Wild Hair Floral

Wild Hair Flower

Wild Hair Floral © 2010 Bo Mackison

What a wild end to a beautiful flower! Though I think this part of the Pasque Flower is as ever bit intriguing as the flower in its full purple bloom. The Allen Centennial Garden on the  University of Wisconsin’s campus is astounding for the variety of botanicals it packs in a dense urban setting.

One of my favorite Madison spaces.

Magnolia Sky

Magnolias at Longenecker Garden at University of Madison Arboretum

Magnolia Sky © 2010 Bo Mackison

Sometimes the best view is up!

Especially at Longenecker Gardens at the University of Wisconsin’s Longenecker Gardens in Madison. There are over 300 varieties of crabapples, magnolias, and lilacs in the arboretum.

Sunny Tulip

Orange Tulip in Allen Centennial Gardens at University of Wisconsin Madison

Sunny Tulip © 2010 Bo Mackison

This tiny orange tulip in my garden stands only 4 inches high and the flower itself is less than an inch tall. It packs a lot of beauty in a small package.

One Phlox and Many

One Phlox and Many © 2010 Bo Mackison

One Phlox and Many © 2010 Bo Mackison

One bright eyed magenta phlox stands out amidst all the other striped flowers.

Ever feel like you’re not fitting in with the crowd? That you see things a bit differently, and that you think that’s a good thing?

Perhaps this is another one of those metaphorical self portraits…

Magnolia’s Secret

Magnolias Secret © 2010 Bo Mackison

Magnolia's Secret © 2010 Bo Mackison

This particular magnolia blossom is one of the “little girl” magnolias; she is called “Pinkie.” It is a saucer magnolia and is one of the first trees to bloom in early spring. The blooms are huge, sometimes as large as 7 inches across, pale red-purple on the outside, and with white interiors. This magnolia usually blooms in southern Wisconsin in late April through mid-May, but this year Mother Nature has been kind to us northerners, and it feels like we’ve had May weather all for much of the month of April. Because of the warmer weather, most of the magnolias are past their peak, though a few of the late bloomers are prime now.

Happily, the crab apple blossoms are coming in profusely, and with great colors. I walked around the arboretum grounds a couple of evenings ago, and the scents from the various blossoming trees — crabapple, pear, magnolia, a bit of lilac — ah, surely a bit of heaven!

I’ve really been enjoying using my Olympus 50 mm, f/2.0 lens for some close ups of the blossoms this spring. It’s the lens I take off my camera in favor of the more all-purpose zooms, and forget about. Then one day I look in my case, and see this little lens all tucked in and waiting. I’m always happy when I decide to  add the discipline of using a only prime lens for a while.