Dianthus 'Rainbow Loveliness'

Bad Hair Day?

Posted on by Ann Mackay

I feel that this flower and I have something in common at the moment – a ‘hairdo’ that’s totally out of control! (At least I suppose I can blame mine on Covid!)

But the flower has a big advantage over me…it looks good with its strangely shaggy petals sticking out at odd angles. (Even if you might imagine that someone plugged it into the mains, cartoon-style!)

This is Dianthus ‘Rainbow Loveliness’, which I have previously photographed in the studio but not outside. The fringed petals make it an unusual and striking flower but they can make it more difficult to photograph in the garden.

The reason for this is that it can be difficult to isolate a single flower when it’s growing as part of a clump. And for this little dianthus, you do need to, if you want to be able to see the details of its complex shape. Otherwise, the fringed petals of the other flowers get in the way and create a confusing mass. (You can see what I mean in the bottom photo!)

I find that it’s useful to try propping the flower where there’s a plainer background using a thin cane and a clothes peg. And using a larger aperture to give a shallow depth of field helps too. But it is much easier for me to pick the flower and bring it into the studio where it’s easier to isolate it. (That’s one of the reasons why I tend to do a lot of my flower photographs there – and I don’t have to worry about the wind blowing the flower around either.) So I’m still planning to try to get some of the pink flowers into the studio – when they come back into flower!

You can see the studio photograph from last year here: https://annmackay.blog/2019/12/15/dianthus-rainbow-loveliness/

Dianthus Rainbow Loveliness in pink

Published by Ann Mackay

Photographer, mixed-media art adventurer and completely daft about plants.......

22 thoughts on “Bad Hair Day?”

  2. Wow, I have never come across these fringed varieties of dianthus, I must look for some next time I am at a garden centre, whenever that maybe, probably about the time I dare go out to shops and the hairdressers. When I first saw the photo I thought it was some sort of passion flower.

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    1. I’d never seen them before last year, when a friend grew them from seed. She grows all sorts of interesting plants and frequently gives some to her friends… Lucky me! 🙂 I’ve never seen it in a garden centre but I have seen packets of seeds online.

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    1. LOL! Colin, my hubby, used to mimic the flower a bit with is hair back in the days when it was long and curly! (That’s going back more than I care to think!!)

      Liked by 1 person

    1. They are fragile when it gets rainy and windy…like the last week. But hopefully there will be a few more flowers in a few weeks time.

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    1. I think it is supposed to have a scent, but my sense of smell isn’t great so I haven’t noticed it yet. Next time there are flowers I must have a sniff!

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  7. I still think this flower is just gorgeous inside or outside! The pink ones look cute as a big clump sort of like people in a crowd. But I really like the white and pink one.

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    1. They’re lovely in the garden, Syd! Though rain can make them look drowned and bedraggled…luckily we gets lots of dry and sunny weather so they’re usually happy. 🙂

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    1. It’s lucky! My hair is a nightmare at the moment too. I’ve decided to let my fringe grow out, so now I can’t see anything…makes photography tricky! But when it’s long enough, it will be easy to clip out of the way. 🙂

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    1. Thanks Michele, I’m glad that I was able to give you a laugh. 🙂 My own hair is driving me a bit nuts and I’m getting my revenge on it with lots of hairclips…argh!

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