Verna and Bob's Weblog

Flowers

First Argentine Giant Flowers Opening in Town

Argentine Giant Flower

My Argentine Giant cactus at home has several buds on it that will likely open into these giant white flowers. During an errand to old downtown, we passed a yard where the Argentine Giants were already in bloom.

The cactus isn’t particularly a giant, but the six-to-eight inch diameter flowers certainly are, among common cactus flowers. This flower was growing on a cactus behind the chain link fence, but the flower pod protruded through the fence and the flower was on the outside of the fence.

The flower smelled like a fresh sea breeze. Click on the image to enlarge.

March 17, 2015 by Flowers Photography

Echinocereus Pollinator

Echinocereus Pollinator

The hedgehog cactus out front is in bloom. The bees are taking advantage of that fact by browsing the colorful flowers. Click on the image to enlarge flower and bee.

I managed this shot from about 20 feet away from the cactus with the Canon SL1 using the 75-300mm telephoto lens. F7, ISO 100, 1/500 exposure, 300mm focal length. I sure like my new camera.

March 16, 2015 by Arizona Critters Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Cimarron Sage Flowers

Cimarron Sage Flowers

The spring season not only brings out the wild flowers and cactus flowers, but some of the landscape shrubs also start to bloom. These are flowers on our Cimarron Sage bushes that line the west side of our driveway. Click on the image to enlarge.

These shrubs have not been doing too well for some known and some unknown reasons. We may replace them with a variety of flowering bushes that have a trunk like a small tree, so when the boy dogs come to call they won’t be able to do their marking on the foliage and flowers.

March 15, 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Wildflower Patch

Wildflower Patch

We ran an errand today to the old downtown area. While driving through the neighborhood there, I saw a yard that was almost completely covered with wildflowers.

I took this photo as we drove slowly by the house where the flowers were. Click on the image to enlarge.

Maybe in a week or two, we will load up the dogs and take a drive up into the hills where the flowers are said to be even more abundant. Stay tuned.

March 12, 2015 by Flowers Photography

Argentine Giant Flower Buds

Flower Buds

In another sign of early spring, we found three or four new flower buds on the Argentine Giant cactus in front of the house. This cactus has reliably given us flowers every spring since it has been here. The flower buds are the fuzzy, swirling prominences on the crown of the cactus. Click on the image to enlarge.

March 3, 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Signs of Spring

Flower Buds on Beavertail Cactus

Several of the beavertail cacti around the property have sprouted flower buds, even though the first day of spring is over a month away. We have been fortunate to have spring-like temperatures for most of the last three weeks.

The beavertail cactus in the photo above was transplanted from the back of the property around four years ago and is usually the most prolific flowering cactus we have. We can hardly wait for the vivid pink flowers that are coming soon. Click on the image to enlarge.

February 15, 2015 by Arizona Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Avalon 1998

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