The Lost Garden

[shirlm2]

I was driving down the road when I passed an an empty patch of land with amazing oriental poppies growing amongst the rubble and stones. I could not believe such beautiful flowers survived in such hostile surrounds. I don't know how they came to be growing next to a dirt track with little sign of cultivation but I was really pleased I had my camera with me.

[Kaye]

Simply beautiful Shirley. I am especially drawn to 1 & 2 for composition and DOF.
Did you use 60mm 2.8 for these?

[shirlm2]

Hi Kaye Many thanks for your comments. I used my 55 - 250 lens for these as I wasn't able to get that close to some of the flowers.

I forgot to add my EXIF data so will do so here.
#1 F5.6 @ 1/160
#2 F5.6 @ 1/200
#3 F5.6 @ 1/60 -1/3 exposure bias
#4 F8 @ 1/80 -2/3 exposure bias

[mdonahoe1]

Shirley, Isn't it amazing such delicate looking flowers can be so sturdy in their harsh environment! Having lived in AZ for the past 23 years (but now in San Diego) I see this all the time! Bristly, hard cactus produce rose-like flowers every Spring in the desert! Your shots are beautiful, especially the composition of the first one!

Marianne

[delboy]

Great Photo's Shirley #2 Ilike the best

Delboy.

[mingkywingky]

Beautiful shots of beautiful flowers Shirley. Great focus, nice DoF and good composition.
I think they are perennial plants that can grow by themselves when the time comes?

[shirlm2]

Hi Marianne thank you & I agree it's amazing how nature survives in the harshest of environments.

Hi Delboy many thanks for taking the time to look and add a comment.

Hi Tenny thank you for your comments. Yes these are perennial plants but they are usually cultivated and then nurtured in a garden. I have never seen them growing wild & did not think they would multiply on their own, which I assume has happened as there were quite a lot. I'm sure they must have been planted originally. Thanks Tenny.

[sandrac]

wonderful shots shirley
yeah you had your camera
I do like 2 for its DOF I think the best

[Bambe]

awesome! I've never seen a purple poppy

[shirlm2]

Thanks Sandra it pays to carry the camera around sometimes.


awesome! I've never seen a purple poppy

Thanks Bambe I don't think I have either, especially not growing wild.

[DoctorJazz]

Hi Shirley,
Good for you to spot this; from your photos I can see that it must have been a thrill to stumble upon these colors!
Wonderful shots, esp. 1+2 with those vibrant colors, and the 2nd is just amazing for the paper thin petals and fine detail. I love the soft shades of purple there.
Great work!

[carlo]

awesome! beatiful shots

[shirlm2]

Hi Sandy many thanks for your comments. It was definitely a lovely discovery & the purple ones were amazing.

Hi Carlo many thanks!