Pic-of-the-Day, 10/14/11

This shot of a Cyclamen is rather unconventional, proving that you can't always follow "rules" told to you by experts (or me!).

The lighting, for example, is very subdued for a flower pic. Part of the reason for that is the second unconventional aspect--it was shot in a nursery. Nurseries feature a delightful, evenly distributed light. And it's also still in a pot rather than in the ground.

I saw it just sitting on a rack there, looking very much like a painting rather than a live plant.

The Cyclamen is a popular plant as a gift, such as for hospital patients or a house warming.

In the garden, it's commonly used in rock gardens and at the fronts of beds where its unusual late-summer blooming stands out. But be advised that it can be difficult to grow well because it's very finicky about its environment.