Coral Charm and Coral Reef Chrysanthemums

On a recent visit to Longwood Gardens, I had a great time photographing some of the chrysanthemums that were on display. Each November, Longwood Gardens has a spectacular chrysanthemum display – and this year was no exception.

Two of my favorite mums on display were in the main conservatory – the Coral Charm and Coral Reef Chrysanthemums. The colors and textures in the two are wonderful – when they are adajacent to each other – it’s even better.

Coral Charm chrysanthemums are a wonderful two-toned decorative mum.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

Coral Reef chrysanthemums are multi-colored spider mum. The colors and textures in these flowers are incredible.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

And someone on the Longwood Gardening staff clearly has a sense of humor – the plants on both sides of the Coral Charm and Coral Reef Chrysanthemums were Justicia Brandegeana (shrimp plants!)

New Photo: Colorado Wildflowers

Colorado Wildflowers (c) 2010 Patty Hankins

One of things that amazed me the most on my trip to Colorado this summer was just how big the landscapes are in the western mountains! I’m usually do my photography in the eastern US – where quite simply – the landscape tends to be smaller. The clear blue skies in Colorado were another wonderful discovery. I photographed this wildflower hillside in the Gunnison National Forest north of Crested Butte. I love how the wildflowers lead up to the trees, that lead to the rocky mountain face – with a little snow even in the middle of July – more mountains in the distance – all under a spectacular blue sky filled with puffy white clouds. It took me a few days to figure out how to photograph such a wide scene. I’m really glad I kept trying – since this is one of my favorite photographs from my trip. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Colorado Wildflowers is available as either an 12X18″, 20X30″ or 30X46″   gallery-wrapped canvas.  You can order Colorado Wildflowers from my website and I will have it available at shows this year.

Links – November 26, 2010

Tabasco Peppers (c) 2010 Patty Hankins

Here are some sites I found interesting this week. Hope you find them interesting as well

Photography and Art Links

Jim Goldstein has Nature Photographer Behaving Badly

Alyson Stanfield on ArtBizBlog has Sure Signs of an Internet Scam and How to Stop it Cold

PhotoAttorney has Don’t Get Fooled – New License to Cover for Old Infringements

PDNOnline has After Flounting Print Run Limits, Publisher Faces Dozens of Lawsuits

Whimbrel Nature Photography has Top Ten Ways To Piss Off A (Fellow) Nature Photographer

Edwards FreeLance Photography has Kuwait Bans DSLR Cameras

Flower and Gardening Links

Washington Gardener has Save the Azaleas at the U.S. Arboretum

 

 

 

 
National Park and National Wildlife Refuge Links

National Parks Traveler has

• Did the First Europeans to See the Grand Canyon Leave this Mysterious Inscription?,
• Concerns for Biscayne and Everglades National Parks Voiced Over Proposed Nuclear Plant Expansion,
• A Typical American’s Income Tax Contribution Towards National Parks is Little More than the Cost of a Latte,
• Comments Show Opposition and Support for New Power Line Corridor Across Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Refuge Watch has Senators Ask Obama to Protect Arctic NWR

Missoulian has BP to Retire Oil, Gas Leases Around Glacier National Park

Wildlife Links

Science Daily has Paw Prints and Feces Offer New Hope for Tigers

NYTimes has Florida Keys Declares Open Season on Invasive Lionfish

National Parks Traveler has False Killer Whales of the Hawaiian Islands Could Be Listed as Endangered Species

Environmental New Service has Wildlife Conservation Society Pledges $ 50 Million to Save Tigers

Environment 360 has With Tigers Near Extinction, A Last Ditch Strategy Emerges

HuffingtonPost has Obama Designates Polar Bear Protection Area in Alaska, Could Restrict Future Oil and Gas Drilling

Environmental Issues Links

The Economist has Global Warming: We Can’t Handle the Truth Anymore

 

 

 

 

Cattleya Orchids

I was sorting through some of my orchid photos and realized that I’ve photographed some incredible varieties of cattleya orchids – and that I’ve never shared these photos with you. So I’ll be posting them in a couple of posts in the next week or so.

Cattleya orchids are originally native to Costa Rica and tropical South America. They were named in 1824 after Sir William Cattley, who cultivated some cattleya orchids that were used as packing materials for other orchids.

When you think of a typical orchid – a showy flower often with one frilly lip petal and wonderful patterns – chances are you’re thinking about a cattleya orchid or one of the many hybrids involving cattleya orchids.

Here are some of my cattleya orchid photos – I hope you enjoy them.

Mine Gold – a Sophrolaeliocattleya orchid – photographed at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

Cattleya orchid – unknown variety – also photographed at Longwood Gardens

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

A Trick or Treat Cattleya orchid photographed at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden in Coral Gables, Florida.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

And finally three photos of a spectacular orchid I photographed at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

I hope you’ve enjoyed this wonderful orchids – I’ll post a few more cattleya orchid photos next week.

 

Special Holiday Offer: Set of Four Poinsettia Photographs

I wanted you to  let you know about  my special offer for the holidays. My set of four new poinsettia photographs will be available at the special price of $ 149 (save $ 47 over the regular price) until midnight on November 30.

My Poinsettia Photographs allow you to

• Create an indoor garden of your own

• Bring the beauty of nature into your home or office for the holidays

They also make great gifts

• Surprise nature lovers and gardeners with photos of what they love
• Bring your holiday party hostesses a unique gift
• Keep a few on hand for those last minute gifts

You can buy the set and keep some for yourself – and give the others as gifts.

Each photograph is presented as a gallery-wrapped canvas - 10″ X 10″. Each arrives in your home ready to display.

Christmas Feeling Poinsettia                                           Monet’s Twilight Poinsettia

DaVinci Poinsettia                                                                Ice Punch Poinsettia

You can order the set of four poinsettia photographs for the special price of $ 149 (save $ 47 over buying them separately) until midnight on November 30.

Orchids – My New Video Now on Youtube

I just wanted to let you know that I have created a new video and posted it to YouTube. The video is called Orchids. It features several of my orchid  photographs and Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze”  performed by the wonderful harpist (and my friend) Pamela Bruner.

If you like Pamela’s music – be sure to check out her CD’s on her website - PamelaBrunerMusic.com. Sheep May Safely Graze can be found on her Sweet Spirit CD.

My other videos Roses and Wildflowers are also available on YouTube.

I hope you enjoy my new video.

Links – November 19, 2010

Chinese Five Color Peppers (c) 2010 Patty Hankins

Here are some sites I found interesting this week. Hope you find them interesting as well

Photography and Art Links

Social Times has 20 Twitter Influencers Every Photographer Need to Follow

PaidContent has Lawsuit Tests Whether Twitter Pictures Are Free For The Taking

Art Print Issues has 2011 Color Forecast Driven by Affordable Remodeling Trend

Photo Attorney has Three More DMCA Cases of Note for Photographers

Wired has Earth as Art: Stunning New Images From Space

Flower and Gardening Links

BBC News has Cocoa Genome Will Save Chocolate Industry

National Park and National Wildlife Refuge Links

National Park Traveler has Whitebark Pine Trees in Crater Lake National Park Under Attack From Blister Rust, Pine Needles, Conservation Groups Question Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Preferred ORV Management Plan, and Marine National Parks Have Experienced Vast Losses of Coral Reefs to Bleaching and Disease

Cape Gazette has  Feds Approve Prime Hook Dune Repairs

Refuge Watch has Interior Announces New Refuge Unit in Kansas and Support Full Funding for the Land & Water Conservation Fund

Wildlife Links

National Parks Traveler has Lead-Tainted Carcasses and Gut Piles Pose Hazards for Endangered Condors, National Park Service Establishing Protocols for Dealing with White-Nose Syndrome in Bats, and These Worms Can Jump – and They’re Unwelcome Pests at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Wildlife Gardens has Wildlife Webcams to Take Your Breath Away

NYTimes has California Condors May Face Threat from DDT From Years Ago and For the Desert Tortoise, a Threat and an Opportunity

Wildlife Promise has Heading Toward a Record Setting Year at Hudson Bay

Mongabay has Massive Shark Sanctuary Declared in the Coral Triangle

Environmental Issues Links

NYTimes has As Glaciers Melt, Science Seeks Data on Melting Seas

Science Daily has New Explanation for the Origin of High Species Diversity in Amazon

GreenBiz has Getting Past the Whiteness of Green

SaveBiogems has Peace-Athabasca Delta

Conservation Magazine has Ease-y Does it: Do Conservation Easements Work

Fairfax Holiday Craft Show – Fairfax, VA – November 20-21

Bill and I will both be at the at the Fairfax Holiday Craft Show at Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Virginia this weekend.

This is the only show Bill is doing in 2010 – so he has lots of new work that hasn’t been seen before. He’s been so busy matting and framing that he hasn’t had a chance to put any of his new work up on the web yet. So be prepared to see some wonderful photographs – including photos from the Delaware Water Gap, the Smoky Mountains, Skyline Drive, White Sands and Death Valley.

Since I did not do the Chantilly show in October – this is my only fall show in the greater Washington DC area. I’ve got lots of new photos – you can see my most recent flower photographs on my BeautifulFlowerPictures.com website.

I will also have copies of the my 2011 Wildflower Calendar available at the show.

I’m offering a special offers this weekend at the Fairfax Holiday Craft Show – receive a free 2011 Wildflower Calendar ($ 19.95 value) with a purchase of $ 50 or more.

Show hours are Saturday November 20 10 AM – 5 PM and Sunday November 21 10 AM – 3 PM.

Our booth number is 196/197  in the Gymnasium this weekend (same place as last year).

Directions to Fairfax High School, and other information is available on the show website.

I hope to see you in Fairfax this weekend.

Hagoromo Intermediate Incurve Mums

Last fall I photographed several types of chrysanthemums. One of the most interesting types was two different sets of Hagoromo Intermediate Incurve Mums. Both sets were photographed at Longwood Gardens, about a month apart.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

Intermediate incurve mums are one of three types of incurve mums: irregular, regular and intermediate. Incurve mums have upward curving petals. The flowers on the intermediate incurve mums tend to be about 6 inches in diameter.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

The second set of Hagoromo mums I photographed were a darker shade of pink than the first set. They also hadn’t opened up as much as the first set. I really enjoyed photographed the patterns and textures of the flowers that were just starting to open up.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

I hope to get a chance to see the 2010 Chrysanthemum display at Longwood Gardens. The 2009 chrysanthemums were amazing – I can’t wait to see what they have on display this year.

New Photo: Showy Orchis

Showy Orchis (c) 2010 Patty Hankins

I’ve recently added a new photo –   Showy Orchis – to my Beautifulflowerpictures.com website.

Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis) are one of my favorite spring wildflowers. I love just love the shape and colors of the flowers.  I photographed this showy orchis along the Cove Hardwood Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this past spring.

This photograph is available as either a 12X15″ or 20X26″ gallery-wrapped canvas.  You can order Showy Orchis from my website and I will have it available at shows.