Even though the weather was heavily overcast and dull, and despite the fact that the pelargoniums were only starting rather than in full flower, it was inevitable that I would take this photograph. Why? Well, we favour this flower, in red, in our garden for the great effect that it has for such a small outlay, and the fact that it flowers for a long period and can withstand dry conditions. It brightens up our garages, the garden shed, outside our greenhouse and some of the borders. My favourite colour is a red/orange that isn't easy to find, and failing that I like a deep, strong red.
These examples are in some framing arches that are each side of a fountain at Belton House, near Grantham, in Lincolnshire. The plants go well with the old, lichen-encrusted stone, and even though the terracotta pots sit slightly awkwardly in the scalloped brackets, they brightened up a drab, unseasonally cold afternoon during our visit with some of our family.
photograph and text © Tony Boughen
Photo Title: Pelargoniums and Arxches, Belton House, Lincolnshire
Camera: Olympus E-M10
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 49mm (98mm - 35mm equiv.) crop
F No: f6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
ISO:250
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Image Stabilisation: On
