THE PURPLE SIDE OF JUNE

Quite recently I was in Slovakia for a delivery. I arrived at the unloading place the day before in the afternoon, so after work I still had a little bit of time for myself. I decided to go for a walk to stretch my legs a little after spending most of the day behind the wheel.

And that's how I came across this beautiful plant. I'm talking about SALVIA. It was growing in a very large cluster next to a store. I decided to give it a little attention and took a few photos that I hope turned out quite nice.

I have to admit that I personally like the background blur produced by my new phone much more than the one from my old device. The flowers seem to stand out from the background in a much more natural way and the overall effect is closer to what I usually try to achieve in my photography. What do you think?

SALVIA is not only attractive to photographers. It is also highly valued by bees, bumblebees and butterflies. Many species produce large amounts of nectar, making them an important food source for pollinators throughout the summer. I also came across quite a few bees flying around the salvia. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out all the camera settings yet and none of those bees turned out sharp. Oh well, I guess I just need to keep practicing. 😄

Interestingly, the name Salvia comes from the Latin word salvare, which means "to heal". Some species have been used in herbal medicine for centuries, while others are grown mainly for their decorative value.

For me, however, on that particular afternoon, it was simply a beautiful splash of purple that made my walk a little more enjoyable and gave me an opportunity to test the camera in my new phone.

I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.