Garden Photo of the Day

Mother Nature’s Garden

Enjoying the natural beauty of a rural setting

By GPOD Contributor

Carolyn sent in today’s photos.

I currently live in central Ohio, but I often take a trip down memory lane back to the late 1990s when my husband, Vince, and I lived on 88 acres in east-central Missouri. The closest cluster of civilization was a hiccup along Highway 19 named Swiss, which included a church, a bar/restaurant, a meat processing plant, and a volunteer fire department. The nearest actual city was Hermann, with a population of about 2,500 that temporarily swelled to over 10,000 during the month-long Oktoberfest celebrations.

I truly loved living on our little piece of country heaven, sharing our late-1800s-era dogtrot log cabin with, yes, our dogs. My daily respite was walking through the woods and fields with our furry friends. I tried to garden, I really did, but the clay soil in that part of Missouri is really clay. In fact, old clay pits dot the countryside where clay used to be excavated to make bricks. The pits have since become ponds, which benefit wildlife in the area.

The photos I am contributing are the results of Mother Nature’s efforts and not so much mine. I hope you enjoy my trip down memory lane!

apricot treeAn old chicken house, framed by flowers on an apricot tree.

DaffodilsDaffodils bloom around a stump.

DandelionsDandelions at the corner of the barn. Despite their reputation as weeds, dandelions can be beautiful!

poison ivyAnother weed that is surprisingly beautiful—from a distance, anyway—is poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), which here has colored up in the fall.

prairie roseWild roses (possibly Rosa setigera, the prairie rose) frames a view of a field.

Bearded irisesBearded irises

Swamp milkweedSwamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata, Zones 3–9) in bloom.

Morning mistMorning mist over a pond that once was a clay pit.

MushroomsMushrooms dot the grass.

Queen Anne’s laceQueen Anne’s lace (Dacus carota)

 

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To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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Comments

  1. garden1953 03/12/2020

    Your photography is stunning, as well as the setting!

  2. User avater
    meander_michaele 03/12/2020

    Your photos are a wonderful example that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and I share your appreciation for all your subjects. Your picture of the clump of colorful dandelions nestled in against the aged foundation of stone communicates delightful rustic charm.

  3. User avater
    treasuresmom 03/12/2020

    I don't know what to say! It is just gorgeous! Loved every pic.

  4. Maggieat11 03/12/2020

    I enjoyed your photos very much! You have beautiful surroundings. Thank you for sharing.

  5. User avater
    user-7007816 03/12/2020

    Thank you for sharing. I am trying to create something like your setting on our property. If you stop and look with an open eye, many of the plants that we call weeds are truly beautiful.

  6. betsye 03/12/2020

    These photos brought a smile to my face. Thank you for sharing.

  7. calliopegirl 03/12/2020

    Good eye for photos. Send in more!

  8. moyra_b 03/12/2020

    How lovely! You must miss those beautiful surroundings!

  9. cheryl_c 03/12/2020

    What a good eye you have for Missouri's beauty! So many of our native plants are truly stunning when you take the time to look. Thank you so much for showing us that beauty.

  10. btucker9675 03/12/2020

    Just beautiful! Queen Anne's Lace is one of my favorites. You must have been sad to leave such a lovely place.

  11. Cenepk10 03/12/2020

    Absolutely love this post... There are many weeds I find beautiful & just yesterday- I stooped down to pick a dandelion bloom and was amazed at it’s perfect color ... then bemoaned that it was a mere weed ( which constitutes most of what I lovingly refer to as a lawn. Sigh )

  12. [email protected] 03/12/2020

    Oooh. What a good feeling your photos give me. Smiling, and noting (again!) how I need to plant more daffodils, especially near the old stump near the old barn! Thanks!

  13. pattyspencer 03/13/2020

    Love those pictures - I wanna go live there! (I'm in central Ohio as well)

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