The rain and flooding of two weeks ago certainly affected the Garden but you would never know it now. The Garden bounced back quickly and is more beautiful than ever.  So many flowers are in bloom in all corners of the Garden and the tulips are quickly opening with the warm weather we had this week. I've been busy shooting for my Advanced Portfolio class and enjoying it immensely.  I'm trying to capture the blooms of spring in a dreamier, more abstract way, using a wide open aperture.  Here's a bit of what's been blooming over the past weeks at the Garden.

One of the earlier flowers in the Bulb Garden is glory-of-the-snow, both the blue and pale pink/purple variety.  It is tiny but hardy and you have to get in close to see the beautiful glistening texture and detail of these flowers.

I adore tulips and the Garden has so many varieties and colors and every year the displays are different.  These are a few of the earlier bloomers in the Bulb Garden. The colors just amaze me.

This is one of the Bronze Charm tulips I photographed a couple of weeks ago, but this time it's completely soft focus, so it's all about the colors both in the tulip itself and the background. 

Lastly, a lupine in bloom in the Heritage Garden. 

Lots more images to come but get to the Garden and enjoy the beauty firsthand.  Stop in Joutras Gallery in Regenstein Center and see the Garden Photographic Society's "Nature in View" show.  The show opened on Saturday and will be in the gallery until May 18th.  I am honored to have four images in the show and to be showing my work alongside such a talented group of photographers.  For more information visit the CBG website:

http://www.chicagobotanic.org/exhibitions