of the bowl first.  Then the longer stemmed blooms were added in the center for height to create a dome shape.  

Pink Camellia in a Bowl www.gildedbloom.com #floralstyling

Another easy and elegant way to display camellias is to clip the stems off completely and float them in a bowl of water as shown above.  Be very careful when handling these flowers as they are extremely fragile and touching the petals may cause scarring.  Holding them at the stem or base will keep the blooms beautiful.

Pink Camellia www.gildedbloom.com #floralphotography


The Colors of November

Monday, November 23, 2015


The glorious fall trees have colored my world in beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow just in time for Thanksgiving.  We have a late autumn here in California but when it finally arrives it is spectacular!


Our Japanese Maple trees have turned vibrant colors and I clipped branches to bring inside.  This bud vase filled with leaves and a yellow autumn rose will be a welcome addition to the studio.  I am so inspired by these gorgeous colors...


The trees are painted in the light of late afternoon as I take some time out of the day to photograph them.  Soon all these leaves will be at my feet...


The beauty of fall is all around us now.  Our mums are awash in shades of orange that fuse with the surrounding trees.


Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving filled with many blessings...
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