A Princess & a Queen
Sunday, July 21, 2019
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| Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha' & Rosa 'Princess Alexandra of Kent' 23 July 2019 |
From the very beginning the scanning (using an Epson flatbed
scanner) of the roses and other plants from our garden had the purpose of
botanical accuracy. I scan the plants at 100% size and always note the date. Within
reason I try to make the colour as accurate as my eyes will discern. From that
beginning I thought that my scans would be a useful way of comparing notes with
other gardeners around the world. But that was not the case. Few if any people
I know are interested in my scans beyond noting their beauty. I soldier on.
Occasionally I fail in my pursuit of botanical accuracy by
making a flower arrangement as this one. In our old Kerrisdale garden we had 35
hydrangeas (species and cultivars). Here in our reduced Kitsilano garden we have
only three. This one, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Ayesha’ (She who must be obeyed!)
is a most unusual mop head. The inflorescences change colour as they age. The
blue of this one marks it as an early one. As they age they change to
mauve.
