Ideas for Interesting Garden Photos

[Ouya Mellsa]

I have to compile a very short PowerPoint of 8-10 interesting garden photos.

I'm really struggling to think of a good subject.

I was thinking about either - traditional cottage gardens or native wildflowers.

I need a subject where I can talk for about 20-30 seconds about each picture.

Any suggestions?!

[piskieinboots]

What are your main strengths and/or passion in gardening?

[Ouya Mellsa]

I like wildflowers! But I want to make it as interesting for the audience as possible.

I couldn't say much about wild garlic or bluebells other than how pretty they are. It would be a bit repetitive, I fear.

It's for a garden design audience.

[Jeanied]

Garden designers would be interested in wildflowers to naturalise in various different conditions, as well as a seasonal guide and information on colour, height and habit.

[piskieinboots]

I couldn't say much about wild garlic or bluebells other than how pretty they are. It would be a bit repetitive, I fear.

You could touch on the 'war' between out native bluebells and the thuggy Spanish bluebells - there is a fair bit to pick up on that and not every one is aware of the differences between the two

[Hilary B]

How about a mention of how keen any particular species is to take over the plot, and precautions to allow them to grow without getting out of hand? That could really be useful for anyone wanting a wildflower patch. Also which ones like the same conditions and can share, while others need a different set of conditions.
One of the gardens we visit under NGS has a massive area of Ramsons, and by late in the day, after lots of people have walked through there, the whole place smells of garlic! Might be a useful warning, do NOT plant Ramsons where the prevailing wind comes from!

[zazen999]

Edible flowers?

[Ouya Mellsa]

Oooh, good ideas here!

As you probably know, one of the design principles is 'The Senses', so anything with scent or taste is welcome!

[piskieinboots]

Well I'd say the bluebell issue would really fit the bill for the scent

[VirginVegGrower]

Or violets for scent. We have the woodland violet naturalised through our garden. I would pick a flower for each of the senses and run it as a four pane window or a four quarter circle. One for touch, one for smell, an edible for taste and a stunner for sight. Slide 1 would have the whole square or circle split with the senses, with each picture as a transparent back graphic. Slide 2 could have the section/quarter pulsating and relevant graphic brought to the fore. Slide three a bulleted list on the attributes of that plant/flower. Add a close up graphic, Latin name, properties of, medicinal, etc. Slide 4 would be the same as Slide 2, but the next sense/flower. Slide 5 the same layout as slide 3 and so on. Does that make sense!
I used to work in marketing for a well known aerospace company and air/earth/water/ fire we did to death Rehashed, it always looked great!

[zazen999]

I would go opposites - I'd do 'saint or sinner' and show plants that are commonly known as sinners but actually - they are saints [nettles, dandilions etc], and if I could find a couple, ones that look pretty but are actually bad [Japanese Knotweed etc].

Actually I wouldn't - I'd tell whoever it was to forget powerpoint [I hate it with a passion] and I'd take 'show and tell' in - some yellow and red dogwoods, some willow which is budding up now, some hazel, some of that pinky flower that is out now and go for winter colour [some paperbark from whichever tree I could find, either white or bronze] and follow that up with photos of the same plants printed onto foamboard that show the colour to amazing effect.

[dogsbody]

Then again you could do something along the lines of showing "building sites" or "overgrown wrecks" etc. and talk over them as to what you would do to put them "right" and follow each up with the "ideal end result" slide.......

........alternatively.... what everyone else has said!

[veggiechicken]

What about front doors? Photos of what the visitor sees on their approach to a house and how the design of the garden can influence the impact that it has on the visitor. A cottage garden full of flowers, flanking a narrow path; a modern estate, open plan house with lawn and a couple of pots, a pavioured garden, you get the idea!

[Ouya Mellsa]

Woah! Great ideas here!

Thank you!

I love how creative you all are! For a gardener I'm not at all artistic or creative!

I hate PowerPoint, too!

[Hilary B]

Other idea (after watching Bees, Butterflies and Blooms last night) is gardening for pollinators, that would overlap with wildflowers too, and is something that garden designers probably ought to be taking on board.