Another Post of Mostly Flowers--growing in Maryland

When I went to visit Meg in Maryland earlier this month, I was drawn to both the details that were common between and the shapes that were distinct from the plants--mostly the flowers--surrounding me in Florida.  Most of these were taken with my camera--some with a "safe-to-run-over-with-a-truck-or-fling-off-an-airplane-or-drop-in-the-pool" camera that Brent got for me to use when we go places that any of these three kinds of things might happen.  

Actually, I carry it with me just about everywhere--because besides being durable, it is almost as small as my phone--so it fits into my purse/pocket/backpack.

And it takes better pics than my phone.

Here are some of the best photos that I took:

Megan calls these "wild violets."  They grow low to the ground, among the fine, lush grasses on the lawns in NE America. I am so accustomed to having a stubborn thatch of crabgrass to fertilize and mow--that I almost didn't recognize the sight of real grass.    

Malpighiales,Violaceae,Viola

Clusters of fabulously coloured tulips burst into my eyes at every turn.  I would be watching Kate or Jon whisk about and then suddenly these colors would startle me and I could not help but stare for at least a half second.

   

 These wildflower were flung about the undergrowth of the forest.

Forsythia bushes hung out over the sidewalks all over the place--it made it hard to see stop signs when I was approaching corners when driving.

Holly bushes offered their candy-apple red berries instead of fragile flower petals. 

 This fantastic daffodil was the last of its bunch to bloom.  I had to look closely to catch the transparent peach-coloured leaves around the center of the flower.  

This minuscule, white, 10 petal flower was impossible to get a clear picture of--it was too small--even with the microscopic setting on my camera.

Now all around Florida, the colours are starting to come out.  I'll have to process the photographs I took yesterday as I went around and visited two of the gardens on a Botanical Tour.  It will be cool to compare the spring blooms from the SE and NE shores.