Autumn cyclamen

In the corners of gardens and in church yards are there are currently pockets of pink - the autumn cyclamen are in flower. They are often in the place where spring crocuses flowered and the cyclamen might be taken for a last "hurrah" of summer. But I prefer to see them as an early sign of autumn because they are usually accompanied by dead leaves that have fallen from the sheltering trees.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

Pink cyclamen flowers

My wife's regime with our potted cyclamens usually results in them flowering in winter. This year due to changes in her management they are flowering in August and September. We have a few different coloured cyclamens, some subtle, others like the pink example above, are positively eye popping.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Cyclamens, assorted colours

One of the attractions of the cyclamen is that it can be persuaded to flower indoors in the depths of winter, a time when many flowering plants are dormant. We have, for many years, had cyclamens that spend much of the winter on the window sills of an unheated conservatory, only bringing them into the house proper when the temperatures dip below freezing for any extended period. We currently have plants that have spent previous winters with us, and a few that were bought last year. They are a variety with smaller flowers and have been in full bloom for weeks, with more weeks to come.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Potted cyclamen

For many amateur gardeners the cyclamen is a seasonal indoor plant. Many people like to have a few on a kitchen window sill or in a conservatory during the lower temperatures of winter. On a visit to a garden centre to buy a few heathers to replace some that didn't manage to survive the dry summer I came across a whole section devoted to different kinds of cyclamen, and I couldn't resist a quick photograph.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Cyclamen flowers

Over the winter months a few pots of cyclamens have brightened our conservatory. Though they look like delicate plants they actually thrive in lower temperatures. Now, with the days lengthening, the sun higher in the sky, and other colours coming into view in the garden, I set out to photograph the pink flowers against their multicoloured backdrop. A macro lens with a shallow depth of field achieved the somewhat "dreamy" image that I sought.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10