Store-bought flowers can be lovely, brightening up the room when the garden is short of blooms for cutting. Above, one of my favorite indoor shots of store-bought flowers from a few years back. I played with it somewhat as I thought it needed a vintage look to showcase the delicate pink roses and lisianthus, both old-fashioned flowers. Not keen on formal arrangements, just loose bunches of beauty popped into a vase or an old ironstone jug. I added a couple of hosta leaves from my garden for more texture. The arrangement was on my dining room table and I recall how much I enjoyed it for a week or more.
Meanwhile, let me take you out into my garden where I grow a lot of flowering shrubs and plants. So many in fact it was very difficult to choose photos for this challenge...........I had hundreds to choose from and, because I love sharing with you, I wish I could show them all. Then Donna would ban me from future challenges I'm sure!
Walking around the garden, my favorite flowering Summer shrubs are of course the blue Endless Summer hydrangeas. My favorite petunias the past couple of years are these white with lime centers which really light up the flower beds and pots. These, photographed last year, are in a large pot with a lime euphorbia "Ascot Rainbow' which was later planted into a flower bed and is growing into a spectacular bush which I love.
In the previous photo challenge "Simplicity", I shared a special morning glory photo. These are Heavenly Blue morning glories. Here's another shot, one bloom open and buds ready to unfurl. I love that the crackled and peeling paint on the potting bench is showing the perfect blue underneath to match the flower. I often say I'll re-paint this piece, but of course keep putting it off! This small porch is a haven on a Summer evening - we like to sit here with a glass of wine under the candolier, taking in the perfume and beauty of the flowers - if you've followed my blog you've seen plenty of shots of the front porch!
All photos taken with my aging Olympus SP-59OUZ - that trusty, much-loved digital point and shoot.
Linking to Donna of Cottage Days and Journeys for her fun monthly A Personal Photo Challenge - please visit to enjoy or join in!
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