“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.”

Genesis 2:8

“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.”

Genesis 2:19

As I was thinking back (and looking through) so many of the wildlife and scenic nature pictures in my journey as a photographer, I realized there was a rather common denominator to a lot of them. Not all mind you, but quite a few of them. It basically came down to the type of location. You see, I realized that there was an opportunity to share on something that many of us have the ability to utilize, and many of us actually have, and that would be finding a great variety of things to photograph if one simply looks - through a garden...

I can't tell you how many birds, how many insects, how many fruit trees, flowers, creeping things innumerable - I've photographed to great effect simply by being in a garden. Now a garden obviously is not limited to just one's front or backyard. A garden can be in a park. A zoo. A botanical preserve. A wildlife refuge. A trailhead. At a hotel. There are so many places to find one!

What is so beautiful is not only the calm and serenity to be had with a simple stroll through one - resting quietly on a bench or rock and taking in the beauty of it, but also the wildlife you will come across. (Not a question of if, but rather when, you will see something) There is such an exciting unpredictability about what you will come across, and what you will find, that for me some of my favorite moments were simply experienced by waiting... and watching... in a garden.

Below I have included a selection of images all taken in different garden environments. If you enjoy wildlife, and want to get some great images, you likely won't find a better place than in one. Of all the ecosystems and places to take pictures, you will find a treasure trove of them in a garden.