Clive Nichols Garden Photography

Unspeakably beautiful images of extremely beautiful gardens...

Clive Nichols Garden Photography.

Monday evening

Echinops ritro and Hosta undulata

This is a part of the upper large perennial bed. Here, as in all the garden, I try to set up the gardens with harmonic compositions of plants with contrasting forms.

This is for example a smaller composition: Hosta undulata 'Mediovariegata' - Echinops ritro - Berberis 'Atropurpurea Nana' - Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' - Phlox paniculata 'Düsterlohe' - Lilium 'Latvia'.

One source of the contrast is the different form of the plant – some are uprising and some rather shrubby –, and the other is the soft or hard character of their leaves. Purple color is common in all, this is the basis of their harmony. And the different shades of purple add an exciting, playful element to the overall impression.

Yellow flower bed

This is the place for most of the yellow roses.

And this is the period of rose flowering. They started at the beginning of June, and they continue it with various intensity until the frosts.

Spring and early summer blue, white and pink perennials have already ceased flowering, while the yellow composition will be really spectacular only from the beginning of July.

However, some early ones like this daylily have already opened the yellow season.

Until they are followed by the rest, this part is made exciting by the contrast of large-leaved hostas and filigran grasses.

Azeri socks

We bought them in the late autumn of 2007 in the bazaar of Tabriz, Western Iran. They had been made for an engagement present. The jewels come from the nomadic tribes around Mashad to the east. The carpet – which is in fact a camel bag opened – was woven by Bakhtiari nomads in the mountains above Isfahan to the south. I usually read by leaning against it in the evenings.

In the last week there were elections in Iran. Many call in doubt the authenticity of the official results. There are manifestations all around the country. As I’m writing this, a crowd of several thousand people gathered in Tehran. According to recent news, the militiamen have been authorized to use live ammunition. Yesterday in Isfahan a young boy was already shot dead.

The inhabitants of Tehran for the last days have been praying by thousands “Allahu akbar” – “God is the greatest” – on the rooftops, just like they did during the revolution of 1979. We have also been intensively praying for them. We ask you to pray for Iran.

In light and in shadow.

Saturday morning

Pentecost

The large rose bed