Monday, July 16, 2007

Blue River Hibiscus

Longtime readers here at Urban Oasis know all about my long-term love affair with Hibiscus moscheutos varieties, of which we have at least some five in various parts of the garden. Every July I dread the arrival of the inevitable blast furnace heat and humidity, yet at the same time I get increasingly excited because I know the Hibiscus moscheutos will come into their full summer glory.

Though each bloom lasts but one day (like most, if not all Hibiscus), they make up in quantity what they may lack in longevity, by producing at times ten or more blooms a day! (This particular variety 'Blue River,' has been known to have over twelve in bloom on a given day.) For those interested in cultivation tips and care information, I'll just refer you to one of my posts from last summer for more ... just click on the following link: Moscheutos Madness .

I just noticed yesterday (14 July, Bastille Day, as it were) that 'Blue River' had a bloom open, the first of the summer. And today I saw that one of the 'Disco Belle' varieties had started to bloom as well, but it was posititioned such that I couldn't get a good shot of it without having to crawl into the boulder bed and avoid everything else surrounding it. But no worry, it is so loaded with buds that it will soon be appearing here, probably within the week. Stay tuned, as they say ....

Just a few other words on 'Blue River.' Though it's not the flashiest of the Hibiscus we have planted (those are yet to come!), it's really become one of my favorites due to its elegant simplicity, yet extremely malleable appearance based on how you choose to shoot it ... Today I was trying for something a bit beyond mere 'representation,' and more along the lines of shadow play in the late afternoon sun. Given how these blooms were positioned today (mostly nodding down or to the side), I think I was able to get some interesting perspectives of what the light coming through the blooms can do to an otherwise quite plain colour. I particularly like the silhouettes of future blooms through the petals of the second flower, while the first shot somehow reminds me of the apex of a canopy or tent with sun peeking through....

Photos by IVG, taken 15, July 2007, late afternoon, no flash, no crop, organic and unadulterated in any way.

17 comments:

Nancy P said...

I really love that shadowy shot, IVG. I'm so lucky in my neighbors, because the one to the, uh, right, has a hibiscus right smack between us, so all I have to do is look out my sliding glass doors and there she is in all of her continually blooming beauty. Dinner plates of beauty. "Ours" is white with pink accents. I just got up to look, and I saw that one of them, which I viewed from the back, is shadowed so it alternates pink and white and looks like a garden pinwheel.

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi Nancy, aren't these wonderful flowers? And so easy to grow, really ... I'm always on the lookout for new varieties but think I've pretty much tapped out most of the easily obtainable ones at this point.

Sounds like your neighbor's one is probably a "Disco Belle" variety, as they usually have that "pinwheel" type look to them, with a deep red or pink ringed center and white/pink petals surrounding it. Glad you liked the shadowy one ... I thought it might come out, uh... erm, a bit "mysterious" so funny you should single that one out!

Nancy P said...

lol! If you read family man's post today, you'll see I have mystery and suspense on the brain, fer sure.

You've described "our" hibiscus to a T. Or DB, as the case may, er, be.

Family Man said...

Hi IVG.

Those are beautiful shots today and the IB's on the first are stunning.

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hey there FM, I was by earlier but there wasn't anything new up yet. Sounds like from what Nancy said there is by now... will stop by later!

Yeah, Olivia liked those IBs too... not as eye blasting as Erin Rachel, but I still think this one has a lot of charm going for it. And it often surpasses 6 ft tall if it doesn't get blown over by the wind! That's a tall moscheutos!

olivia said...

Good er afternoon all ... :)

I love the return of your hibiscus too IVG ... I love the lines in the top one. Like a big billowy tent.

Hope you're fairing well there in the popsicube today!

Knucklehead said...

Hey IVG,
I love the soft blue ice in the top image, & the "parasol" ribs plainly attesting to the function of my designation, protecting the private areas of a beauty.
Great use of the sun IVG.

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hey there Olivia and K-Head (hehe)!
Glad you liked these shots. I have so many straight on "here it is" type shots taken over the past few years I'm trying to branch out a bit and see what else I can find in these beauties. I too thought of that shot kind of like a tent as well or some kind of billowy ceiling. Hibiscus are just soooo suggestive in many ways at various stages of the cycle... I'll have to make sure I get some of the seed pods when they start to mature, as they almost remind me of those Alien pods that burst open, except hibiscus give you gifts of seeds rather than a nasty invader, lol.

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