South African beauties

February 14, 2019January 9, 2021 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

The Protea is South Africa’s national flower. There was no better place to see them than on a recent visit to the wonderful city of Cape Town.

The botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch have the most amazing backdrop of one side of Table Mountain, boasting a treetop canopy walk among its acres of well-manicured grounds.

I made a beeline for the Protea garden with my macro lens, realising there are numerous varieties of the flowers, beautiful with blooms and after they’re gone.

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Cape Town’s botanical gardens have a majestic mountain backdrop

Manchester haven

September 20, 2018March 16, 2020 / mikeosbornphoto / 8 Comments

Here’s a complaint about Manchester city centre. There just aren’t enough decent green spaces – lungs for the metropolis.

But if you board a tram south to East Didsbury and take a leisurely stroll of around 15 minutes, you will find Fletcher Moss Park.

On a July visit when the weather had turned more unsettled, I was enthralled by the flowers in the botanical garden, woodlands and the park’s tree-lined avenue.

Who said that Manchester doesn’t have any of nature’s green havens!

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Chelsea’s oasis

July 14, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 8 Comments

Just a stroll away from the hustle and bustle of the King’s Road is a true botanical oasis which I’ve only just got around to visiting after 13 years in London.

The Chelsea Physic Garden has been in existence since 1673, and is bulging with beautiful plants, many of them medicinal or edible. In this golden summer we’ve been enjoying for a couple of weeks now, the garden is bristling with blossoms and looks wonderful.

Visitors come to study the plants, relax on the lawns, take photographs – and even enjoy a spot of watercolour painting. Our visit will always be memorable for other reasons – we returned home to watch homegrown tennis ace Andy Murray seal a historic Wimbledon title. All in all, the best of summer.