picture contest- week 14- February 10

Hello to all of you back in Iowa. Julia and I are visiting Katie this weekend in New Orleans. This didn't stop me from taking this picture on fat Tuesday before we left and before the second big snowstorm of the week.
I will write some more next week about New Orleans. It is certainly someplace else.
I am hoping through the miracle of the internet I will be able to post this from there. I also know which pictures will be in this week’s contest so I can have most of this week’s post ready to go before we leave.

Here were the results of last weeks contest:

1- Blue Siberian Iris 31+11=42 for 48.8%
2- Forget me nots 10+3=13 for 15.1%
3- Yellow orchid cactus 14+3=17 for 19.8%
4- Poppy seed head 11+2=13 for 15.1%
The first number in the addition is the electronic vote, the second the email vote.

The Blue Siberian Iris steamrolled to another big win. It should be the favorite in the finals in a month. Who will be in the finals with it? Will it be the frog? How about the pink peony? There are of course the other blue entries.

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This week’s contest should be hotly contested. In fact it presents in my opinion the best contest of the four this round. The blue fall crocus was the number 2 seed overall. But it should have good competition from the pink, red and peach entries this week.

So here are the contestants this week.

The first picture is the Blue fall crocus, the winner of week 6, with its brilliantly orangey things making contrasting patterns to the veins in the petals. This picture was taken on October 27. Go fall flowers












The second picture is the Peony named Coralie, the winner from week 2, way back ever so long ago. If you ever get a chance, go visit a nursery that specializes in peonies at the time they are blooming. You just have no idea what varieties there now are. The main caution should be that you will certainly buy one or two and then there is the question of where they can go in the garden. They do take some space.












The third picture is the emerging poppy. What a glorious color. What promise. Oriental poppies are pretty good.












Finally there is the closeup of Delmar, the daylily. As close-ups go, this is one of the best. I had some 12X18 prints made. It copied at that size remarkably well.













So vote away and find a few others to do the same.

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For your bonus enjoyment on the blog this week I have selected several pictures from last year’s contest.

Triumphator, the lily did not appear in 2007, because it was frosted beyond help in May. It is a Longiflorum/Oriental hybrid. I understand that I should come back this year. I am hoping it will.












This red Iceland poppy is what makes me run down and start more seed. You really can’t get enough of these plants that really need to be started from seed each year.












This was the hellebore that bloomed on Thanksgiving 2006. Hellebores are good. I should have an excellent crop this spring. You are all of course invited.












Finally here is Banned in Boston, one of the more photogenic daylilies.














So I hope this gets published in a timely way. We will be thinking of all of you up north in the cold. Katie tells us that the tulip trees are blooming. We are coming home soon and will try to bring some warmer weather.
Philip

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