Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Zinnia

Thought a splash of vibrant colour was what was needed here and even more so in southern Alberta today, especially for those living south of Calgary, where people are getting very anxious about the amount of rain that has fallen and is expected to fall over the next couple of days. The memory of last year's devastating Alberta Flood of the Century is on people's minds, as evacuation warnings are being given in some places. Taken at the Calgary Zoo on 8 September 2011. Zinnias are some of my favourite flowers to photograph, but, unfortunately, the Zoo stopped planting them the following years. "The garden zinnia was bred via hybridisation from the wild form. Zinnias are popular garden plants with hundreds of cultivars in many flower colors, sizes and forms. There are giant forms with flower heads up to 6 in (15 cm) in diameter. Flower colours range from white and cream to pinks, reds, and purples, to green, yellow, apricot, orange, salmon, and bronze. Some are striped, speckled or bicoloured. There are "pom-pom" forms that resemble dahlias. Sizes range from dwarf varieties of less than 6 inches (15 cm) in height to 3 feett (0.9 m) tall." From Wikipedia.

"The garden zinnia was bred via hybridisation from the wild form. Zinnias are popular garden plants with hundreds of cultivars in many flower colors, sizes and forms. There are giant forms with flower heads up to 6 in (15 cm) in diameter. Flower colours range from white and cream to pinks, reds, and purples, to green, yellow, apricot, orange, salmon, and bronze. Some are striped, speckled or bicoloured. There are "pom-pom" forms that resemble dahlias. Sizes range from dwarf varieties of less than 6 inches (15 cm) in height to 3 feett (0.9 m) tall." From Wikipedia. Photographed this shocking pink flower in the garden at the Calgary Zoo, on 8 September 2011.

I overslept this morning and have to dash out for a botanizing trip SW of the city - back later : ) It's going to be wet underfoot, as it rained heavily last night. The last thing people needed, coming straight after our Flood of the Century, just when many people had started to "dry out"! Haven't been watching the News quite as closely as I should have been. Just found out that several parts of Calgary, mainly Sunnyside, had flash floods yesterday evening, two weeks after the beginning of the Flood of the Century. "Fourteen days after historic flooding caused millions of dollars worth of damage in the northwest community, a Friday evening thunderstorm left Sunnyside under a significant amount of water. Water, as deep as half a metre in some locations, remained in the community for nearly an hour before it made its way through city drains." calgary.ctvnews.ca/flash-flooding-in-the-community-of-sun...

Not sure what kind of garden flower this is - I'm totally ignorant when it comes to garden flora names - but I loved the shades of pink. Taken last summer at the Calgary Zoo.

I liked the little open disk (?) florets in this flower, which was growing in one of the flower beds at the Calgary Zoo. Thanks, Rebecca - I think it is a Zinnia.

Just needed a change from uploading winter images : ) This photo did seem to be more vibrant in colour on my computer than when I look at it on Flickr, though. I used to love seeing these beautiful flowers at the Calgary Zoo, but last year, they didn't plant any in the usual spot and it was so disappointing. Taken on 23 August 2011 at the Calgary Zoo.

A beautiful Zinnia taken at the Calgary Zoo on 23 August 2011.

Not quite sure why I've posted a white flower this morning, now that winter has returned after some wonderfully mild weather and we've had snow again. However, the vibrant colour in the background sure looks "warm" and welcoming. I love the beautiful centre of Zinnia flowers. Taken in the gardens at the Calgary Zoo on 8th September 2011. It's -12C at the moment but is supposed to soar to a balmy -3C this afternooon.

It's my youngest daughter's birthday today, so Happy Birthday, Rachel! Thought she would enjoy a summery photo when our city is covered in quite a few inches of freshly fallen snow. Rachel (Silver Pomegranate on Flickr) was born in Muscat, Oman, Middle East (where we lived for six years due to work) and really does not enjoy the cold weather here in Calgary. We can't complain, though, as our temperatures have been quite mild so far, compared to what they might have been.

Zinnias are one of my favourite garden flowers to photograph and I was lucky that this one, growing in the garden at the Calgary Zoo on 8th September 2011, had a little Seven-spotted Ladybug visiting it.

I think I'm right when I call this a Zinnia? Love photographing these flowers which were growing in the gardens at the Calgary Zoo on September 20th. It snowed here again last night, so a splash of vibrant colour is needed today. A little later this morning, I am going to Swiss Chalet for lunch with friends to catch up on news and enjoy a delicious Festive Meal, that they do so well! I will think of all my friends south of the border, celebrating their Thanksgiving today, whether with a fancy meal or simple, with family or alone. Happy and safe Thanksgiving to each and every one of you!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness (in women and men) month. Pink continues to be used in connection with Breast Cancer Awareness. This gorgeous pink Zinnia was photographed in the garden at the Calgary Zoo on August 23rd. "Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) (also referred to in America as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM)) is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer. As well as providing a platform for breast cancer charities to raise awareness of their work and of the disease, BCAM is also a prime opportunity to remind women to be breast aware for earlier detection. In 1993 Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estée Lauder Companies founded The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and established the pink ribbon as its symbol, though this was not the first time the ribbon was used to symbolize breast cancer. In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation had handed out pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Breast_Cancer_Awareness_Month

I tend to go for macros of a single flower head when photographing flowers, but I just loved the colours that I saw in this more distant view of white Zinnias and purple Ageratum. The Calgary Zoo garden was still bright and colorful a few days ago, though some of the individual flowers were beginning to show their age. Was out of the house today for six or seven hours, botanizing a great area. It was the Colpitts Ranch, west of the city. Joe, a very interesting and interested man, showed us around and took us through wooded areas, wet areas and meadows, pointing out everything of interest. Not the best time of year to do this, especially as the plants were mostly over and everywhere was much too dry for fungi, but we enjoyed ourselves and felt very fortunate to be allowed to do this. Thanks so much, Joe!

I love the tiny, yellow, central flowers/florets of these flowers. Looks so pretty when there is a whole circle of them open. This day, I caught just the very first one to open.

These flowers were such an amazingly vivid shade of pink. Seen at the Calgary Zoo in their outdoor garden last summer. (LOL, Rebecca, no I didn't pick it first!!!)