Plants, Flowers, Trees

Another from the same test roll. Easy to include too much foreground when held vertically !! Kodak Vigilant 616 converted to 120. Foma 100 in divided D23

Chestnut and Oak trees in our garden. Canon Ixus 960is, 12.1 mpx. Photofinished in Picasa

Chestnut and Oak trees in our garden. Taken from almost the same place as the previous picture, but with a much older Canon Ixus ! Canon IxusV2, 2.0 mpx. Photofinished in Picasa

One of the prettiest signs of Spring !! Sony Alpha A100, Sony 18-55 SAM lens. Photofinished in Gimp

We have a number of Oak and Chestnut trees in our garden, and for most of the summer they cast a deep shade, so the plants I have planted beneath them have been chosen for that environment. But, just for a few weeks in spring, before the trees come into full leaf, we can see them in a brighter light! They are plants grown not for their flowers, which are mostly insignificant, but for their foliage, mainly Heucheras and Hostas, but also some woodland Geraniums and a species of Euphorbia which thrives in shade, and has curious green flowers. Sony Alpha A100, Sony 18-55mm SAM lens. Photofinished in Picasa

Hope springs eternal ! Sony Alpha A100, Minolta 35-70mm zoom lens, x1 dioptre close up lens. Photofinished in Gimp

The flowers of the Quince tree (Cydonia oblonga) are very short lived, but very pretty for a few days! We have one in our garden which produces a lot of fruit, but apart from making a conserve, there isn't much you can do with it ! I think in Alsace it is distilled to make a "liqueur de coing", and I have heard of quince cheese in Spain, but I've tried neither ! Sony A100, Minolta 35-70mm lens, plus x1 dioptre close-up lens. Photofinished in Picasa

Taken near our home, some years ago, using a Mamiya 4B rangefinder camera. This was taken on 200ASA colour negative film, and developed as a black and white negative in Diafine. The deep brown dye layer of colour films makes them difficult to scan, but the results are often interesting. Mamiya 4B, f2.8/45mm Kominar lens. Fujicolor 200 in Diafine 5+5mins @21C. Scanned @2400dpi on Epson V500

In English it is called hollyhock but it's Latin name is Althea rosea. They grow profusely in the roadsides and gardens around our hamlet, - although they are not native to Europe, they were introduced from China in the 15th century. Canon Ixus 960is. Photofinished in Picasa