Gardening is People

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Some decades ago, my folks were planning their garden; a friend of the family who happened to be an old gardener recommended two things: a mahonia bush and a snake-bark maple. The latter is gone but the mahonia remains, decades on.

Everywhere I consider home has had at least one mahonia – it’s a measure of garden completeness. Today I planted one in the back mud-patch and thought of Tom of old.

Neighbours from Argyll days once recommended an Osmanthus. Today I planted one and thought of them.

The willow tree came directly from friends in Argyll as well and was planted a few months ago. (I’m not convinced it’s thriving, however!)

It wouldn’t be the first place I’ve lived to have had hebes in the borders either.

So. That’s the heart of a gardener, is other people remembered.

A Day in Argyll (2): Inverawe

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No trip to Argyll is complete without a drive around Inverawe. A beautiful place, with woodland left to nature to do its thing in the middle of the estate. This time, the trees were particularly gorgeous in the sunlight.

Of course, what really matters is that Old Friend, the first and most characterful of the trees I later identified as a goat willow, is doing well. He is.

My favourite of many old goat willow trees around the estate - increasingly falling apart at the seams, it's still a characterful tree.

My favourite of many old goat willow trees around the estate – increasingly falling apart at the seams, it’s still a characterful tree.

A Day in Argyll (1): Landscapes

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I spent Saturday travelling, mostly driving, to old stamping ground in Argyll.

There were roadworks holding up proceedings at Cruachan visitor centre, so I stopped to take the obvious photo of the Pass of Brander from the carpark.

The other favourite view is from the Connel Bridge looking toward Ben Cruachan; this time, the mountain was hiding under a rain cloud. The Falls of Lora tidal race below the bridge was flowing pretty fast, with the incoming tide.

Around Birnam Hill: landscape old and new

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The last in a small series of photos from Birnam Hill near Dunkeld.

As far as I can tell, the first two photos are taken more or less on the Highland Boundary Fault – a line runs from Stare Dam past Rohallion lodge, up through one quarry and across the A9 through another slate quarry.

Test shots from a favourite walk, playing with the new mobile – DNG RAW files processed in Darktable.

Around Birnam Hill: Tree Closeups

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A slight reversion to type, here. In previous lives I used to enjoy taking photos of closeup parts of trees, a study in shapes and forms.

Combined with one of my new favourite walk routes, up Birnam Hill near Dunkeld, and we have a lot of larch buds…

Testing the new mobile camera – this one shoots RAW DNG files, processed here in Darktable.

Strolling around town

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A small collection of things seen in the course of one day strolling around Perth: the classic view of St Leonard’s church with its spire across the South Inch; sun setting on the Craigie golf course; a chestnut tree. Well, why not 🙂

Fields

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Fields run deep in golden swards
Hot summer winds blow through the corn

Ripening corn/barley, Auchterarder.

Corpus Christi at the Cathedral

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Yesterday was Corpus Christi, a joyous celebration of the institution of the Eucharist – a service I’ve only previously heard of.
And so, in a spirit of investigation, I went to St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow.  There were lights all around the rood screen and candles; the Blessed Sacrament was processed around the aisles in glory; there was sweet rose-scented incense; there were many rose-petals; the organist opened the swell and hit a 32′ pedal as folks clanged bells around the table. And there was joy.

Festival celebrated properly, methinks.

Cairnwell

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It’s been years since I visited the Cairnwell in Glenshee. The road is still just as steep and the glens are just as glacial as ever I remembered. This is the view from the ski centre, Glenshee.

Up East Lomond

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The trig-point on top of East Lomond, one of the more noticeable hills in Fife. It’s not a bad route for spending a couple of hours strolling around – but the view’s much better on a sunny day.

A Tree

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Time for something a little different, and back in the original spirit of this blog as a source for mobile photos, as well.

I spotted this tree in the middle of Craigie in Perth – perhaps an unexpected location for so elegant a life-form, and testament to the selectivity of photography. Camera never lies? If I’d framed this any lower, there would have been a fence and bunch of buildings and take-away shops in the way.

A birch tree in the middle of Craigie, Perth

A birch tree in the middle of Craigie, Perth

Some experimental post-processing using the GIMP with the `Beautify’ plugin, amongst other things.