Camellia Rising - January 2018

We had another dull murky grey day for my photo shoot in dad's garden this week, but for a fleeting amount of time, there was a blue sky for just long enough for me to snap this Camellia bloom that had opened up at the top of the bush.

Normal weather conditions soon resumed, and I was once again faced with the gloomy conditions, and a couple of short sharp showers to contend with.

Snowdrop Clump - January 2018

However, this didn't dissuade me from trying to get down low to grab a shot of this small clump of Snowdrops (Galanthus)...

Wet Crocus - January 2018

...or this wet Crocus...

Primrose Centre - January 2018

...or indeed this English Primrose (Primula vulgaris).

Sprouting Daffs - January 2018

It wouldn't be long before the Daffodils (Narcissus) were joining the Springtime party, as some were already popping up around the Cherry Tree (Prunus).

Wet Periwinkle - January 2018

The lovely blue / purple flowers of the Periwinkle (Vinca) continued to arrive, and looked great alongside...

Wet Winter Jasmine - January 2018

...the yellow Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) blooms as they made their way together through a leafless hedge.

Decaying Bracts - January 2018

The Lacecap Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) bracts had given their best, and would be removed at some point, before the new growth began.

Mahonia Berry Droplets - January 2018

I quite enjoyed the look of these plum coloured Mahonia (Mahonia japonica) bush berries, especially when they were covered in raindrops.

Wet Leaves - January 2018

As the morning went on, the rain got heavier so I took a few mandatory wet leaf shots, of which this was my favourite, before heading back inoors.

Perching Blue Tit - January 2018

Once the rain had ceased, I went out again with the intention of pointing my lens skywards at a few of our feathered friends. This Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) was quite frustrating to shoot as he kept a little too much distance between us for me to get a decent shot of him.

Cruising Crow - January 2018

This Crow (Corvid) was slightly more obliging, as he flew directly overhead after taking off from the roof of the house next door.

Goldfinch Rear - January 2018

While this Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) just turned his back on me. How rude! At least it was a prettily coloured back.

Hellebore Arrival - January 2018

Meanwhile, over in my own garden, my Christmas Rose (Hellebore) 'Double Ellen' had finally opened. It's such a shame that these flowers spend most of their time facing the floor, as they are too heavy for their stems to support them.

Dreamy Felicia - January 2018

The promise of the Felicia flower bud I posted last week came to fruition, and presented us with a number of these lovely little blue daisy like blooms.

Springtime Buttercup - January 2018

I also had a head scratching moment when I found this bright yellow flower opening up next to my pond. It's actually a Persion Buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus), which shouldn't be flowering for at least another three or four months!

Supermoon - January 2018

As we had clear skies, I couldn't resist taking a shot of the Supermoon, which was the second one this month. I wrote about it last month, so I won't repeat myself!

Out in the Wild - January 2018

Finally, as many who read my blog know, I regularly sell my images via stock photography agencies, which is quite pleasing. However, I very rarely get to know who buys my work, and even more rarely get to see where it is used. So, imagine my surprise and delight while walking through Haskins, a local garden centre, when I spotted this sign advertising bird boxes. Yes, that's one of my very own images...

First Time Buyer - March 2011

...which has been cropped quite significantly from the original image above. How exciting!

So, this week I went with Camellia Rising as my Image of the Week, mostly because it shows a glimpse of blue sky, which has been sadly missing here in the South of England too many times this year...