April Fool Garden Photos

– Posted in: Garden Adventures

In anticipation of a day famous for pranks and spoofs, I offer a few garden photos that are not at first what they seem. Like this pagoda. What exactly are you looking at? If you guessed a reflection, you’re right. In fact, most of the photos below are reflections. I hope you’ll have fun with them and perhaps be fooled by a few.

Here’s the photo before I cropped it. You get bonus points if you can identify the location.

Do you see the reflection of the man? And the bird? OK, what animal is looking at YOU?

Actually, there are two.

And speaking of fish, this is a friend’s koi pond. Ever noticed that reflections on the surface of water are inverted (upside-down)?

This is the photo before I cropped it and flipped it 180 degrees.

I snapped this one summer at the Denver Botanical Gardens. I liked the photo so much, it went into Succulent Container Gardens.

Can you tell what kind of trees grow near this swimming pool?

That’s easy: palms.

OK, how about these?

Junipers.

Are you looking at sand, water, or shallow water over sand?

Pool water.

Another photo from Succulent Container Gardens. Can you tell what I was wearing that day? And here’s an even trickier question: What are the containers made of?

I was wearing a gold short-sleeved sweater and jeans. My husband, left, was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. The containers are cast concrete. (Photo taken at Molly Wood Design Studio, Costa Mesa, CA.)

Know what you’re looking at here?

If you said “Euphorbia ammak,” good for you. If you said, “Euphorbia ammak reflected in a window,” wow!

OK, Waldo, where’s the fountain?

In front of the window.

And finally, where’s the mirror?

Debra Lee Baldwin
Award-winning garden photojournalist Debra Lee Baldwin authored Designing with Succulents, Succulent Container Gardens, and Succulents Simplified, all Timber Press bestsellers. Her goal is to enhance others' enjoyment and awareness of waterwise plants and gardens by showcasing the beauty and design potential of succulents via books, articles, newsletters, photos, videos, social media and more. Debra and husband Jeff live in the foothills north of San Diego. She grew up in Southern California on an avocado ranch, speaks conversational Spanish, and at age 18 graduated magna cum laude from USIU with a degree in English Literature. Her hobbies include thrifting, birding and watercolor painting. Debra's YouTube channel has had over 3,000,000 views.
Debra Lee Baldwin
Debra Lee Baldwin
14 comments… add one

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Heather's Garden March 24, 2010, 12:49 pm

That was fun! I wish I could have a reflecting pool in my garden, but they just end up being a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes around here.

Hi, Heather — I know. Any water feature is high-maintenance. You really have to know what you’re doing. The most I can manage is a couple of birdbaths. — Debra

Alison Furlong March 24, 2010, 12:53 pm

Is the pagoda in the Chinese Gardens in Portland? I am sure I recognize it from there…

Very good, Alison! You’re right. — Debra

Sheila March 24, 2010, 12:55 pm

Very clever! Fun post!

Hi, Sheila — Thank you! — Debra

Tim March 24, 2010, 1:15 pm

I think Alison’s right – the pagoda is in the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland.

Hi, Tim — And kudos to you for identifying it by name. — Debra

Tatyana March 24, 2010, 3:56 pm

Good exercise for our eyes and brains!

Hi, Tatyana — And a new way of looking at reflections! Debra

Jayne (Green and Serene) March 24, 2010, 5:38 pm

That was really fun 🙂

Hi, Jayne — Thanks! It was fun for me, too. Debra

Matti March 24, 2010, 6:13 pm

Wow, clever. Maybe Matti is slow today, but it took me a bit to wrap my mind around the first pagoda one. Matti

Hi, Matti — Good! ;+) — Debra

Stevie March 25, 2010, 1:10 am

very cool photos.

Thanks, Stevie! I dug them out of my photo files. — Debra

thistleandthorn March 25, 2010, 9:25 am

Fun, and inventive! Thanks for sharing your great imagination with us!

My pleasure! Debra

Amy/GoAway, I'm Gardening! March 26, 2010, 7:59 am

Enjoyed your fun post!
I love the cast concrete containers.

Hi, Amy — I know. Don’t they look like little baskets? — Debra

Christina Salwitz March 30, 2010, 1:11 pm

Great idea Debra! Once again you showed off your creativity AND wit in one lovely package. Thank you!

Thanks, Christina, for the lovely compliment! — Debra

Lele Piels March 30, 2010, 9:46 pm

That was good fun. I love the concrete pots. So cute

Thanks, Lele. The designer, Molly Wood, uses a lot of cast-concrete pots. — Debra

Seasonal Wisdom April 1, 2010, 12:31 pm

Lovely photos, Debra. The perfect anecdote for a blustery April Fools’ Day. Best, Teresa

Hi, Teresa — It’s fun, isn’t it, to take a harmless approach to the prankster’s holiday? — Debra

susan morrison April 1, 2010, 1:03 pm

What a great post! I forget that it’s April Fool’s Day EVERY SINGLE YEAR which makes me a very easy target if you catch me early in the morning. But it’s fun to be fooled by your intriguing photo trickery.

Hi, Blue-eyed Susan — Hmm. Will have to remember that for next year. Mwah-ha-ha. — Debra

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