There are certain leaves that hold water well, allowing it to bead and pool like sterling drops of mercury, perfectly capturing and throwing back the light, shimmering and sparkling like a thousand tiny crystal orbs. The lady’s mantle is one of these plants. A great garden plant without such tricks, it throws sprays of bright chartreuse flowers out at this time of the year, the perfect reflection of the freshness of the season. The day these photos were taken was following a stretch of rainy days, so they had more than enough moisture collected for their close-ups.
There’s a more subtle beauty to be found in the overlooked foliage of certain plants. It’s easy enough to be wowed by the flashy floral fireworks of roses and peonies and lilies, but without a proper verdant background, those things just wouldn’t pop.
Sometimes, with a helpful sprinkling by Mother Nature, those leaves become a show of their own.
