Still Blooming at the F&P

While Fall might be just around the proverbial corner, flowers around the Frog & PenguINN yard are still in very colorful bloom. Walking around the yard over the weekend gave me lots of “photo ops” and some photofun as well.

Here’s two geranium collages. The TOP one was created using Windows Photo Gallery. To create a collage, you must have a minimum of 7 photos; PG warns you if you don’t have this minimum. Once 7 photos are selected, the program automatically creates the collage without showing a preview. You cannot alter the layout or delete any photos. Also, the photo integration is seamless and there’s no option to add grid spacing between photos.This BOTTOM collage was created in Google Picasa, which does not require a minimum number of photos, but you do need a few for a collage. Unlike PG, you get a preview of the collage before it is created; you can delete or add photos, or rearrange them before finalizing the collage. Plus, you can choose to add grid spacing between the photos by selecting the desired colors or not (second collage below). (For comparison purposes, both collages were done using 7 photos.)

Which collage do you prefer – Photo Gallery or Picasa?

Besides the several flowering pots of geraniums, there’s still lots of other flowers blooming. It’s been a hot and humid summer here on the VA eastern shore and weather is most likely a factor.

But, it’s not just flowers blooming, but vegetables as well as shown below: far left is a tomato, pepper in center, strawberry top right, and cucumber bottom right. There are some fall colors too. The Indian Blanket or Firewheel has been prolific in Grenville’s wildflower meadow with several color variations. This drought-tolerant native wildflower thrives in heat and blooms from mid-summer until frost.
NO, Below these are not mini pumpkins, but Japanese Lanterns, also called Chinese Lantern, Ground Cherry, Husk Tomato, Winter Cherry and Jerusalem Cherry. This perennial originates from southeastern Europe and Japan.

Speaking from personal experience,  it is invasive with its wide-spreading root system that sends up new shoots some distance from where it was originally .planted.  The plant has white flowers in early spring and these mature into the papery orange fruit covering which seems to be inflated, like festive balloons. The cherry seed in the center stays bright orange, even as the husks dry into intricate lace patterns. The seed pod on the right will eventually split open and disseminate its seed. CAUTION: The unripe berries and the leaves of these plants are poisonous.
 
Some flowers while beyond their prime, are still great photo subjects. Here’s 2 more collages; TOP one was created in Photo Gallery and BOTTOM one in Picasa using the same photos in each.
Flowers weren’t the only photo subjects available in the F&P gardens, there’s been many butterflies (another post) and bees. Check out the bee in the center photo – looks like it’s napping . . .