we had a nature journal lesson today, about bleeding hearts that barb-harmony art mom suggests in her e-nature study newsletters. we read pages 558 - 560 in anna botsford's comstock's handbook of nature study.
we noticed how long the bleeding heart blooms for (the above pictures were taken on the first of may). the blooms are so fresh and pink.
these are the blooms today. they look decidedly more pale and translucent! but still around after four weeks!
and maybe a little wrinkled . . and careworn!
it was a warm day to sketch, but it felt good to be drawing and observing the flowers we pass everyday. 
we brought a flower inside to sketch the finer details . .
"the mature flower of the bleeding heart is near the main stem, while the tiny unopened bud is hung at the main tip, where new buds are constantly being formed. the two pink outer flowers, which make the heart, are really little pitchers with nectar at their bottoms, and though they hang mouth downward, the nectar does not flow out." (page 559).
"on removing the outer petals, we find a strange framework around which the heart-shaped part of the flower seems to be modeled. these are filaments of the stamens grouped in threes on each side; the two outer ones of each group are widened into frills on the outer edge, while the central one is stiffer and narrower. at the mouth of the pitchers all these filaments unite in a tube around the style; near the stigma they split apart into six short, white, threadlike filaments, each bearing a small brilliant yellow anther." (page 559).
the bee that visits the flower, clings to the bloom while probing upwards into the nectar pitcher. in order to do this, she pushes against the spoon-bowls and the hinge of their base allows her to push them back while the pollen falls onto her body. when she visits another flower, it is possible that it has already shed it's pollen, and the swing-door will uncover the ripe stigma which is ready to receive the pollen that she brings.
we learned that the bleeding heart is a native of china, and was introduced into europe about the middle of the 19th century.
we had a nature journal lesson today, about bleeding hearts that barb-harmony art mom suggests in her e-nature study newsletters. we read pages 558 - 560 in anna botsford's comstock's handbook of nature study.
we noticed how long the bleeding heart blooms for (the above pictures were taken on the first of may). the blooms are so fresh and pink.
these are the blooms today. they look decidedly more pale and translucent! but still around after four weeks!
and maybe a little wrinkled . . and careworn!
it was a warm day to sketch, but it felt good to be drawing and observing the flowers we pass everyday. 
we brought a flower inside to sketch the finer details . .
"the mature flower of the bleeding heart is near the main stem, while the tiny unopened bud is hung at the main tip, where new buds are constantly being formed. the two pink outer flowers, which make the heart, are really little pitchers with nectar at their bottoms, and though they hang mouth downward, the nectar does not flow out." (page 559).
"on removing the outer petals, we find a strange framework around which the heart-shaped part of the flower seems to be modeled. these are filaments of the stamens grouped in threes on each side; the two outer ones of each group are widened into frills on the outer edge, while the central one is stiffer and narrower. at the mouth of the pitchers all these filaments unite in a tube around the style; near the stigma they split apart into six short, white, threadlike filaments, each bearing a small brilliant yellow anther." (page 559).
the bee that visits the flower, clings to the bloom while probing upwards into the nectar pitcher. in order to do this, she pushes against the spoon-bowls and the hinge of their base allows her to push them back while the pollen falls onto her body. when she visits another flower, it is possible that it has already shed it's pollen, and the swing-door will uncover the ripe stigma which is ready to receive the pollen that she brings.
we learned that the bleeding heart is a native of china, and was introduced into europe about the middle of the 19th century.