eremurus
James, over at Lost in the Landscape, did a post recently bemoaning the difficulty of staging shots of big, bold, dramatic plants. Oh, man, can I identify. A work in progress is the planting along the fence between us and our oh-so-wonderful neighbors. They are tidy in the extreme, but the collection of outbuildings, woodpiles, etc. make for a poor background when taking pictures or just sitting on our deck gazing over the landscape. These three Eremurus are ‘Cleopatra’. They are new this year, and it looks like I have finally found the spot where these temperamental beauties can be happy.
I tried taking pictures from many different angles, but nothing quite does them justice. Others that have been moved around from year to year looking for a happy home will be moved to this bed in the fall. It seems to have it all: full sun, good drainage and no watering after the bloom cycle is completed. Now I just have to figure out how to create the background to set them off as they so deserve. Any suggestions?
June 29th, 2010 at 2:42 am
Suggestions? None, I’m just jealous that yours have bloomed so nicely. Mine have done NOTHING. Yours look beautiful!
June 29th, 2010 at 5:47 am
It seems to me that they are positioned just right judging from that lovely bright picture.
Could you indulge me and turn the camera a smidgeon to the left, incorporating the entire (apple?)tree and cutting off the fluffy tree on the right? Just to see what that would look like. Probably doesn’t work the way I envisage it.
They wouldn’t be centre stage but still the main characters.
I drool over those plants in the catalogues, but doubt that the pigeons would leve them alone.
June 30th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Loree~I’m thinking they should like the same conditions you provide for your faves, but like I said…temperamental.
Jo~I’ll go try that today while there is overcast…will post results & see what you think.
July 1st, 2010 at 1:21 pm
I just this year took notice of eremerus, but now I’m in love. I was sticking with a cream colored variety, but I love your firey orange ones. Now I’ll be thinking about getting some of those in the fall.
I find the best trick for difficult to stage plants is shooting with a shallow depth of field so the background fades into a blur. I bought a new camera specifically for that purpose. There are just too many great plants with less than ideal photo backdrops.
July 4th, 2010 at 5:15 am
Hi Ricki~~ The last photo is wonderful. The only thing I can think of is a smoke bush or nine bark, some other deeply colored foliage backdrop. Kudos for getting them to looks so good the way they are. Seriously beautiful. My garden buddy Carol is equally enthralled with them this year.
July 6th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Grace~What a good idea. Now that I have found a good deer-repellant concoction, my ninebark is putting on good growth. Another one just went on my list. Thanks!