Morning in the Flower Garden
by Bruce Bley
Title
Morning in the Flower Garden
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This photograph of a pink iris blossoms was taken while visiting a friends flower garden in Rock Falls, Illinois last spring. I enjoy photographing flowers for their colors and intricate and delicate detail.
Iris is a genus of 260-300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species, as well as, being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, though some plants called thus belong to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.
Irises are perennial plants, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3-10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves.
The inflorescences are fan-shaped and contain one or more symmetrical six-lobed flowers. These grow on a pedicel or lack a footstalk. The three sepals, which are spreading or droop downwards, are referred to as "falls". They expand from their narrow base, which in some of the rhizomatous irises has a "beard" (a tuft of short upright extensions growing in its midline), into a broader expanded portion ("limb"), often adorned with veining, lines or dots. The three, sometimes reduced, petals stand upright, partly behind the sepal bases. They are called "standards". Some smaller iris species have all six lobes pointing straight outwards, but generally limb and standards differ markedly in appearance. They are united at their base into a floral tube that lies above the ovary (known as an epigynous or inferior ovary). The styles divide towards the apex into petaloid branches; this is significant in pollination.
The iris flower is of interest as an example of the relation between flowering plants and pollinating insects. The shape of the flower and the position of the pollen-receiving and stigmatic surfaces on the outer petals form a landing-stage for a flying insect, which in probing for nectar, will first come into contact with the perianth, then with the stigmatic stamens in one whorled surface which is borne on an ovary formed of three carpels. The shelf-like transverse projection on the inner whorled underside of the stamens is beneath the overarching style arm below the stigma, so that the insect comes in contact with its pollen-covered surface only after passing the stigma; in backing out of the flower it will come in contact only with the non-receptive lower face of the stigma. Thus, an insect bearing pollen from one flower will, in entering a second, deposit the pollen on the stigma; in backing out of a flower, the pollen which it bears will not be rubbed off on the stigma of the same flower.
I hope you have enjoyed this photograph . You can see more of my work on my homepage in the various galleries I have created. Thank you for visiting and please come back.
Uploaded
February 16th, 2019
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Viewed 698 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/17/2024 at 9:17 AM
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Comments (39)
Rainbow Artist Orlando L
Wow what a spectacular and outstanding macro capture of this beautiful iris blossoms Bruce!! sensational details, textures and perspective. i could feel the softness of the petals. totally Sharing!! L/F/FB
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the wonderful comment, Kevin. I sincerely appreciate it and thank you for sharing.
Sherry Hallemeier
Beautiful Peach Iris Macro, the few that I have did not Blume well this year for some reason...- Sherry
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the kind comment, Sherry. It seems that here in northern Illinois that it appears to be a good year for irises. They are exceptionally colorful and huge. I love photographing them.
Connie Handscomb
Beautiful droplets a lovely addition to this regal display of petals, Bruce; a lovely capture! :’🍃
Jenny Rainbow
Congratulations on being featured with this wonderful artwork on home page of the group and pinned to the Pinterest board Iris Exquisite Beauty!
Bruce Bley replied:
Jenny, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "Iris Exquisite Beauty". I appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Doug, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "Canon Full Frame Cameras". I sincerely appreciate the honor
Bruce Bley
Rebecca, I appreciate the feature in the group "Pin Me - Daily". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Rebecca, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "Contemporary". I truly appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Johanna, I am grateful for the feature in the group "Artist News". I sincerely appreciate the honor.