I took this striking image of a heliconia in the Climatron the day after we had a fantastic night photography class conducted by visiting artist/photographer Linda Rutenberg. My nighttime images didn't turn out that great but I learned some great tips on framing an image from Linda that I put to use in this daytime shot.

One of the highlights of my late summer garden is the arrival of pink Japanese Anemones mixed into a planting of ‘Black and Blue’ Salvia. They also make a great arrangement for indoor enjoyment… as seen in this image. A few stems of Lavender were mixed into the arrangement for a pleasant additional scent.

On a bright blue autumn or early winter day, looking at this grass feels a bit like looking directly at the bronze / orange colors of a setting sun.

Never let it be said that a Crape Myrtle stops being beautiful when it defoliates. Bark colors range from very subtle to very colorful… those colors are enhanced significantly by planting this shrub in front of a light colored wall or a dark green conifer. Either way… it will please you throughout the winter months. Even the bark against this concrete wall makes a stunning image!

One of the real beauties of night-time flowers is the moonflower.

I captured this "ants-eye" view of common borage, Borago officinalis this summer. It is truly one of the magnificent blues in the plant world.

Few flowers can hold a candle to the Oriental poppy when it is in full bloom. I'm sure the very short time they are in flower also hightens the stunning experience.

Check out the Pseudocydonia sinensis (Chinese tree quince) just north of the south wall in Chinese Garden. One night after I left Kemper I took the long way backto my office in the rain and happened upon the tree as the old bark was exfoliating like puzzle pieces. Simply stunning!

This tulip was growing in the Garden for All this Spring 2008. It was chosen for it gorgeous flower color as you can see from this photo but it also has an interesting snake-striped, variegated leaf. The red looks great against the purple pansies planted underneath and would be outstanding in any Red hat society garden.

I took this picture of a stunning location in Rondo, Spain on the way to see the world famous Moorish Gardens at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Rondo is one of the white villages in the Andalusia region of southern Spain. The view of the surrounding area was magnificent and in a small park just beyond the homes and restaurants, I found a rare fir growing. Read more and see pictures of the rare Spanish fir.

Birds weren’t the only interesting sight aloft on a recent trip to Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary The highlight of the day was several flying saucer-shaped lenticular clouds “hovering” over the river valley. One appeared to form a mushroom cap over a lower level cloud that floated into view.

I captured this stunning view from the Kemper Center