The snake’s head fritillary is Oxfordshire’s county flower, this one photographed at Waterperry Gardens in April this year. A beautiful and delicate cupped flower that grows to around 30cm in height from a bulb returning year after year. Spring certainly feels like it around the corner when these appear. I was up early one morning laying in the dew in the Fritillary meadow at Waterperry to capture this picture. A wonderful flower to photograph!
Some say we grow to look like our pets, some may even grow to look like their surroundings. I photographed this lady in her garden in France whilst walking though the village where we stay. I use it on my Twitter feed @marklordphoto, it makes me smile every time I see it. Fond memories of the south of France and this colourful lady working in her garden.
How did I get into this I ask myself, then I realise it’s in my blood. Both Mum and Dad love their garden and from as long as I can remember they have spent every spare hour in their garden, growing vegetables for the family, flowers for the house and pot plants for our home and to give to friends! So expanding my photographic career into gardening photography doesn’t seem that much of a departure from my life, it almost seems like the natural progression.
I shot this of my Dad’s hands in the Summer whilst visiting them for the day. I love this picture and it sums up my Dad and my life growing up at home with them perfectly. Dad, hard at work preparing food for the family – the man never stops!
My dear Dad and me this year on Father’s Day. Popped to see Mum and Dad before heading home to Oxfordshire, Mum had cooked a roast and then we headed out for the afternoon to some local gardens. When we got back to their house Dad dug some veg for a quick photo shoot I’m working on! Nothing is ever too much trouble for this man. Always there to help people as much as he can. His first selfie too! x
The Garden Photographer 