The Barefoot Photographer®

a photography blog

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Dogwood on Home Shopping Network

A long time ago parents told their children, "Those berries are only fit for the dogs, leave them alone," marking the producer of the berries as a 'dog tree'.

The branches make fine daggers.  It was called a dagwood tree, later morphing into dogwood.

The leaves were used to make a decoction to wash dogs afflicted with mange.

Dogwood, April 24, 2015
We may never know the true story of how this tree (cornus florida), came to be named American Dogwood.

The Dogwood was introduced to American gardens in 1731.  Thomas Jefferson included it on his list of trees planted at Monticello in 1771.  Jefferson so loved the tree, he shared seeds with friends in France.  The state of Virginia so loved Jefferson and the Dogwood, in 1918 it was named the state tree and state flower.

In spring, the woods are scattered with white, the bracts of the dogwood.  The actual bloom is at the center...the small yellow cluster of flowers. After blooming the juicy green leaves take over the show. This photo was taken at a private garden on Lake Martin in Alabama.  My friends and I stopped to have lunch on a walkway under its canopy.  The almost noonday sun filtered through the leaves offering us an arcadian view and standing out from all its surroundings.

In February I answered a call sent out to artists working with VIDA.  (I have a shop, click HERE.) The call asked American artists to share one piece of work that speaks of the artist's vision for the future.  I immediately thought of this image.  To be outdoors, to protect greenspaces, and to encourage children to get outside are all important. This photo was selected from over one thousand artwork submissions to be part of a special collection offered by VIDA on Home Shopping Network

The collection will air on HSN July 6, 9-10pm.  DVR it if you cannot watch.  The stories and inspirations of the artists will be shared with the work.

Item #550-335

2 comments:

sally muir said...

Wow Donna! This is fantastic! Beautiful work. Congratulations!

Donna Rosser said...

Thank you, Sally!

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