In the period leading to Christmas some people buy an Advent Calendar to check off each day before December 25. Usually intended for children, it appears that in recent years there has been a rise in the popularity of luxury ones aimed at indulgent adults who feel the necessity to treat themselves on the run-up to the big day itself – from expensive candles and perfume to miniature bottles of Prosecco or Whisky and even chunks of cheese.
So I thought to balance all this extravaganza I would offer you an alternative in the form of a flower a day from Sunday 3rd December until Sunday 24th December.
All images taken on a mid-November day along the George V Memorial Walk alongside Copperhouse Pool in Hayle using my Olympus OM-D E-M10 and 40-150mm lens
Earth laughs in flowers 
Gorgeous patterns – would make such lovely wrapping paper
Now, this I recognized immediately. I’m not sure they even grow here on the Texas coast, but they were a constant of life in the midwest, and some of my earliest photos show me plunked down in front of a hydrangea.
My favourite so far. Love the angle you’ve taken this from. 🙂 🙂 I was thinking drawer liners…
Hydrangeas are very common down here it appears. I need to get mine out of its pot and into the ground, but that might be somewhat of a challenge.
There are lots in the gardens around here too, but not in ours. They ‘age’ so gracefully, don’t they? Unlike some of us. 🙂 🙂
Mine was a cutting from my dad’s plant and must be at least 20 years old now. And been in a pot for the last 15.
Oh, give it a bit of freedom! But don’t kill it 🙂 🙂
Maybe I should take a few cuttings first.
Thumbs up! 🙂 🙂
Another plant I grew in NZ but can’t grow here and I love them. The photo brings back memories of a house I lived in with a hydrangea hedge 6 foot tall
They grow pretty big around here, all the rain I suppose.
I think they like colder winters too
They originate from places where they get cold winters so that must be true. Not so cold here though.
Love this Jude! Hydrangea flowers are lovely at every stage, but I particularly like this ‘on the turn’ phase.
Yep, take cuttings of yours as it was your dad’s and then get it in the ground once they’ve taken. Not my favourite shrub, but in decay I like them. Happy Sunday Jude!
I’ll wait a bit longer to take the cuttings and start them off in the conservatory. A few more in pots at the front of the house would be good, they seem to like it there.