Recently I spent some time in New York visiting my parents. While I was there I took a tour of their garden with my camera in hand. I sat down tonight with the idea that I would put up a photo essay of the entire experience. As I sorted through photos I realized that I'd paid a lot of attention to the hydrangea in the side yard that had caught my eye.
It was fully in bloom, a humble shrub that has become a favorite over the years.
Closer inspection revealed some younger blossoms that were just starting to open to the sun.
Each mass is made up of individual flowers that are exquisite.
The closer I looked the more detail emerged.
There appeared to be a flower within the flower.
The sunlight brought out all the magnificent details.
This was yet another lesson for me in slowing down enough to look closely at all the finery in which Nature cloaks this beloved planet of ours.
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Comments: 16
Having several hydrangeas in my yard, including a lace-cap, I found your article to be inspiring...yes, we all need to "slow down" and look more closely as we experience the wonder of this world.
Regarding the flower within the flower, I can see the stamens and anthers in the flower within so that it must be fertile.
Thanks so much for sharing with my group.
One of my very favorite shrubs and we have two, that I'm feeding coffee grounds to and turning them a lovely blue, but that color you've photographed is stunning!
Marilyn