Pink Cattleheart, I

The Pink Cattleheart is a large, black butterfly with striking red, pink and white markings.

Little Brown Butterfly, I

I haven’t been able to identify this butterfly.  It was at the Butterflies LIVE exhibit at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden so it may not be native to the United States.  If anybody knows the species I’d appreciate a comment.

Common Morpho, I

This Common Morpho was kind enough to sit still while I photographed it head-on.  It’s a large butterfly with brilliant blue on the upperside of its wings and brown with black and yellow eyespots on the undersides.

Tiger Longwing On Coneflower

I recently visited the Butterflies LIVE! exhibit at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  This photo of a Tiger Longwing on a red coneflower was one of my favorite shots from the trip.  If you’re in the Richmond area Lewis Ginter is definitely worth a visit.

Yellow Flowers By The Lake

These yellow irises are growing near the edge of the lake at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  In the background is the Conservatory which has something blooming 365 days a year.

Big Red Flower

I don’t know what type of flower this is but it is big and very bright red.  It was growing on a vine in the Conservatory at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden when I photographed it in May.

Cluster of Roses

This group of roses was one of those small scenes I just couldn’t resist photographing.  The composition probably breaks all the rules but I like it just the way it is.  To me the three roses in the background on the left seem balanced by the larger, fully blooming rose in the foreground and the opening bud in the upper right.

The dark green leaves of the rose bush are riddled with insect damage.  Some photographers might be temped to “repair” them during processing but I like the imperfection of the scene.  It reminds me that, upon close inspection, even the beautiful things in life are not perfect.

Pearl Crescent

This Pearl Crescent butterfly rests peacefully in a bed of white and yellow flowers.  According to “An Instant Guide to Butterflies” by Pamela Forey and Cecilia Fitzsimons, male Pearl Crescents patrol their territory and will fly at other butterflies and insects.

Rose Buds

Sun, rain, plant, earth, and gardener all played a part in producing these magnificent buds.  How many hours of sunlight, drops of rain, atoms of nitrogen, and beads of sweat have gone into them?

Purple Irises

This bed of purple Iris flowers was in full bloom when we saw it.  The dark green leaves and rich purple flowers seem to go on for ever.