peonies have bloomed

[Maggie Terlecki]

I've not had the greatest year and have not done a lot of photography, but yesterday went well. I had bought some peony bushes yesterday and of the three, one did not flower this year, one had one bud that bloomed and another 2 buds of which only one has opened as yet. So including a few from my backyard I decided to do a shoot. I also shot, roses and aquilegia, but mostly I wanted to work with the peonies, so I will only show you a few of these today. I took many pictures (I think about 450 in all.) I find them elegant and very beautiful and hope you enjoy them too.

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

and one more

 

[Andrew Stannard]

Beautiful Maggie!

My wife is the main garden lover in our family, but I do occasionally enjoy photographing the fruits of her labour.

What was your lighting setup for the above? The black background really lets the colours shine.

Andrew.

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Thank you kindly, Andrew. I took these pictures from above. It was a dark and grey day, so I had one small very soft light and reflector boards to help the light reflect. My images were noisy so did noise reduction and then in photoshop, selected just the background and put on a different layer and multiplied it, and then merged down. I also like the black and I find it makes these kind of flowers look very elegant. Thank you for your kind comment!

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

And another one! I took so many pictures, and so many I like, hard to choose! :-D

 

[Asher Kelman]

Luscious and rich!

You said you bought the peonies yesterday but then talk about blooming over 3 years! Please explain.

Asher

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Ha, it was me that was writing and half not paying attention. No, I bought 3 peonies bushes last fall. I already had some white ones in the backyard. They are white and have tiny dribbles of red. Now of the three bushes I planted last fall, one is in great shape but did not blossom this year. It will be red peonies, next year! (hopefully). Of the other bushes, one had 2 peony blossoms (the light blush ones) and the other only one (the pink with light interior). They will get more blossoms next year and they are in my front yard and get full sun which is something they like. Next year I shall have more and possibly this fall I'll buy a few more plants. Glad you liked them, Asher! <3

 

[Asher Kelman]

Ha, it was me that was writing and half not paying attention. No, I bought 3 peonies bushes last fall. I already had some white ones in the backyard. They are white and have tiny dribbles of red. Now of the three bushes I planted last fall, one is in great shape but did not blossom this year. It will be red peonies, next year! (hopefully). Of the other bushes, one had 2 peony blossoms (the light blush ones) and the other only one (the pink with light interior). They will get more blossoms next year and they are in my front yard and get full sun which is something they like. Next year I shall have more and possibly this fall I'll buy a few more plants. Glad you liked them, Asher! <3

That’s a PH.D. thesis in peonies LOL!

Next year it will be at its peak!

I must send a drone to map it out.

Asher

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

That’s a PH.D. thesis in peonies LOL!

Next year it will be at its peak!

I must send a drone to map it out.

Asher

Much Love, Asher (((Asher)))

 

[Jarmo Juntunen]

I love your lighting set-ups, Maggie. Very well balanced.

I hope you will have a better latter half of the year!

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

I love your lighting set-ups, Maggie. Very well balanced.

I hope you will have a better latter half of the year!

Thanks so much, Jarmo, for your kind words, much appreciated!

 

[Chris Calohan II]

I had a boomer of a garden this year with giant and dwarf Sunflowers, along with two large bushes of Mexican Sunflowers, Zinnias out the gazoo, cosmos, Marigolds, and a host of other "weeds" I cultivated as they drew in butterflies and bees by the hundreds. Seeing how you lit these Peonies, makes me want to emulate this style next year as my son and I harvested thousands of seeds for next year's crop. Great to see these!

 

[Asher Kelman]

Maggie,

Thanks again for starting this thread and inspiring us to grow more flowers and feed the butterflies and bees.

One way of cari g for the planet!

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

I am sorry, but I don't think these peonies will feed any insect. Wild peonies have a lot less petals and the extra petals in the cultivars are modified stamen. Hence, the cultivars have few or no stamen and produce little or no pollen, which is insect food. The extra petals make it difficult for the insect to reach nectar, for the cultivars which still produce some.

If you want to fee insects, try kitchen herbs. In California, chilies are also a good choice.

This not to diminish Maggie's pictures. I especially like the first three, with an almost Rembrandt-like light.