Seeing Spots before my eyes
Last Summer I noticed this spotted canna at my neighbor’s front step. When I exclaimed over its rear freckled beauty, the neighbors explained that they had brought the rhizomes in from their home in Sudan. The rhizomes had to stay in quarantine for 6 months before they were allowed into the US now this beauty is flourishing in California. Flourishing so much they had to separate them, so it is I was given a few baby plants. This is the first to bloom for me. I had to twist and bend to get in close for these shots. Which do you prefer?
Old Farmers Almanac:
Cannas are among the most colorful summer bulbs—as flamboyant as their tropical American ancestry—with ruffled spikes tapering to refined buds.
These perennials come in a vast variety of color and boast immense, often-veined, paddle-shaped leaves and sheathing leafstalks in shades of green or bronze.
With their great reedy canes and palmy foliage, cannas would be magnificent even if they never bloomed. However, they keep blossoming from late spring or early summer to frost.
Turn-of-the-century gardeners so loved cannas that they grew them from seed but this isn’t easy; better to leave propagation to experts and buy the tubers.
View other entries for this week’s challenge:
http://completelydisappear.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/one-day-ill-fly-away/
https://piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/phoneography-up-close-with-a-flamboyant-beauty/
http://uniqueartchic.com/2014/07/14/hipstamatic-app-review/
http://angelinem.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/phoneography-macro-challenge-a-sultry-red/
http://steve-says.net/2014/07/14/tell-someone-the-time-not-on-my-watch/
Light Words 
These are all incredibly beautiful photos. I think I’m leaning to the first as my favorite.
Do they do well in full sun, or do they need shade?
LikeLike
Ah the first flamenco dancer! Good choice 🙂
They need sun and water. Lots of sun there others in the shade of this one and I’m not sure they will bloom.
Happy Monday!
LikeLike
Thanks! I love canna, but didn’t know the care they needed.. Have a great week.
LikeLike
Lovely depictions of nature’s finest. It’s hard to choose, but the last ones abstractions really draws me into it. Happy Photo Challenge.
LikeLike
Good eye! I worked the most on that one to create an abstract of shape and color.
Happy Monday 😀
LikeLike
Gorgeous! I think I like the third one best because it fills the frame.
LikeLike
Fills the frame: sounds like something an art historian would say 😉
But really wise comment thanks, Ann 😀
LikeLike
Dear Carol,
picture number two shines the most to me.
And now I have something else to add: The hummingbird I saw in nature visited a canna plant!!
Many blessings to you ❤
Martina
LikeLike
Oh my that must have been a magical moment!!!
I’ll keep a lookout for hummers on my canna,
Be well and Blessings 😀
Carol
LikeLike
How to choose? All are incredibly beautiful & captured so aesthetically? Great post! 🙂
LikeLike
You don’t have to choose with fine comments like that.
Thank you, Amanda ❤
LikeLike
You are very welcome, gorgeous shots Carol. 🙂
LikeLike
Cannas are lovely and bizarre, and your take really makes them otherworldly and sensual. I’m going with your second one, the closeup that is most pleasingly composed and abstract and inviting to enter. Wish it had a wee bit more clarity, though, as the third does. Nice to make your virtual iPhone acquaintance, Carol.
LikeLike
I’m pleased that anything was in focus since I was leaning way over and the wind was blowing. Thanks for your comment 🙂
Hi Jann, Iphones do open up wonderful world of possibilities.
LikeLike
It´s beautiful flower… it must be dominating in your garden :-)…I´ve never seen this flower with such big blooms, I know only with smaller ones..have a happy july with colorful garden 🙂
LikeLike
It is glowing along with the sunflowers just now…good to hear from you Sylvia…thanks for stopping by.
Happy July to you as well 🙂
LikeLike
That’s one of the wonderful aspects of photography — you can see details and colours you don’t notice with the naked eye.
LikeLike
and photography makes you get in funny positions to take the pictures, too 😀
LikeLike
Love the first photo!…but, would like the 3rd on a big canvas hanging in a room!
LikeLike
What a good idea…I print up a few photos to see how they look and that may be one…Thanks Marilyn
LikeLike
Wow!! Should be enough said, but you know me. lol
There all beautiful photos. Really like the first one. My Canna’s didn’t do to well this year. We have had plenty of rain and beautiful weather here but I think the past two summers stressed them and it’s going to take some time for them to recover.
Speaking of Oklahoma weather, this week we have been in the 70’s for high’s. Very, very, very unusual for mid July here. Loving it though. but . . . . . the heat will return starting this weekend. Again, beautiful pictures of one of my favorite plants.
Neal
LikeLike
always like your Oklahoma weather reports…it sounds like California weather it’s 68 and cloudy right now won’t get up to 70 till next week!!
LikeLike
Carol, I like all three photos, truth be told. Of the macros, I think I prefer the first but why I can’t say. You’ll have to settle for “They’re all beautiful.” Could be worse. 🙂
janet
LikeLike