Friday, September 25, 2009

Blotanical 2009 Awards – Thank You!

My mouth was open wide when i saw my blog nominated in the 2009 blotanical awards in the category of best container gardening blog. I mean its just over a month over blotanical and with the limited space i have for growing, i was just amazed to have my blog nominated.

I would like to extend my thanks to blotanical and other fellow bloggers who visit my blog and pay such nice and encouraging comments and send messages. i mean its all because of you guys that i have reached here, no doubt in that. Best of luck to all my fellow bloggers in this year's awards.

And last but not least, i feel so proud to be the only blogger from Pakistan( love to have some one join me, birdie!!!, mars!!!!, mania!!!, zahra!!! are you fellas reading this?).

So head over to blotanical 2009 voting page and vote as much as you can. here is the link to vote.

Update: Got 5th position, Hurray!!!!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Lensing moon flowers at night

Ipomoea alba also known as moonflowers bloom in my garden in september. This time i bought the seeds and sowed myself. These are large seeds and i love sowing large ones as they germinate more readily and easily then the smaller ones. I planted them along with morning glory seeds. Although they have just started blooming but they are still not in full rhythm. When they come to their own, their speed of bloom opening is so fast you can make a video of around 40 seconds from start till end.

Until october arrives, they do not open fully till dark. so i had to capture them in dark as well. now this is not easy lensing them after dusk but i did manage to get few pics worth posting.
moon flower ipomoea alba















In above picture you can see buds of morning glory along with moon flowers. In morning i enjoy morning glory blooms and at dask, fragrance of moon flowers fill the air. although my datura wins the competition of fragrance but still moonflowers have their own subtle citrus fragrance.
white morning glory night blooming fragrant















This last picture paid my efforts. this is one of macro shots and i had not thought a night macro shot would come so good. and this is not all, capturing a flower 15 feet high in the air while i was almost hanging in the air with trembling hands going for a macro shot, that was pure fun. I really enjoyed this pic.
ipomoea alba moon flower lahore

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Allamanda, brugmansia, plumbago flowering

Here goes some images for Garden Blogger Bloom Day.

White hibiscus, not in my garden, but the shot taken at road side near my home.
white hibiscus lahore
















Plumbago in my garden. Growing in 12 inches clay pot.Plumbago auriculata Cape Leadwort Skyflower


















First ever brugmansia flower in my garden
brugmansia fragrant flower angel trumpet
















Blooming only in 10 inches pot while its neighbour in 16 inches pot is yet to bloom And fragrance is just awesome.
brugmansia pot plant inverted flower
















Gmelina philippensis, parrot's beak, ching chai is native to Philippine, Malaysia, India and pakistan. Not growing in my garden but at a roadside near canal bank. Gmelina philippensis parrot beak

















I tried so hard to capture this little butterfly still but it was not resting at all. so i had to take a moving pic and i am not at all good at that.
butterfly on flowers lahore
















Another shot. Really pretty butterfly but picture is blur because i am no expert in handling shutter speed and exposure.
butterfly urban area lahore

















Another butterfly having a morning walk around this tangerine bush.
butterfly on tangerine flower

butterfly on lemon tree
















Gotcha!!!!
butterfly on citrus flower















Resting on my allamanda vine
butterfly on allamanda golden trumpet
















Dragon fly shot in the evening. It was pretty hard picture to take.dragonfly lahore
















Winner of best photo blogger