The weekly Green City Markets just outside of Lincoln Park Zoo, in Lincoln Park, Chicago includes freshly gathered flowers, not to be missed. Come visit it any Wednesday during the growing season. Saturdays have over 32 vendors; Wednesdays over 16. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Couldn’t resist taking some of these beautiful, natural gifts home. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Many choices of natural flora encourages your creative design imaginations to play. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Scrolling through some summer-created images I noticed the similar shaped flowers of the Petunia and the Bindweed. Sometimes nature (and/or God) designs complete originals and sometimes it copies parts of it’s other creations.
Ever-popular and reliable Petunias blooming in an outdoor planter. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg.
Ever-UNpopular Bindweed; unpopular because of it’s binding/choking nature to other plants. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg.
Louie Bossi’s restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale has a sweet courtyard dining area that’s a must whenever you’re on Las Olas Blvd. Besides incredible food the environment invites one to let their troubles drift away and relax. One of the design elements are many vintage windows that frame mirrors, hung on their brick walls. The impression created is that of a lush tropical garden, because of multiplied images of each plant in the courtyard. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Nature and human took part in both the sidewalk and the stand of Bamboo. Both settings have been designed by human hands. Both settings have been altered over time by nature.
Human chosen natural elements in the concrete mixture; use of Florida’s Coral and shells. Nature’s chosen addition with plant and algae. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Walkway through the Bonnet House Courtyard is concrete with much Coral and shell in it’s composition. Algae and “volunteer” plants add color. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Human planting design enhanced by nature’s sunlight and random growth of the Bamboo. Copyright 2018 Pamela Breitberg
Nature is the original creator of designs and patterns. Some aid survival such as camouflage. Other patterns change by the moment such as these images of the ocean. Sunlight, clouds and winds are part of nature’s toolbox used to form these passing conceptions. God’s artistry inspires and challenges our limited imaginations.
The sunlit sky with horizontal bright area mimic the horizontal bright areas on the top (horizon area) of the sea. Or is it vice versa? Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Only the ocean here; no sky in this composition. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
The eyes are drawn naturally to the lightest area; here it is part of the ocean. The rest of the ocean mimics the calm atmosphere above. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Nature’s Starburst in the sky, Key West, Florida. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Key West, Florida is historically renown as a home for crafters and artisans. The unique is highly valued and proudly displayed including this custom designed car decor. Nature takes no back seat to the colors and designs found throughout Key West’s Old Town and perhaps inspires creative urges.
This tree, Starburst, aka Shooting Star (Clerodendrum Quadriloculare), blooms only in the late winter and early spring, so was in full bloom last month during our visit. The large, full, blossoms command attention, which upon closer examination divulge its artistic aptitude.
Starburst tree with many “shooting stars”. Copyright 2017 Pamela Breitberg
Artist’s tribute to nature. Copyright 2017, Pamela Breitberg
Maple tree roots in lawn copyright 2014 Pamela Breitberg
Acceptance of things we cannot control leads to flexibility within our best-laid plans. Gardeners that enjoy their labors learn early in their endeavors to embrace the challenges that nature places before them. Persistent weeds (any plant you choose not to want in a given space) are the known garden villain. Above ground tree roots are a slow invader that effectively claims proprietorship of space.
My maple tree’s roots engaged me in realigning the garden bed to lawn space in my yard a few years ago. My work is not done however, as its roots have invaded more lawn area. My creative juices have begun flowing as I plan further redesigning of this loved space. Ah, this gardener’s work is never done as I choose to embrace this fiend as friend. I rise to the challenge as do these roots.
Above ground roots, copyright 2014 Pamela Breitberg
The second image is a closely cropped copy of the first image.
This unusually warm, 50 degree, afternoon yesterday invited clusters of winged insect hatchings. I was not sure if the camera would even come close to focus on these tiny creatures, but the late day, low angled sun spotlighted their flight.
These are times when I am tempted to spend many minutes and countless megabytes of space working to create the “perfect” image. Time did not allow it yesterday; but my creative juices are now stirred.
Newly hatched winged insects copyright 2013 Pamela Breitberg
Woodland afternoon copyright 2013 Pamela Breitberg