Flowers and plants exist in a constant state of transformation and transition. The flowers, blooms and blossoms they produce are magificent. But the by-product of their flowering state brings about interesting elements as well. The seed heads they leave behind can be just as interesting as the flowers themselves.
So this post is aptly named: All Hail the Heads – the Seed Heads that Is! It’s dedicated to photos taken in the aftermath of flowers in their seed head states. The flowers may be gone but there are still lots of unusual photo ops to be had.
Seed Head or Bad Hair Day?
Pasque flowers and Bellflowers are some of the more unusual photos I’ve taken in this transformative state. They appear to be having a bad hair day! The wispy, white, feathery tendrils yield a dramatic difference to the purple flowers they once were.
I love this particular photo. In the otherwise perfect coif of the Bellflower seed head, there is a stray tendril at the top standing out on its own. A rebellious strand! A bit “Dennis the Menace” from the classic 1959 TV series if you will.
Isn’t that always the case with a hairdo? There’s always that one hair that sneaks out of place or otherwise refuses to conform.
Perhaps some hair spray would be in order to contain this rogue tendril!
Then there’s the wispy, feathery filaments of a Clematis flower seed head gently blowing in the wind in the photo below. Visually it’s part pinwheel and part model posing for a fashion photo with a fan blowing her hair. Model posing aside, I find the details on this seed head quite amazing. All the fine hairs and textures!
Queen’s Anne Lace and a Little Chocolate Daisy
Queen’s Anne Lace with their clusters of little white flowers are quite recognizable. Also known as Wild Carrot, in many states apparently they are considered and invasive species. But in the photo below, it would be hard to recognize the seed head it leaves behind. This side view with it’s pancake-like appearance speaks for itself.
Then there’s the little Chocolate Daisy seed head. I love these guys in this state. You can see all the intricate details of the flower it once was. At about an inch in diameter It almost looks like something you’d see as a fancy button on a coat or blouse.
Allium – Ornamental Onions
Allium go through multiple transitions before they get to their final seed head state. From dozens of star-shaped purple flowers in full bloom, to the spiked dried points then to to these green nubby looking things.. The photo below if halfway between the latter states. It happened to be taken on a morning when the gardens had just gotten watered. A woman who saw me taking photos pointed out that they might make for interesting subject matter. She was correct! The water droplets had given these heads yet another dimension.
Dandelions Get a Shout Out Too!
When one speaks of flower transitions to seed heads, you can’t leave out the infamous dandelion. Their white fluffy heads they become after the bright yellow flowers.
Who doesn’t have a childhood memory of plucking one of these little fellas? Blowing on them as the little seeds float gently away in the wind as we watched.
Perhaps neighbors did not always appreciate our efforts considering the lengths folks go to to keep dandelions at bay! Then again dandelion greens are actually edible.
Flowers of all kinds go through transformations. It can be like a guessing game or puzzle to figure out what these seed heads may have once been? 🙂