I’m delighted that Charles Mann, photographer extraordinaire is returning to judge this November’s Picture This contest. Charles, who has been a freelance and stock photographer for over 16 years, specializes in imagery of gardens, horticulture, New Mexico culture, and southwestern scenic landscape. He has photographed four books : Cutting Edge Gardening In The Intermountain West,[...]
Winners for Picture This Contest – October 2011
Why oh why do we put our dear readers through this ?! It is hard enough to judge the wonderful entries but is seems like agony to many of you who enter. I read all your posts and more than one seem to wonder about winning and the judges’ criteria. How can This Grandmother’s Garden[...]
The Exquisite, Elusive Spiral Aloe
Alan Beverly was fresh out of college and a Peace Corps volunteer when he discovered a plant that became a lifelong passion. Hiking the rugged mountains of Lesotho in central Africa, guided by “friendly, hardy Basotho people” (whose children shrieked with fear when they saw him, their first white man), he “found Aloe polyphylla perched[...]
Fill the Frame
Since I am the judge this month for our Picture This contest, I am taking the opportunity to expand on my theme – Fill the Frame. Link to contest entry rules and previous post. Whether or not you intend to contribute a photo to the contest or just want to take stronger photos you[...]
How To Re-ignite Your Passion In The Garden
Gardeners are perfectionists. We give ourselves high marks for weed free, mulched, pruned, and manicured gardens. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love to flip through the pages of a glossy magazine gazing at magnificently coiffed gardens as much as anyone. Who doesn’t?

