Steve's Genealogy Blog » Flowers

Magnolias at Filoli

Steve — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 07:44:47 +0000

Just as with hellebores and the summer snowflakes, I have never been satisfied with my photos of the magnolias at Filoli in Woodside, California. The flowers usually seemed to be somewhat beaten up by the time I photographed them. This spring, I’m happier with the photos than I was in previous years, mainly because I went to Filoli a little earlier than I had in previous years and many of the flowers had yet to fully open.

Magnolia denudata (Yulan Magnolia)

SOURCE: Magnolia denudata (Yulan Magnolia) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Magnolia cylindrica (Cylindrical Magnolia)

SOURCE: Magnolia cylindrica (Cylindrical Magnolia) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Michelia doltsopa (Sweet Michelia)

SOURCE: Michelia doltsopa (Sweet Michelia) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Magnolia x soulangiana (Saucer Magnolia)

SOURCE: Magnolia x soulangiana (Saucer Magnolia) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Three Hellebores and a Summer Snowflake

Steve — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 08:01:49 +0000

Every spring, when I visit Filoli, I try to take pictures of the hellebores and the summer snowflakes. The photos have never satisfied me. This spring, I’m happier with the photos than I was in previous years and, since Lent started last Wednesday, what is more appropriate than a picture of a Lenten Rose? In the hellebores, what appear to be petals are actually sepals; the petals have been transformed into cuplike structures called nectaries which hold nectar.

Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis)

SOURCE: Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius)

SOURCE: Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Hellborus x hybridus ?

SOURCE: Hellborus x hybridus ? (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)

SOURCE: Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

More Camellias at Filoli

Steve — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 08:01:09 +0000

Twice before I have published photos of camellias at Filoli, first in a post entitled Camellias at Filoli and then in a post entitled Camellias. On my recent trip to Filoli I saw some varieties of camellias that I had not photographed before.

Camellia japonica ‘Dr. Tinsley’

SOURCE: Camellia japonica ‘Dr. Tinsley’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Camellia japonica ‘Daikagura Red’

SOURCE: Camellia japonica ‘Daikagura Red’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’

SOURCE: Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’

SOURCE: Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Narcissus (Daffodils) at Filoli

Steve — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 07:30:49 +0000

It’s a new season at Filoli in Woodside, California. It’s still a bit early for Narcissus (Daffodils), but still many were in bloom this week.

Narcissus ‘Topolino’

SOURCE: Narcissus ‘Topolino’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Narcissus ‘Small Talk’

SOURCE: Narcissus ‘Small Talk’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Narcissus ‘Saint Keverne’

SOURCE: Narcissus ‘Saint Keverne’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Narcissus ‘February Gold’

SOURCE: Narcissus ‘February Gold’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 23 February 2011.

Rose Season

Steve — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:21:47 +0000

Roses are in bloom at the Filoli estates in Woodside, California. This year seems to be a particularly good year for roses at Filoli.

Rosa 'Ink Spots'

SOURCE: Rosa ‘Ink Spots’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 Jun 2009.

Rosa 'Double Delight'

SOURCE: Rosa ‘Double Delight’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 Jun 2009.

Rosa 'Pascali'

SOURCE: Rosa ‘Pascali’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 Jun 2009.

Rosa foetida 'Bicolor'

SOURCE: Rosa foetida ‘bicolor’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 Jun 2009.

Dogwoods

Steve — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:01:12 +0000

On my visits to the Filoli estate in April and early May, the flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida L.) were in bloom. Like Poinsettia and Bougainvillea, the flowers are green and inconspicuous. The showy, petal-like bracts are modified leaves that surround the flowers in a structure called an involucre.

Cornus florida ‘Venus®’

SOURCE: Cornus florida ‘Venus®’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Pink-flowered Cornus florida

SOURCE: Pink-flowered Cornus florida (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Overhead Branches of Cornus florida

SOURCE: Overhead Branches of Cornus florida (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Habit of Cornus florida

SOURCE: Habit of Cornus florida (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Bearded Iris

Steve — Sun, 17 May 2009 07:01:37 +0000

On my most recent visit to Filoli, there were more Bearded Irises in bloom than I had ever seen there before. The flowers of Bearded Irises include three petals, also called Standards (the upward curving parts of the flowers) and three sepals, also called Falls (the downward curving parts of the flowers). The beards are the fuzzy parts on the Falls.

Iris ‘Ovation’

SOURCE: Iris ‘Ovation’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Iris ‘San Francisco’

SOURCE: Iris ‘San Francisco’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Iris ‘Honorabile’

SOURCE: Iris ‘Honorabile’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Iris ‘Lent Williamson’

SOURCE: Iris ‘Lent Williamson’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Orchids in the Filoli Greenhouses

Steve — Sun, 10 May 2009 07:01:04 +0000

This past weekend was the annual flower show at the Filoli estate in Woodside, California. Visitors to Filoli are rarely given the opportunity to tour the greenhouses, but this weekend was an exception. While there, I photographed several of the orchids in bloom in the greenhouses.

Vanda

SOURCE: Vanda (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Vanda sp.

SOURCE: Vanda sp. (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Cattleya Portia

SOURCE: Cattleya Portia (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Vanda ‘Kasem’s Delight’ x Vanda ‘Madame Rattona’

SOURCE: Vanda ‘Kasem’s Delight’ x Vanda ‘Madame Rattona’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 May 2009.

Rhododendrons

Steve — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 07:01:06 +0000

On my most recent trip to the Filoli Estate in Woodside, California, I snapped these photos of rhododendrons in bloom.

Rhododendron ‘Else Frye’

SOURCE: Rhododendron ‘Else Frye’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Rhododendron ‘Hinodegiri’

SOURCE: Rhododendron ‘Hirodegiri’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Rhododendron ‘Mrs G.W. Leak’

SOURCE: Rhododendron ‘Mrs G.W. Leak’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Rhododendron ‘Sherwood Orchid’

SOURCE: Rhododendron ‘Sherwood Orchid’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 17 April 2009.

Camellias

Steve — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:00:16 +0000

Camellias have been in bloom in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past couple of months. The Filoli estate in Woodside, California has a large variety of camellias on its grounds. Even if there are no camellias blooming in your area, you can enjoy camellias vicariously by gazing at the photos here and fixing yourself a cup of tea – your choice of black tea, orange pekoe tea, oolong tea, green tea, or white tea - all made from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.

Camellia japonica ‘Covina’

SOURCE: Camellia japonica ‘Covina’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 20 March 2009.

Camellia japonica ‘Cara Mia’

SOURCE: Camellia japonica ‘Cara Mia’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 20 March 2009.

Camellia japonica ‘Margaret McCown’

SOURCE: Camellia japonica ‘Margaret McCown’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 20 March 2009.

Camellia saluenensis x japonica ’Holland Orchid’

SOURCE: Camellia saluenensis x japonica ‘Holland Orchid’ (Woodside, San Mateo County, California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 20 March 2009.

If you still don’t have your fill of camellias, you can revisit the camellia photos I took last year.