In anticipation of a day famous for pranks and spoofs, I offer a few garden photos that are not at first what they seem. Like this pagoda. What exactly are you looking at? If you guessed a reflection, you’re right. In fact, most of the photos below are reflections. I hope you’ll have fun with them and perhaps be fooled by a few.
Here’s the photo before I cropped it. You get bonus points if you can identify the location.
Do you see the reflection of the man? And the bird? OK, what animal is looking at YOU?
Actually, there are two.
And speaking of fish, this is a friend’s koi pond. Ever noticed that reflections on the surface of water are inverted (upside-down)?
This is the photo before I cropped it and flipped it 180 degrees.
I snapped this one summer at the Denver Botanical Gardens. I liked the photo so much, it went into Succulent Container Gardens.
Can you tell what kind of trees grow near this swimming pool?
That’s easy: palms.
OK, how about these?
Junipers.
Are you looking at sand, water, or shallow water over sand?
Pool water.
Another photo from Succulent Container Gardens. Can you tell what I was wearing that day? And here’s an even trickier question: What are the containers made of?
I was wearing a gold short-sleeved sweater and jeans. My husband, left, was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. The containers are cast concrete. (Photo taken at Molly Wood Design Studio, Costa Mesa, CA.)
Know what you’re looking at here?
If you said “Euphorbia ammak,” good for you. If you said, “Euphorbia ammak reflected in a window,” wow!
OK, Waldo, where’s the fountain?
In front of the window.
And finally, where’s the mirror?
14 responses so far ↓
1 Heather's Garden // Mar 24, 2010 at 12:49 pm
That was fun! I wish I could have a reflecting pool in my garden, but they just end up being a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes around here.
Hi, Heather — I know. Any water feature is high-maintenance. You really have to know what you’re doing. The most I can manage is a couple of birdbaths. — Debra
2 Alison Furlong // Mar 24, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Is the pagoda in the Chinese Gardens in Portland? I am sure I recognize it from there…
Very good, Alison! You’re right. — Debra
3 Sheila // Mar 24, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Very clever! Fun post!
Hi, Sheila — Thank you! — Debra
4 Tim // Mar 24, 2010 at 1:15 pm
I think Alison’s right – the pagoda is in the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland.
Hi, Tim — And kudos to you for identifying it by name. — Debra
5 Tatyana // Mar 24, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Good exercise for our eyes and brains!
Hi, Tatyana — And a new way of looking at reflections! Debra
6 Jayne (Green and Serene) // Mar 24, 2010 at 5:38 pm
That was really fun
Hi, Jayne — Thanks! It was fun for me, too. Debra
7 Matti // Mar 24, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Wow, clever. Maybe Matti is slow today, but it took me a bit to wrap my mind around the first pagoda one. Matti
Hi, Matti — Good! ;+) — Debra
8 Stevie // Mar 25, 2010 at 1:10 am
very cool photos.
Thanks, Stevie! I dug them out of my photo files. — Debra
9 thistleandthorn // Mar 25, 2010 at 9:25 am
Fun, and inventive! Thanks for sharing your great imagination with us!
My pleasure! Debra
10 Amy/GoAway, I'm Gardening! // Mar 26, 2010 at 7:59 am
Enjoyed your fun post!
I love the cast concrete containers.
Hi, Amy — I know. Don’t they look like little baskets? — Debra
11 Christina Salwitz // Mar 30, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Great idea Debra! Once again you showed off your creativity AND wit in one lovely package. Thank you!
Thanks, Christina, for the lovely compliment! — Debra
12 Lele Piels // Mar 30, 2010 at 9:46 pm
That was good fun. I love the concrete pots. So cute
Thanks, Lele. The designer, Molly Wood, uses a lot of cast-concrete pots. — Debra
13 Seasonal Wisdom // Apr 1, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Lovely photos, Debra. The perfect anecdote for a blustery April Fools’ Day. Best, Teresa
Hi, Teresa — It’s fun, isn’t it, to take a harmless approach to the prankster’s holiday? — Debra
14 susan morrison // Apr 1, 2010 at 1:03 pm
What a great post! I forget that it’s April Fool’s Day EVERY SINGLE YEAR which makes me a very easy target if you catch me early in the morning. But it’s fun to be fooled by your intriguing photo trickery.
Hi, Blue-eyed Susan — Hmm. Will have to remember that for next year. Mwah-ha-ha. — Debra