My favorite time of the year is when some ivy plant leaves change color and become completely red or completely yellow. It is a strange plant – its roots damage walls, it is a parasitic plant and some types are even poisonous but you have to admit – it’s stunning!
Morning glory, botanically known as Ipomoea, is one of my favorite flowers. It’s super easy togrow and doesn’t require too much care – just perfect for lazy gardeners.
If your new morning glory plant hasn’t flowered yet, be patient. Morning glories can take a couple of months, up to 120 days from seed to flower, to burst out in blooms, especially if you planted the vine from seed.
But this beautiful climbing plant has its secrets.
Eating morning glory flowers is not dangerous, however the seeds can be poisonous, especially in large quantities. Morning glory seeds can get you high because they contain LSA, a chemical similar to LSD.
Typically, eating morning glory seeds is not dangerous, but in large enough quantities, they can cause hallucinations, physical symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea, and overdose.
Rosa Canina, commonly known as the dog rose,is a one of the most widespread wild roses in Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia.
This climbing plant grows 3 to 16 feet tall, or sometimes even more as it can scramble higher on taller trees.
The name dog rose (bot. Rosa Canina) comes from the belief in the 18th century that it was effective in the treatment of rabid dogs. Another reason given is that the term ‘dog’ has a negative meaning, and as many people thought this plant was inferior to garden roses they called it a dog rose. I don’t really agree with this explanation – dog roses are as beautiful and as soft as garden roses.
The dog-rose is a deciduous shrub that has medicinal uses: the petals, rose hips and galls are astringent, diuretic, laxative, ophthalmic and a tonic. The syrup made from rose hips is taken internally for the treatment of colds, influenza, minor infectious diseases, scurvy, diarrhea and gastritis.
The Dog-rose usually grows up to three metres high. It can stretch that little bit taller with some help! Its sharp spines can grip onto a tree for support.
The dog-rose has oval leaves with jagged edges. The leaves have a sweet scent when rubbed.
Its white or pink flowers open out from June to July and have a light scent which is loved by bees, butterflies and other insects.
Red egg-shaped fruits grow from October to November. These are called ‘hips’. They are a very important food for birds during the winter and also often used for medicinal purposes.
Did you know that dog-rose hips have lots of vitamin C? They are used to make tea and syrup.
Here are my photos of white and pink dog rose flowers.
Climbing plants are my favorites and the flowering ones are my favorites among favorites. Trumpet vines are flowering in Tbilisi right now and it makes me happy!
Trumpet flowers. Photography by Shorena Ratiani
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), also known as Trumpet Creeper, Cow Itch Vine or Hummingbird Vine, is a species of flowering plant of the family Bignoniaceae. It is native to the eastern US and naturalized in parts of the western US, as well as in Ontario, parts of Europe, and in Latin America.Growing to a height of 33 ft, it is a vigorous, deciduous woody vine, notable for its showy trumpet-shaped flowers. It inhabits woodlands and riverbanks, and is also a popular garden plant and a living fence.
Trumpet flowers. Photography by Shorena Ratiani
The beautiful tubular flowers range in color from yellow to orange or red. Blooming occurs throughout the summer and into fall. Following its flowering, the trumpet vines produce attractive bean-like seedpods.
Trumpet flowers. Photography by Shorena Ratiani
As its ‘nickname” – Hummingbird vine – shows the Trumpet vine flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds, and many types of birds like to nest in the dense foliage.
Trumpet creeper flowers are irresistible to butterflies as well, and many gardeners grow the vine to attract them.
Trumpet flowers. Photography by Shorena Ratiani
The Trumpet vine grows vigorously so gardeners need to keep it under control by pruning otherwise the vines will cover everything and climb and cover trellises, walls, arbors and fences. I wouldn’t actually mind Trumpet vines invading my garden but I would need to have much more space 😄😄
Trumpet flowers. Photography by Shorena Ratiani
Like the daffodil, Trumpet vines symbolize new beginnings.
Here are my photos of lovely bright Trumpet vine flowers. Enjoy!
It was raining for several days in Tbilisi. Usually I prefer to be at home looking out at the rainy city from my window but not in summer! I absolutely adore walking in the rain, jumping in puddles and sometimes, when no one is watching, I even dance.
And of course I love taking photographs while people are trying to find a sheltered place to stay dry 😀
It was raining hard enough for people to look at me as if I was crazy.
I was photographing wet tree textures this time.
More photos of wet tree trunks. Their color and character appear so attractive to me and it’s worth getting soaking wet 😀
If you would like to see more interesting texture photos please check out my Texture Photography page.
Shorena Ratiani 