The Iris is blooming at the front of the Mamaroneck house - again. Of course it is, as it should do every year. Going into the third year of this blog, this event illustrates some interesting aspects and challenges of maintaining a journal or record or blog. I've been noticing how I've been using it more to trace what I did last year or the year before- it's made me surprisingly more aware of seasonality and very specifically - I know exactly when certain things should be blooming. Another thing is, and the Iris is a good example, what do you do about things that happen again, and again. I reported the Iris blooming, last year. Now what? Is there a new angle that I can explore each year to the inevitable repetitions of the garden cycle?
I examined the photos of the Iris I took this year and one thing that is definitely evolving is what my interests are in terms of capturing or photographing the subject. This year, I was interested in the visual rhythm of the foliage. It's a new thing- I've been doing it more these days - like the lilies of the valley photo. I'm not quite sure which came first, my interest in it pictorially or my increased interest and awareness of foliage texture. As the flower beds mature, as more of the colors 'work', I now notice what may be missing in terms of variety in foliage. When I visit the public gardens, I notice more how cleverly shapes and textures are utilised by the designers and take note.
A ha moment: it's not just the garden that evolves and matures, it's the gardener too.
