Camellias blooming in January

On June 1, 2026July 6, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn flowers and plants, Vacation2 Comments

While Brett and I were in Orlando for a long weekend to visit with friends we went for a quick walk at Mead Gardens. We had not been before and the first thing we noticed was all of the camellia bushes were blooming. There were a lot of them around the nature center.

There were so many new buds coming out.

The parking areas were pretty full and we realized there was a camellia flower show and contest going on inside. There were so many beautiful colors and patterns. How could you judge them? You would really have to have an eye for details in them. I wouldn’t be able to pick a winner. They would all be winners.

There were a few rose bushes as well.

We spent an hour walking the trails and looking for critters which were scarce. It was chilly this morning. On the trails it felt more like a park than actual gardens but it was still beautiful.

I did see several gopher tortoises along the trail. I was able to zoom in with my phone and catch the above while hiding behind a bush.

Tiny critters at the botanical gardens

On August 1, 2022August 1, 2022 By dinajohnstonIn flowers and plants2 Comments

I think this lizard was flirting with me at the Botanical Gardens in Largo.

Tiny critters were buzzing around the butterfly garden.

A few of the butterflies in the butterfly garden. I was expecting to see many more than this. I didn’t see any yellow ones. I keep saying I am seeing less and less of them every year. I wonder if it’s all of the spraying that is being done. Spraying for invasive plants, spraying for mosquitoes.

A soft shell turtle swims by under the bridge. I was only able to get his funny shaped head in the shot. He almost blends in with the brown lily pad leaves.

A young moorhen walking around the spatterdock lilies in the pond.

A few of the flowers blooming in early June.

Just getting out of the house

On September 7, 2020March 2, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Was I being watched? I noticed all of the different art faces that are on on the trees at the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo.

Pretty things blooming in July.

Little critters.

You can usually find alligators, bunnies and turtles at any park in the area.

It was a quiet morning for birds though. I’ve been working from home since mid-March so I’m still trying to get out of the house on Saturday mornings for a long walk even if the wildlife is scarce this time of year.

Tiny crawlers and pretty plants at the Botanical Gardens

On April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, flowers and plants2 Comments

All taken in at the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo in late January.

Linking to Wednesday Around The World.

Lots of flowers at the Botanical Gardens

On July 24, 2016July 25, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn flowers and plants5 Comments

More flowers from my new favorite close-by Largo Botanical Gardens. Something is always in bloom there.

Life thru the Lens at Lisa Kerner~Simply Living Photography

A mostly white bird post.

On February 23, 2015February 24, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography16 Comments

Snowy egrets in the wind.

Fishing in knee deep water.

Snowy egrets ignoring the great egret that showed up.

White ibis with a dirty beak.

A reddish egret that is all white ( white morph version). Not common but there has been one hanging around Fort Desoto for a while now.

He’s got a pretty face.

Looking for fish.

Another cormorant with a hook in his beak. There was a guy at the pier that was going to try to catch him but the cormorant was still flying pretty well.