Moving away from my usual spring photography haunts was certainly going to be different. The flowers I had become accustomed to greeting me in March and April would no longer be available. The Dwarf Iris that I love and fuzzy Pasque flowers would not be a 5 minute drive away to the Xeric gardens. And of course the many varieties of Miniature Wildflower Tulips and big red Botanical Tulips would not be a stone’s throw away either.
Getting settled in to my new digs did not afford time to head to the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens. And hopping the train down to the Albuquerque Botanic Gardens would also have to wait.
Instead I’d have to adapt to what was available. Thankfully I noticed a small patch of conventional tulips beginning their spring ascent right outside my door.
Having no idea what color they would be or how they would fare, I began taking photos. A little garden had come to me and I was going to enjoy what Nature had provided!
This would be my first official flower photo post since moving back to Santa Fe, NM. And far be it from me to turn down any flower photo opportunities especially when they are literally out your front door.
They turned out to be quite pretty although not all of them made it to full bloom due to some spring snow. So the following photos are some of these conventional tulips…
Lots of folks around here have conventional tulips growing in their yards. But I could not get close enough to photograph them. Bummer! People really don’t like you poking around their yard with a camera even if you’re just taking photos of flowers. So a definite perk to having these tulips so close by is that I could get all kinds of angles. From side views to overhead shots looking into the flowers.. I was hoping some of them to be in shades of oranges – but beggers can’t be choosers!
Wandering the Neighborhood in Search of Tulips
I doubt most folks are aware other types of tulips exist beyond the conventional varieties. Thus I figured Wildflower tulips would be hard to come by. Sad given the Santa Fe climate and landscape would be perfect for them. Hardy and drought tolerant given their origins. Not to mention they spread and naturalize on their own so they’d make the perfect addition to many a spring garden in this neck of the woods.
But all hope was not lost! I did discover a small patch of yellow, Miniature Candlestick Wildflower tulips growing among some dry grasses along a curb. Bingo!! There weren’t many of them and I doubt anyone even knew they were there or what they were? Being they are small, you need to know what to look for. Thankfully my timing was perfect! And I was lucky enough to even have a little be drop in at just the right moment!
As my first flower photography post since moving back to Santa Fe, there are lots more flower discoveries to be made. And lots of photos with accompanying posts – of that I am sure. I’ve already scouted countless cactus plants around the neighborhood that are just on the cusp of blooming – yay! 🙂