“Garlic Mustard”

Alliara petiolata

What at first glance looks like a scraggly weed, growing in profusion along railway tracks, turns out to be a beautiful, interesting plant close up. I find myself guilty, of late, of not taking the time to look at some of the more mundane plants that grow in my area, north of Markham, Ontario.

This is a prime example. I’ve seen vast patches of Garlic Mustard but never taken the time to really look at it.  I’m learning daily to appreciate the little things, which surprise me, when given time.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/400 sec, f/16.0 ISO 400

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“Broad Leaved Toothwort”

Cardamine piphylla

With rainy days, busy workdays, as well as event filled weekends, I seem to have missed several days of spring blossoms. Despite this, the ‘next wave’ of blossoms is now starting to show. These tend to be primarily white flowers, starting with trilliums, which are well advanced as I write this.

These Toothworts are plentiful, yet I seem to have overlooked them in previous years, unless this is an exceptional cycle for them?

I’ve made a point, since photographing wildflowers, to research the names and habits of the flowers I photograph as well as to expand my ability to visually identify them. Fortunately, I have lots of books and online resources available, though I’m finding many books have sadly inadequate photos to help me identify the plants. I’ve also joined a local group of amateur field botanists, where I can post photos and ask for help in identification and hopefully, be able to provide good photos to the group for their own enjoyment.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/40 sec, f/18.0 ISO 400

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“European Butterbur”

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
― Marcel Proust

I found this interesting plant last year, growing in an isolated patch. There are no other instances of this plant in the area, so I’m wondering if it hitchhiked to its current location. It’s a beautiful but strange-looking plant. Like the common yellow coltsfoot which grows in the same area, it blooms before putting out leaves, though the one I photographed is showing a full leaf, just developed and another emerging from the ground.

The biggest joy for me, when exploring the paths and riverways around my home is discovering these little gems and getting to understand the incredible diversity of plants and wildlife in an area that many would consider mundane, even boring, from a photographer’s point of view.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/8 sec, f/32.0 ISO 100

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“Garden Boots”

“If you wish to make anything grow, you must understand it, and understand it in a very real sense. ‘Green fingers’ are a fact, and a mystery only to the unpracticed. But green fingers are the extensions of a verdant heart.”
― Russell Page

Are they boots for the garden or boots as a garden? These retired boots are part of a whimsical garden display at Burlington’s Royal Botanical Gardens. They caught my attention as a bit of a play on words and pictured them on a greeting card for a gardener, which is most likely where this image will end up.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 145mm
1/60 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200

For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
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