Thursday, July 19, 2012

Fluttering By the Zinnias

Zinnias and Glads have perked up since the recent rains and the grass is green again.

The earliest glad to open were in blended shades of pink and cream.  More recently a brilliant scarlet-orange and a chrome-yellow have opened.

I didn't capture these smaller butterflies with wings open.
They are not distinctively marked.

Pretty thing!

I love the tinge of green as the yellow flowers open.

Butterflies are more difficult subjects than birds.
Its a matter of 'point and shoot' and hope that a usable image is caught.

This one obligingly opened its wings.

This spangled fritillary was very busy in spite of tattered wings.
This is perhaps the last day of its short life-span.



I've long thought of zinnias as rather coarse flowers--nearly scentless, brazen in their sturdy form and colors.
year after year, when the pastel blooms of spring have faded and the roses are sulking,
the zinnias stand up to heat and drought, luring in a host of butterflies with thier blazing colors.

Swallowtail on a fading pink zinnia.

Smaller Mexican zinnias.

Nothing delicate about these colors!

Not sure if this is the same battered fritillary.


A picture in pink.

11 comments:

  1. Glad to see your flowers are doing so well and that your grass has greened up. Look at all those 'flying flowers' too. You got some wonderful pictures.

    Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady

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  2. Your flowers really attract the insects and butterflies, which is good. Nice to have some bright colours. My garden is a bit . . . green at the moment - just waiting for some more sun to encourage the next round of blooms out of hiding.

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  3. Oh your flowers are beautiful and the butterflies are so delicate.You must spend a lot of time in your garden it always looks so nice and tidy.Hope you are well Sharon,love Jill xx

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  4. what lovely photos, I love those butterflies.

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  5. Gorgeous ...and I love gladioli ...that pink one is stunning. xx

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  6. You have the most beautiful butterflies!

    Good to see that your plants are responding to the rain.

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  7. For the first time in years, I planted some zinnias this year. Not nearly as beautiful as yours, but pretty enough to make me want to plant more next year.
    Lillian
    lillianscupboard.wordpress.com

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  8. Zinnias are the only thing we have that's done well this year. My Glads are pitiful and I think I need to dig them up and divide them. Yours are beautiful.

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  9. Zinnias are definitely "happy" flowers and remind me of the flower garden Mama used to have. Glads are nice too. You definitely have some butterfly & zinnia pics to frame here!

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  10. Lovely flowers! I'm so glad you finally got a bit of rain.

    Just to say that I've nominated you for an Illuminating Blogger Award. Details are on my blog (http://christinelaennec.co.uk/2012/07/25/award-ceremonies-of-the-blog-world/). Congratulations!

    Christine

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