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August: Aloe
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2023 5:56 pm
by MikeT
Last night's Zoom talk prompted the idea of Aloes as a topic. Searching through previous topics, it doesn't seem to have been done before. There are plenty of Aloes around in collections, with choice of plant or flower (or both) photos, so it's Aloe for August.
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:46 pm
by Ernie
Good choice Mike!
.
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 9:09 pm
by PhilipPV
Not my plant, but here is a photo of one of the Aloe polyphylla at Cambridge University Botanic Garden which I took in February. It's showing signs of the nasty cold snap nest December, but even the damaged leaves manage to be arranged symmetrically.
I'll have to see if I can manage a few artistic shots of my own aloes, most of which are quite young and not impressive as individual plants. I have got one hybrid coming into flower but is seems very slow to open.
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 9:30 pm
by MikeT
PhilipPV wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2023 9:09 pmNot my plant
Nothing in my criteria to prevent that.
PhilipPV wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2023 9:09 pm
most of which are quite young and not impressive as individual plants.
It's the photo that I'll be judging, not the plant. So a young plant is fine.
The photo competition is a chance to post photos that may well be of interest, and maybe generate some response, even if you don't think there's any chance of it 'winning'.
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 9:45 pm
by juster
My Aloe haworthioides a few years ago.
And just for interest, two of them flowering, also a few years ag
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 10:21 pm
by MatDz
A. polyphylla in photo competitions feels almost like cheating with their perfectly symmetrical growth
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 11:05 am
by edds
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2023 4:30 pm
by WoBo
A somewhat challenging topic: With the standard photo formats it's almost impossible for most
Aloe species to show both flowers and plant at once - unless one don't mind to have a photo consisting of 90 % background or even more ...
Here's the more compact flowering species
Aloe castilloniae
and
Aloe bakeri, a small one, too (but a far less impressive plant than the previous one, so I have placed the leaves out of focus).
Regarding an appropriate background, mass production may work, too:
Aloe vera on Gran Canaria.
Alternatively I, of course, focus on either the flowers or the vegetative plant only.
Aloe albiflora, not the most colourful and typical
Aloe flower, but I think it's definitely worth a closer look.
An unnamed Aloe hybrid behind a cottage I had spent some vacations on Tenerife.
Flower detail of an
Aloe marlothii in a park on La Palma.
A bulk of
Aloe brevifolia - not mine, too; I found it in a park on El Hierro.
Finally, I could recycle my entries of the May competition ...
Hope you enjoy!
Wolfgang
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 11:58 am
by MikeT
Thanks to everyone who entered; I won't attempt to comment on every entry.
I was very impressed by Juster's
Aloe haworthiodes, superb plants, which would surely win first prize if the plants themselves were being judged. It must be quite a job to move one around or repot
Also impressed by Ed's plants, some very attractive hybrids, and I love the colour of those
A. pegleri leaves.
Wolfgang had a great combination of not only attractive plants, but also beautiful photography. The
marlothi flower close-up and the
polyphylla leaf close-up with the lighting effect would both make a great card or photo to mount. But my choice for winner is the
Aloe castilloniae. There are multiple elements drawing the eye; it has colour, it has the different textures, of flower, leaf, and teeth. Another one that would make a great card or mounted picture.
So congratulations and over to you, Wolfgang, for September's topic.
Re: August: Aloe
Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 12:33 pm
by WoBo
Thanks to Mike for passing the trophy on to me - and to the (this time quite few) other contestants for, nevertheless, providing this wide range of impressive plants and pictures!
Let's see if my idea for the September topic will bring a few more posts ...
I'd appreciate that because
.. and without participants, I'd like to add!
Wolfgang