One Green Bottle
The other nine ran off and are now seeking asylum.
Category Archives: photography
More Orchid Porn
Yes, here are some more orchid pictures. I cannot get over how fantastic these flowers are. First a new one I bought this morning …
I bought this rather nice greeny-cream with pink blush (almost a Hellebore colour; it’s much creamier than the photo suggests) orchid in our local Waitrose. It had been sitting there looking forlorn, very dry & tired and with a couple of wilted flowers for the last 3 weeks. I’ve looked at it every week and rejected it. Today when I looked at it the second time, I thought I’d ask if they’d sell it to me at half price. To my surprise and delight they agreed.
Having brought it home, taken off the wilted flowers and given it a good water it already looks 100% happier. OK, so it has only these three flowers and a couple of buds to come. But it is rather pretty and who knows I may be able to nurse it back into flowering properly next year.
I also bought this one at Waitrose this morning …
It is a very pretty blushed pink — much prettier than my photo shows. It is profuse with flowers and with at least another 8 buds to come, so well worth paying full price for it.
And finally another shot of one of the orchids I’ve had for some weeks and which is still flowering well.
In fact all my orchids are still flowering well, the first has now been in flower for something like 10 weeks!
They look magnificent, especially when you put them all together in a nice sunny window.
As I say I can’t get over how fantastic these flowers are. OK so mine are all Phalaenopsis hybrids, perhaps the easiest of the orchids — but then that’s why they’re easily available and so cheap.
I really don’t mind, they just look stunning!
A Curiosity of London
OK, so here’s one of the more curious of London’s accoutrements …
It is the Buxton Memorial Fountain and you can find it in Victoria Tower Gardens, just south of the Houses of Parliament wedged between Millbank and the river.
Apparently it was originally constructed in Parliament Square but moved in the 1940s and placed in its present position in 1957. It was commissioned by Charles Buxton MP to commemorate the emancipation of slaves in 1834, dedicated to his father Thomas Fowell Buxton, and designed by Gothic architect Samuel Sanders Teulon (1812–1873) in 1865.
It surely has to go down as one of London’s more outré and colourful adornments. Not only does it have that “spire” of coloured encaustic(?) tiles, but it is carved with various animals including some very dragon-like iguanas/lizards.
Not the best of photos as it was taken on a horridly grey and, as can be seen by the puddles, rather wet Sunday morning.
Something Colourful for Another Grey Spring Day
These are my three orchids (all commercial Phalaenopsis hybrids) which I wanted to get as a group. This was best done after they’d been watered (a weekly soak) so they’re in the shower. The lighting is a mix of natural (grey, evening) daylight and the bathroom “white” fluorescent. Not the best of pictures, but at least something more cheerful than the greyness outside.
Buggered Britain 7
Another in my occasional series documenting some of the underbelly of Britain. Britain which we wouldn’t like visitors to see and which we wish wasn’t there. The trash, abused, decaying, destitute and otherwise buggered parts of our environment. Those parts which symbolise the current economic malaise; parts which, were the country flourishing, wouldn’t be there, would be better cared for, or made less inconvenient.
These two closed and uncared for shops are at Greenford Broadway, although in fairness the pet shop has moved to better placed premises 100 yards round the corner.
Buggered Britain 6
Another in my occasional series documenting some of the underbelly of Britain. Britain which we wouldn’t like visitors to see and which we wish wasn’t there. The trash, abused, decaying, destitute and otherwise buggered parts of our environment. Those parts which symbolise the current economic malaise; parts which, were the country flourishing, wouldn’t be there, would be better cared for, or made less inconvenient.
This decrepit gateway is on the North Circular (A406) just south of the Hanger Lane Gyratory. Such a shame as it could look so imposing.
Yet More Orchid Porn
This is the original orchid I had which has now been in bloom for four weeks. Currently there are 8 flowers open (each getting on for 10cm wide!) and at least another 6 to come. It is absolutely magnificent.
See here for my first picture taken on 25 March.
Picture for Today
Just a little something I took on the way back from the supermarket this morning …
Something Cheerful for a Rainy Day
Noreen happened to be in our local M&S yesterday and spotted that they had some smallish orchids at half price (like £6 instead of £12!). So she bought me one.
It is currently sitting on my desk awaiting a saucer to sit in. And it definitely cheers up a dull wet day.
The Gallery : Easter
Predictable this week’s subject from The Gallery is Easter. And of course Easter means daffodils, so here’s one I prepared a couple of years ago …
No there’s no story behind this, just some flowers.