Hydrangea again

 

Did I say I was done with hydrangea pictures for the year? I must have forgotten how long they last, and how many different types there are. Even as most of the flowers are drying up and losing their colour, there is always a bush or two still at its peak. And even as their beauty fades they are lovely--how could I forget?

 

Unlike the cherry blossoms, which fall from the trees while still at their peak of glory, hydrangea blossoms stay where they are as they fade and dry up. A bush covered in dead brown flowers is not a very pretty sight, but before they get to that stage there is a certain charm the their decay, especially with the -ajisai (the type shown above and below). The flowers wilt and fold under, hiding their faces as if they were ashamed of their fading beauty.

The insects don't mind the aging flowers either, and hydrangea bushes, with their big leaves offering shade and shelter, will continue to be bug central throughout the summer. On a recent visit to the park I found one little group of bushes crawling with young praying mantises, stink bugs of several types, ashinaga-bae(teeny-tiny members of the Dolichopodidae family of flies that have no name in English), and all sorts of other little critters that declined to sit still long enough to be photographed.

 

Even other plants like the hydrangea, with twisty vines sidling up to the remaining flowers. So there really is no end to my hydrangea pictures, and I know that long after the blossoms are gone I'll be checking back to see what creatures are hiding under those big green leaves.

Comments

[Dani]

I always love your photos - apologies if you have answered this question in a previous post (I did hunt your categories) but what kind of camera and lenses do you use, particularly for your lovely macro work?

[Stacy]

I love your photos! What kind of camera do you use?

[Frances Fung]

Hi, I have been reading your blog quite regularly at least over the past one year. It has never failed to entertain, educate and increase my understanding of culture and life over there in the far east. Your pictures are always very clear. Are you still using the same camera you have been using? Is it an SLR camera?

I will be going to Yokohama for a conference 1st week of Sept and plan to stay an extra week after that around Tokyo. This is going to be my 6th visits to Japan, and I'm very excited about it. However, not really looking forward to the long flight from Canada ...

[Andy]

You are just AMAZING! Your photography gets better every time and your blog is just as stellar as it ever was. I am so inspired by you - my fellow blogger!

[Absolutely Tokyo!]

Ditto for me, too. I just love your blog so much. Can't ever get enough gorgeous photos of food, flowers, & insects. Bravo!

[Tie]

Hi Amy,Thank you for the lovely photos! It seems like everyone loves your photos and is curious about yuor camera.I also asked you about your camera before. Luckily I found my camera that I thought I had lost,so I'm not going to buy one soon, but I'll get the same camera as yours when I need new one.
Somehow your photos of insects reminded me of 'Minashigo Hutch(Honeybee Hutch)',Japanese cartoon for Children. The world is not only for human being, but also for other creatures.

[Janet]

I love how the mantis turned to look at you!