I’m going to start this post with a massive whinge, and I’m sorry about that, but I hate challenges like this. For those who don’t know, I live in the Southern Hemisphere, and for everyone who also lives here, it is SPRING now. I always feel like when a challenge is done that is specific to the Northern Hemisphere that we are forgotten about or not considered. I usually try to keep my feelings about this to myself, but it is so hard. My husband said to mention too that people who live in the tropics also don’t have autumn or the seasonal changes.
Autumn happened 6 months ago, or will happen in 6 months. I could go back and find photos, but then again, we don’t really get an autumn anymore. We have summer until about April now, maybe even into May, and then autumn happens, blink and you miss it, then all the trees have lost their leaves. Though there aren’t a lot that lose their leaves because most of the trees in Australia are evergreens, so they stay that way all year round. Especially around me. I live near a lot of parkland, and about 95% of the trees stay green all year.
This leads me to what do I do, so I’ve decided not to do autumn but share some of my recent photos of spring here in Melbourne. Maybe when the northern hemisphere season is spring and that is the challenge, then I will show you autumn here, though to be honest it really isn’t that much different from the rest of the year.
SPRING
It is definitely here and I’m loving it. I’ve been getting out with my camera so much and trying some new things as well.
I renewed my yearly membership to Alowyn Gardens, and I spent some time there the other day. A friend and I had planned to go earlier in the week, but the wind has been so wild this year, it just won’t stop. In the end, we decided to wait, and when we went last Friday, it was a good move. The wind was still there, but not as bad, and we were able to get some great photos.
Here are some photos with the spring flowers showing all their glory.
I also did some close-ups of all the flowers. There were so many flowers everywhere, and I think we were there for 4 hours. It was amazing, I loved it. Here are some of them.
Sadly, the longer we were there, the windier it got. Still, it was a great morning. It is always good catching up with friends and being able to take photos at the same time, well, what more could you ask for?
Our host this week is John from Journeys with Johnbo, and you should go and see what he has written, plus see his wonderful images. Thank you John for being our host.
If you would like to participate in this great challenge, then go to the following link to find out how to join the Lens-Artists Challenge. Click here for more info. Don’t forget to put a link in your post back to the host.
Love your flower photos in particular. I had no idea that most trees in Australia were evergreen and that autumn is so fleeting.
Thank you Freya, I love photographing flowers, so am happy to hear you love them. Yeah, there isn’t a lot of places where it snows, so trees don’t need to lose their leaves.
I have relatives in Australia, I feel your pain.
Thank you Adam.
Beautiful photos, Leanne. I was happy that John offered options to those who don’t experience autumn.
Thank you Egidio.
It doesn’t matter the season because your photos are always lovely to see
Thank you so much Nora. 😀
It’s not a whinge, it’s a point of principle, a reminder to those whose responsibilities transcend one single environment that they are required to think in those larger terms and frame language and projects accordingly
It is Penny. I agree, I am sure there is a way to say the challenge for everyone in the world, like share the new season or something like that. Thank you Penny.
I always enjoy seeing Southern Hemisphere spring photos when we’re in autumn, and vice versa 🙂 I know what you mean about challenges about the seasons, but it’s the same for us in the north when ‘Southerners’ set challenges!
I feel the same with winter photos from the NH when it is hot here. Love seeing the snow. Thank you Sarah. Yeah, I always try to set challenges where it doesn’t matter where you live, something everyone can go, well I try.
Haha well such is life. What can I say, we are in the minority I think.
I don’t agree with that Teresa, I just think it isn’t that hard to set a challenge that i about the season you live in, rather than being that specific. I set challenges for Monochrome Madnesss and I would never do one that was so specific to where I like. Wow long answer, sorry.
Haha all good! Cheers.
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Amazing place and great photograph, Thank you dear Leanne, Love, nia
Thank you so much Nia.
You are right, I’m in Northern hemisphere and we tend to forget that it isn’t Autumn in Southern, thanks for the reminder and the beautiful photos 🙂 (by the way, I wonder how those claiming that Earth is flat explain this, lol).
Thank you Samuel, I hope it is a good reminder. I have no idea how it happens with the flat earthers, maybe we don’t actually exist. I’ve heard that.
I think it was a good call to do spring because that is what is going on where you are now. I really love the arches the best and the close ups –
Thank you Beth, it seemed like the best thing for me.
Fabulous Leanne. This is what I have posted when Spring was the topic in my Autumn 😁
http://bushboy54.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/20200202_blog_challenge_spring2_tractor-e1755769926591.jpg
I remember that and I remember thinking how clever it was. Thanks Brian.
Can’t say I blame you on this one Leanne – I thought of it as I was responding to John’s challenge. I’m so happy to chose to use your springtime images which are beautiful, especially the flower portraits. As for me, I love seeing springtime (my favorite season) no matter what I’m experiencing in my part of the world!
Thank you for understanding Tina, it can be frustrating. I’m happy with my springtime photos too, such a great place to get them too. That’s good to hear as I’m sure I will be posting a lot more.
Oh I know exactly what you mean about autumn being everywhere when it is spring down here…..looking out on trees with blossom and tulips in the garden.
That view sounds wonderful. my blossoms from the fruit trees are almost gone now sadly. Thank you.
Autumn or not, these captures are just lovely 🙂
Thank you Hammad.
Your Spring looks beautiful Leanne, I love the close ups of your flowers and the freshness of the greens 💚 xxx
Thank you, Xenia. That’s great to hear.
A valid comment. No autumn at all here in Lima, one of the things I really miss.
Thank you Geoff, I can understand why you would miss it.
Leeanne, thank you for sharing these beautiful spring photos!
You’re welcome Beth, thank you.
Wonderful spring images!
Thank you Sandy.
I have to agree with you about the wind, Leanne. I don’t think we’ve ever had so many gale force, or at least blustery, days as in the last couple of months.
Yesterday was the first decent Spring day for me and then, I ended up staying home due to computer woes and trying to fix them.
The Alowyn Gardens are lovely. I’ve never heard of them, so had to look them up on Google. I haven’t been to Yarra Glen since I had a car pre November 2003 and drove up that way. Oh, if only I had a car now and could still drive.
Hasn’t it been crazy, I have all these flowers in the garden, but I can’t photograph them like I normally would.
Friday was lovely and we are getting some wonderful days in between. Though I wish we could get a decent amount of rain, would love a long day of rain.
Alowyn Gardens is gorgeous, but yeah a bit of a trip. It takes me about 40 minutes to get there. I love going. Sorry to hear you can’t drive anymore Vicki. Thank you.
So pretty! What is the flower bud that is half green/half ready to pop? That is beautiful!
Thank you Lois. It is a poopy about to burst open.
You got me dreaming about Spring, Leanne, especially now that Winter is just around the corner for us. I do understand your feelings about seasonal challenges, they rely on archives, if people have them.
Spring is gorgeous. I hope to make your winter brighter by showing lots more flowers Sofia. They do, but I think I just wish they were more general for people living down under and those in the tropics. We always seem to be forgotten. Thank you so much.
Your flowers are most welcome, Leanne. Thank you.
Thank you Sofia.
The pictures are gorgeous, Leanne. I love them all: spring, autumn, and amazing flower close-ups. – As I stay basically in the tropics, I understand what you mean, and thank you for pointing out that there are participants from all over the world enjoying different seasons throughout the year.
Thank you Yanaj. My husband keeps saying that people in the tropics don’t really get normal seasons. Exactly they want the challenge to be universal, so I say make it universal.
Then I’ll get to your post and there you are talking about that! Anyway, I think they post is rather nice because of all different plants you have shown and parts of that garden
I felt like I had to say something, to hopefully make the people setting the challenges to realise that us down under are in a different season. I don’t understand why the challenge couldn’t be more like, show us the current season, or something like that. Thank you Sue, we are surrounded at the moment with lots of wonderful flowers.
I think, because the people that set the challenges are based predominantly in the northern hemisphere, I don’t even think about it
Yeah, I get that.
I have just visited your post, but early this morning I had been thinking about autumn applying to the southern hemisphere
Yeah, or not autumn at all. I must say I do find it really irritating.
I got that!
LOL
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Excellent photographs ! The opening photo is stunning 😁😁
Thank you Ted.
You did well by just posting what you wanted to Leanne. It reminded me of Table Topics in Toastmasters. When I’m asked a question that I just can’t answer, I just talk about something else. Your spring images are beautiful and Alowyn Gardens looks like a wonderful place to visit.
Thank you Anne, Yeah, I think I’m learning to do my own thing with these challenges.
I hear you. It is hard when we’re in the opposite hemisphere.
Yeah, really hard. Thank you.