‘Radical Red’ Lily

'Radical Red' Lily © 2010 Bo Mackison

Another day lily. Red. Very red. As they call it, ‘Radical Red’. One in a set of lily photographs titled “Hot Summer Lilies.” Photographed at the University of Wisconsin – Test Gardens.

‘Pale Champagne’ Lily

Daylily

'Pale Champagne' Lily © 2010 Bo Mackison

This year the day lily season has lasted for months in southern Wisconsin.

This pale peach colored lily has streaks of yellow which are nicely highlighted by the evening sunlight. Photographed at the University of Wisconsin Test Gardens in Madison.

Hidden Horizon

Lake Monona, View from Olbrich Gardens Formal Pool

Hidden Horizon © 2010 Bo Mackison

Olbrich Botanical Gardens has a variety of themed gardens including this formal garden with a reflecting pool. My favorite part of this garden is the view – not only can you see the formal gardens, but you can see Lake Monona in the view beyond.

Olbrich Gardens is located in Madison, one of the prettiest cities in the Midwest. Madison’s boundaries not only include one large lake, but four. Almost 20% of the area inside Madison’s city limits is comprised of lake, so it is easy to find a shore and take in a water view.

Desaturated Coneflowers

Desaturated Coneflowers © 2010 Bo Mackison

A pair of purple coneflowers, photographed at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison Wisconsin. I often see personification in my botanical photographs. To me, it looks like the two flowers are holding hands, you know, the way you might casually intertwine fingers with your lover or child as you stroll along…

Wabi Sabi Dahlia

Dahlia 'Esther' form Olbrich Gardens, Madison Wisconsin

Wabi Sabi Dahlia © 2010 Bo Mackison

This photograph is the last in the series of dahlias I’m posting on Seeded Earth (though there are many, many more in my treasure piles). I showed you ‘Esther’ as a new bud with the light from the setting sun giving her a warm glow. I showed you ‘Esther’ with her petals just beginning to fully unfurl. I gave you a peek of ‘Esther’ from a vantage not often seen – the undersides of the dahlia, softly lit (and one of my favorites). I posted a photograph of ‘Esther’ close up, so close you could almost see her heart. Today we say good bye to ‘Esther’ the dahlia, as she is on the wabi-sabi part of her journey.

What is wabi-sabi?  As defined by architect Tadao Ando:

Wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It’s simple, slow, and uncluttered-and it reveres authenticity above all.

Seems fitting that this is the photo for today. Today is one of those wabi-sabi sorts of days.