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In this last week of May, the weather has switched from weeks of blustery cold to days of enervating heatwave. How did this happen?
Things began to warm up last Friday. By sunrise on Sunday, there was no doubt about it: summer had well and truly come to Bishop’s Castle. Towards 7 a.m., the sun just topping the town rooftops, I went out in the garden. There had been a heavy dew and all was glistening. I kicked off my shoes and walked on the wet grass. It was very cold – champagne for the soles!
It’s odd, though, how you can go into a familiar place at an unfamiliar hour and feel an intruder. The garden was not expecting me. It was immersed in its own business. There was a sense of immanence. A discernible energy. Still cool, but also voluptuous as if you might wallow in it. Also in the early light, the flowers had other-worldly looks; their intimate, intricate structures very strange at close quarters. Again, a sense of intrusion.
But then that made it just the moment to ponder on Egidio’s this-week’s theme at Lens-Artists. He’s put us on the spot, and literally too, proposing that we restrict ourselves to a well-defined small space and photograph what strikes us there. It seems a perfect exercise for exploring the familiar, the taken-for-granted, with fresh eyes.
And so the header photo – a result of peering more closely. Quite eye-opening actually – to notice the astonishing number of miniscule components needed to make a blackberry. Here it is again:
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These next photos conjured thoughts of alien spacecraft…
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And then there’s the extraordinary pollinator guidance system of foxgloves – not only the captivating flight path of spots and dots, but also a landing pad covered in tiny filaments – and for what? Massage services for bees as well as the pollen fix?
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And finally some simple things that pleased this gardener’s eye…noticing a corner by the shed that is entirely the garden’s own work – assorted volunteer columbines and another foxglove.
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…and then the lantern-like looks of alliums and snapdragons, caught with surprising vividness in early morning shadow…
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Lens-Artists: Stuck in place This week Egidio asks us to focus on a particular space, no more than 10-15 paces in any direction, and consider its parts with fresh eyes. How will you capture them?
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Copyright 2026 Tish Farrell
‘Champagne for the soles’. I love it! This is a beautifully observed piece whose images complement it so well.
Many thanks, Margaret.
Tish, you found amazing beauty while stuck in place. And what a beautiful place!
Thank you, Anne.
Tish, your beautiful images make me want to be stuck in place in your garden!
Now that’s a fine thought, to have you visit us, Beth 🙂
Beautifully observed Tish. Barefoot on grass is a great sensation, champagne for the soles indeed.
Many thanks, Jude.
Tish, the garden was not expecting you and rewarded you with beautiful views. The details in your photos are captivating. I especially liked the closing shot. What beautiful colors!
Many thanks for the challenge, Egídio. So pleased you liked this.
What a delicious way to describe your feet on grass – champagne for the soles. Love it and the glorious blooms.
Thank you, Suzanne.
Love this!! 🌺
Thank you!
You’re most welcome.
very beautiful
Thanks, Beth.
A very evocative description of your early morning garden in words and pictures. I love the idea of feeling like an intruder when visiting earlier than usual, as if taking the garden off-guard!
Many thanks, Sarah.
You have such a wonderful set of macros here. And what I also like about them is that they are common enough that I know many of them. A new twist on common things is always interesting.
Nice to know you recognised many of the flowers, and yes, a new twist on common things can be v. fascinating. Thanks, I.J.
Beautiful captures.
Many thanks, Rupali.
What a lovely place to be “stuck” Tish. The last image is my favorite, the color mix is lovely and it seems the awakening is fully under way in the beautifully soft morning light.
Many thanks, Tina. There’s much to be said for early morning visits to the garden. Just need to do it more often!
Beautiful photos, really like the 2 purple ones, like the alien space ship and I think foxgloves! So many unique flowers!
Glad you liked these photos, Pamela.
A wonderful gallery, Tish! Those foxgloves are beautiful and my favorite of your gallery.
Foxgloves are always spectacular, aren’t they. Thank you, John.
Thank you for helping me to see and appreciate more closely…
“the astonishing number of miniscule components needed to make a blackberry,”
“pollinator guidance system of foxgloves.”
Beautiful post in words and photos.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post. Thank for your comment.
So beautifully written – I would also love to get stuck in your garden.
And you would be so welcome there, A-C. Thank you.
Thank you – one day…
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They’re all lovely, but my favourite shot is of the Foxglove with its faerie footprints. Such a lovely spot to be stuck in place – you obviously work very hard on your garden. pp
Many thanks, pp. And yes, I do spend a lot of time in my smallish garden. The foxgloves are great, I agree. I have a lot of volunteer white ones. Their faerie footprints are very pale green and hard to see – at least with human eyes 🙂
Lovely!
Thanks, Jennie.
You’re welcome.