Through The Lens of Lee-Margaret has been selected for the 2019 Best of Jacksonville Award in the Nature Photographer category by the Jacksonville Award Program.  We are honored to have won this award for 5 consecutive years.

We would like to invite you to visit our current show in the Jacksonville Downtown Main Library.  The show is titled "Capturing the Beauty of Flowers" and can be seen in the 2nd. floor atrium and the 3rd. floor atrium known as the Betty Francis Gallery.  We can be viewed from May 1st. to June 11th.  Come see us!

In keeping with the floral theme we are celebrating National Public Gardens Day, May 10, 2019 and National Public Garden Week, May 13-19, 2019.  A public garden is an institution that maintains collections of plants for the purpose of public education and enjoyment, research, and conservation.  It must be open to the public and the garden's resources and accommodations must be made to all visitors.  Public gardens are staffed by professionals trained in their given areas of expertise and maintain active plant records systems.  Any related entities are part of the American Public Gardens Association or benefit from member organizations.  These entities include botanical gardens, arboreta, cemeteries, zoological gardens, sculpture gardens, college and university campuses, historic homes, urban greening organizations, natural areas, and city, county, state and federal parks.

It seems appropriate to honor one of the oldest botanical institutions in the United States, The Missouri Botanical Garden.  It is a national Historic Landmark and is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  The garden is located in St. Louis, Missouri and is also known informally as Shaw's Garden, for the founder and philanthropist Henry Shaw.  It was founded in 1859 and is a center for botanical research and scientific education.  The garden consists of 79 acres of horticultural display, including a 14 acre Japanese strolling garden named Seiwa-en, the Climatron  geodesic  dome  conservatory,  a  children's  garden  including a pioneer village,  a playground, a fountain area and a water locking system which is somewhat similar to the locking system of the Panama Canal, an Osage camp for scouts,  Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home, and one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered orchids.  The herbarium, with more than 6.6 million specimens, is the second largest in North America, behind only that of the New York botanical Garden.  The garden also has two other properties outside of St. Louis' city limits.  The Sophia M,. Sachs Butterfly house was established in 1995 and is located in Chesterfield's Faust Park.  It includes an 8,000 square foot indoor butterfly conservatory as well as an outdoor butterfly garden.  The Shaw Nature Reserve consists of 2,400 acres and is located in Gray Summit, Missouri, 35 miles away from St. Louis.  It was established in 1925 to store and protect the Missouri Botanical Garden's plant collection from the smoke pollution of the 1920's.  As the air in St. Louis cleaned up, the reserve has continued to be open to the public for enjoyment, research, and education.

The following pictures were taken in the garden on a wet, on and off rainy day.

We call this "Perfection".  The rain had stopped for a few hours and we were able to continue our photography.  The lighting was perfect and the water lily gardens were in full bloom.  Everything about this lily was perfect, and it was at the height of it's bloom.  The colors were magnificent and we had the right angle to capture it's beauty.

We call this image "Silky Waterfall".  We found this lovely waterfall in the Japanese Garden as we strolled around the 4 acre central lake with lawns and paths leading to wonderful sights such as this.  The garden, designed by Koichi Kawana, is the largest Japanese Garden in North America.  It hosts multiple Asian festivals such as the Japanese Festival and the Chinese Culture Days.

These images are available in table top to wall size, triple matted and with or without a frame.  The matted versions are yours at a 10% discount and the framed matted versions in sizes 11x14 and larger can be yours at a 15% discount.

Visit our website, www.throughthelensoflee-margaret.com for available sizes and prices.

Stop by and see us on Monday through Friday from 10a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30p.m. to 5p.m.

The Gallery is open for Saturday appointments.  Call us at 904-387-8710 to schedule your special visit.  Come see us and order now.

                      "The world's favorite season is the spring.  All things seem possible in May."

                                                   Edwin Way Teale