Wind Storm Warning

What makes a wind storm warning more significant in the late fall than in the spring? The Tree Expert told me last year.  He said that it is the trees who have suffered some decay or stress during the summer that are the ones prone to problems.  Heavier winds start to occur in the fall, and that's what causes limb failure. Of course there's the possibility of trees uprooting.  How many inches of rain make the soil wet enough that the roots come undone? The experts say that drainage is the major concern rather than rain fall.  Did you know that roughly 90% of a tree's roots are in the upper 18" - 24" of soil? How do you know if a tree in your yard is at high risk for falling?  The expert says:  look at the tree and its environment.  Is the tree leaning? Has the leaning increased in recent years? Is the crown healthy - root problems are often reflected in crown condition.  Are there noticeable cracks in the trunk? These are all signs of weakness and stress. We'll see what today's high wind warning produces.  Today's photos of fall colours in Charles Daley Park are filtered through rain patterns on the car windshield that we experienced yesterday.

Skies Count

What a difference a week makes - Niagara had beautiful colours yesterday - golden yellows were in abundance on the escarpment. What I noticed was the difference the sky makes in a photography.  Look at the top two - same view at Locust Lane (Hidden Bench winery) towards the Lake, which can just barely be seen in the background.  The first image has more emotional appeal with the clouds 'pulling' the trees upward. Our second comparison is the tree that I've been photographing on Moyer Road, in Vineland, where Vineland Estates is located.  The second image seems to have greater appeal - with the clouds higher on the horizon, giving the tree room in the landscape to be fully appreciated.

Betterphoto Win - Sunset Delusions

My website is hosted on betterphoto.com.  Like other internet sites, this is a small company with a single owner, and it seems have its personality swings with this business model.  I find this small company personality issue with  Rebubble and Fine Art America as well.  The photography and art hosting websites seem have a behaviour profile. It has been many months since I've sent out  an announcement on the monthly contest  as I have hardly had any images receive the first round Editor's Pick, let alone the Staff Favourite, Finalist or Winner Placement. So it was good news this month, that out of the 4700 entries, I had two placements - Sunset Delusions received a Second place in the Elements of Design category, and the next image - Construction Site was a Staff Favourite. The September contest wins can be seen here:http://www.betterphoto.com/contest/winners/1509.asp

Garden Etiquette

There are a lot of rules on the internet about  garden behaviour. Public botanic gardens have rules about staying on the paths, collecting seeds, photography, picnics, weddings, etc. I am attentive to the rules about photography as there are public gardens that disallow posting photographs of the gardens and others that encourage it.  One of the best known enforcers is the National Trust in Britain with a 'take down' policy that goes after any photographs of National Trust properties by anyone, amateur or professional, for sale or not for sale. So back to a regular garden visitor.  There is often a sign that says 'don't throw coins in the water'.  It's there because copper makes fish sick.  In public water gardens, there is regular scooping out of coins where the water features have Koi. There is also the temptation to touch things - flowers, leaves, statues, etc.  Here's an example of a statue that CAN be touched - a French satirical character that is meant for good luck.  It is at Lotusland in Santa Monica, CA.  Of course, bronze statues are often meant to be rubbed, so that there is some shiny portion.  This was the case with this bonze boar in Kansas City.  Its shiny nose is a testament to the success of the invitation. There's a greater temptation to point out or remove weeds and hand them to the garden owner.  I remember a visitor to my garden pulling out a 'weed' they thought was creeping charlie.  It was Kenilworth Ivy, something I'd been nurturing carefully.  In that vein, here's a piece written by Michael King on garden visitors: "My garden visitors are doomed to failure as they seem to fall into one of only two categories; which is worse I cannot say. One type is more common than I would expect as a well-brought-up Englishman. These are the ones who start pointing out insect damage, faded blooms and enormous weeds that I seem to have been able to ignore for far too long. Perhaps they expect something better and need to vent their frustrations. Are the second group even worse? These are keen and knowledgeable gardeners who eagerly ask to visit, but on arrival take a seat, engage in a warm conversation, but never really bother to get up and have a good look at anything. “Why are they here”, I wonder to myself, convinced that a quick look was enough to reveal that there is really nothing much for them to get over excited about – or are they shy and feel embarrassed to plunge into the rest of the garden? Should I take the lead?"

Canada's Star Aligns

CBC is having fun today reporting that Justin Trudeau has taken over the first spot as the sexiest politician in the world according to the UK Mirror newspaper.  It picked up these quotes from well-known national reporters in other countries: "In Canada Justin Trudeau's Liberals elected on a platform of sorry I lost my train of thought he's just so handsome." "For real though, congrats Canada on your hot grown-up-Howarts-student Prime Minister." In the Daily Mail article, they include a Youtube video of the 'time Justin Trudeau stripped for charity". And this quote from Richard Nixon in 1972: 'Tonight we'll dispense with the formalities. I'd like to toast the future prime minister of Canada: to Justin Pierre Trudeau,' said Nixon during a state dinner in Ottawa hosted by Pierre Trudeau. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3280490/Justin-Trudeau-named-Canada-s-new-prime-minister.html#ixzz3pCTMtgTq With the pictures in the article of him with his father in world-famous places with world-famous people, it is pretty impressive.  So I guess with star power like that, some starry flowers are matching pictures for the day.

Views of Niagara

I was at a garden meeting at the Toronto Botanical Gardens yesterday and took some time to visit the Aga Khan Museum and Garden.  I wanted to see the Autumn colours as this is a key feature of the plant choices.  There was a some colour, but the leaves have been blown off the trees so there was less than I'd hoped for. This is such an astonishing building and garden.  With the infinity water pools, the white walls of the building, and the grand walk ways, everything is harmonized and serene. Coming back to Niagara, we drove around the escarpment and took a view of Niagara Falls from Megalomaniac the Winery.  Remember the posting last week  'The Great Toronto Mirage'?  Yesterday's view of Toronto was very clear and the buildings on the landscape extend from Toronto right through to Hamilton in a continuous line. At Megalomaniac, I was able to get a good picture of the Niagara Falls view, and include a cropped view so you can see the 'thumb print' stubby building in the centre.  It is Brock University in St. Catharines, and then Niagara Falls is beyond that.  The Skyline Tower is the telling shape of Niagara Falls. There are no articles (other than camera lens compression) to explain this compression phenomenon that we saw. Storms were ahead for the Niagara Falls area.  Voting is ahead for us today.

Sumac Serenade

These are sumacs in Grimsby on the hill where the QEW goes over Bartlett. They are a great colour - at their peak!

View From Above

I went out to see the Autumn colours yesterday.  I started at Beamer Park up on the escarpment.  The park is an example of a preserved Carolinian forest here in Ontario, and has excellent views out across the region.  The view in this picture is towards Niagara Falls, and one can see its high rises. The winds have been blowing the colours off the trees so there isn't the show that one might like for photographs.  And as the winds blew and blew, a storm blew in. The last picture is at Locust Lane, where the Hidden Bench barn is located, and looks out over the Lake. While the Lake is in this picture, there's no Toronto floating on the horizon today. Dezi and I arrived home just in time for the rain to start.

Traveling Waves

Wave Patterns are mesmerizing and Dezi and I discovered yesterday at Nelles Beach in Grimsby.  We're looking at the most common traveling wave - lake and ocean waves.  We see the wave moving through the water, looking for the crest that will give the interesting patterns on the rock.  That's where my interest lies.  However, the science of wave patterns is most interesting and the physics lesson is available at:  http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Tw-Z/Waves.html

Garden Photography Feature on Rebubble

My work is available for sale on Redbubble at http://www.redbubble.com/people/marilyncornwell Fine Art America at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-marilyn-cornwell.html These sites have expanded their printing to go beyond the wall art of print, poster, canvas, etc.  They now print on fabric for tote and studio bags, pillows, duvets, scarves, etc.  They compete with Zazzle for cases and skins, stickers, t-shirts and clothing, home decor, stationery, etc. In addition to the sales aspects, these art sites have community and group functionality to feature and showcase works based on a theme, interest, location, etc.  I host "All Glorious Gardens" on Redbubble: www.redbubble.com/groups/all-glorious-gardens Today's image is a compilation of a recent feature of my works chosen by my co-host and displayed on the group feature page. You can read the interview here: www.redbubble.com/groups/all-glorious-gardens/forums/12383/topics/401363-spotlight-on-our-host-marilyn-september-24-2015

Farewell to Summer Flowers

We experience shorter days in October - with the sun getting up later and setting all too early.  Yet the days themselves are brilliant with vivid colours in the leaves.  Already the Sumac and the Virginia Creeper are orange and red along the roads. Fall bulbs are ready for planting.  I visited the new Van Noort location to pick up my Spring order.  They've moved to a few streets from Brian's Lilycrest Gardens hybridizing field.  What a facility it is.  There are rows and rows of polyhouses that they are going to use to grow roses in the spring.  In the shared production facility, the last of the Gladiolus were being packaged for shipment.  Industrial plant production is very similar to industrial food or material production.  Things moving along conveyer belts with people doing small tasks along the way.  So today's images acknowledge the last of the Gladiolus and the end of our great summer flowering season.