Photo Challenge – Page 182

The Auckland Domain Wintergarden

The Wintergarden is found in Auckland, New Zealand and was built in commemoration of the Auckland Industrial Agricultural and Mining Exhibition of 1913-14

It was designed in the early 1900s in the style of the famous English partnership of Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jeckyll – my favourite designers of the English County Garden style.

The building was opened on the 12 October 1921 for the benefit and pleasure of the public.

The two barrel-shaped Victorian glasshouses face out onto an open courtyard with a pond and mosaic fountain. Marble statues were added in the 1920s and 1930s and pergolas around the courtyard are covered in showy climbers.

One glasshouse is full of exotic flowers: gingers, orchids, palms, Heliconia and other rare plants. The other is for temperate climate plants such as the gorgeous blue delphiniums in the photos.

As usual my attention was drawn not only to the flora, but also the architecture of these buildings and in particular, the windows. Although the glasshouses need a little attention (well so would you after 100 years) the curved ends and decorative leaded windows are still beautiful.

The complex is completed by New Zealand ferns growing in a sunken scoria quarry to the rear.

This monthly challenge is hosted by Dawn from ‘The Day After’ who invites participants to post pictures of any windows that they find curious, inviting, photogenic, or in some way tell a story. Visit her blog to see more windows and/or to join in with the challenge.

Bench series #4

Final week on the Garden theme so if you want to join in this month with your garden bench you have until next Saturday to post your photos 🙂

Not one, but three benches this week in a lovely garden in Dumfries and Galloway, southern Scotland. Logan Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful and interesting gardens in the UK and not what you would expect to find so far north. If you want to see more then please click on the link above.

And if you like the idea of a ‘Bench’ photo challenge then take a look at my Bench Series page for details of how to join in.

Create your own post and title it Bench Series: January
Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
Add the tag ‘bench series’ so everyone can find the benches easily in WP Reader
Get your post in by the end of the month, as the new bench theme comes out on the first Sunday in February

I look forward to resting my feet all around the world!

Last week I was taken to some lovely gardens:

Sylvia visits Edison Heritage Gardens in Fort Myers
Daily Musings takes us to The Lois Blonder Sculpture Garden
Aletta shows us a curved bench in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Pauline is sitting amongst the peace lilies this week in Townsville
Cathy has several benches in a seaside garden in New Zealand
and there is a charming drawing and poem from ladysighs
and a bench that had to be re-built by Jennifer.
Priorhouse blog on the other hand combines benches with a story. With a bench in it, of course!
Debbie finds a tranquil spot in Paris.
and Julia has one with a tribute.
Elaine joins in with a couple of gardens bringing back memories of summer!
and you can sit and smell the lavender from this pretty bench from Dawn.
Finally a serene bench with Spanish moss dripping above from Isadora.

Thank you all for joining in this week.

how I express myself

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery.
There is always more mystery.
Anaïs Nin

san fran lines collage — Looking for Lines in San Francisco

I express myself through my photography. My lens is my eye on the world around me. It makes me more aware. Of light, of colour, of shapes, of textures, of landscapes and details. Urban fragments, peeling paint. A rusty lock. Light through leaves. A blackbird. The perfect flower. The purest colour. It makes me look. And take the time to stand and stare. To wonder. I hold my breath and press the shutter. And hope that I have captured the perfect moment.

How do you express yourself?

Travel Theme: Industry

Developments in the iron industry played a central role in the Industrial Revolution. I have featured Ironbridge before, the first arch bridge in the world to be built from cast-iron designed by Englishman Abraham Darby (1678-1717) and architect Thomas Pritchard. So I will share a few images from around the other industrial areas of the town:

The Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron (and above)

Coalport

Victorian Tile Factory

Old Victorian Tile Factory

Chute

Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #1

The Cardinal has decided to have a photo project going throughout 2015 – a blogging event, a monthly photo challenge. Find a location near your home, take somewhere between 5-20 photos and post them in a gallery in your blog. Continue to do this every month. The idea is to capture all the changes: the seasons, the weather, different times of the day, some night photography perhaps?

Sounds right up my street and I shall be interested to record the changes in my neighbourhood. Some of these locations have been posted before, but this is a circular route from my front door around the River Teme, taking in the castle, some interesting houses, trees on Whitcliffe Common and some of the floral offerings on Ludlow’s streets.

Date: January 19 2015
Weather: sunshine and cloud
Temperature: Cold (2°C)
Time: 2 – 3 pm

After taking some photos around the castle garden on Dinham with the pollarded lime trees, it’s time to walk down to Dinham Bridge and capture a few shots of the castle and the river which is in full spate after the rain in Wales.

Dinham Brick Cottages

St John’s Chapel

Stone Cottages

Catkins (Jan)

View from Dinham Brisge

View from along the Breadwalk

Continue along the Breadwalk, taking great care as the path is frozen at this point and notice the Donkey Steps to the left. Swans feed at the edges and naked trees are reflected in the water.

The Donkey Steps

Waterfall

New Growth

Ludlow Bone Bed

Swans swimming

Copper leaves (Jan)

The Mill Weir

The Teme at Ludham Bridge

Leaving the river behind, my final stretch is along Lower Broad Street where the lack of outside space does not prevent the owners of the ancient cottages from displaying one of the towns best ‘gardens’.

Plenty of pots

Rosy Colour (Jan)

Lower Broad Streets ‘Garden’