To Inspire, Transform & Heal

Linda Wiggen Kraft
Creativity for the Soul

Flower Mandalas – From My Garden

I haven’t been taking time this year to photograph flowers from my garden as the flower mandalas they are.  These are flower portraits that show the amazing details of their mandala  shapes.  Finally this week for the first time this growing season (fall no less) I got out my camera, picked some flowers, set up my tripod, placed the flowers on an old table with the perfect distressed top and took the time to photograph. When I do this my heart hurts from the intensity of beauty I see. I am reminded that at every moment this beauty is there and yet I am seldom aware of it and wonder why I am not in a perpetual state of amazement.

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Cafe au Lait dahlia.  A few years ago I designed a garden for a woman who loves dahlias.  I had never planted them until she inspired me, now I can’t live without them.  I found out about this dahlia – now my most favorite – from  local flower growers who are part of the “Slow Flower” movement. I recently interviewed 4 of these flower growers in 4 states for an article I wrote that is coming out in January. Each of these growers love this flower and use it in many wedding bouquets.   I planted Cafe au Lait for the first time this year.  I makes me swoon.

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Another favorite dahlia. I can’t remember the name.

 

 

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Zinnias look somewhat like dahlias.  I love planting them from seed.  You can grow ones that are never found already growing at garden centers like this cactus type.  Even the backs of these flowers have their own beauty.

 

 

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And my very favorite zinnia of all – Queen Lime Red. Its multicolored blossoms make me want to jump into the petals.  Ahh, to be a bug.  Each flower head is different, with colors that vary within and from all other flowers.

 

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And why have I not taken more photos of Flower Mandalas?  No excuses really, expect I am busy making a complete ceramic dinnerware  set of 10 place settings.  It’s very rustic, which I love.  Mandalas and many shapes often used in mandalas are part of each piece.  Today I go and get the turkey platter which is coming out of the kiln any minute now.  Yes it is a complete set – turkey platter, cups and all.

I’m taking my classes at Craft Alliance in The University City downtown.  It’s fun to go play in the mud there, of course playing in garden mud is just as fun.  Here’s  one of my plates below. It is 8.5 inches across.

 

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