Those are not “super model” Agaves air brushed to perfection. Could they have found a worse looking Agave attenuata to place this chair next to for a full page advertisement?
And what about that Agave desmettiana with its unceremoniously hacked leaves?
Something is very wrong with this picture! How difficult would it have been to find happy healthy beautiful Agaves? I just don’t get it…
I couldn't agree more. If these plants were in my own garden, I'd want to hide them under a tarp or something :-).
ReplyDeleteExactly, I almost considered tossing an A. attenuatta that looked better than that one.
Delete. . . and why would you put a chair so close to them that anybody who sat in it would be stabbed? I mean, I understand it's about the look of the thing, not the function, but photographers could concede a little bit to reality. One could at least light it so the leaf's shadow didn't fall on the chair's cushion.
ReplyDeleteOf course I didn't even think about the stabbing thing, that's just part of life for me. But yes....good point about the lighting, I missed that one.
DeleteFor many people, plants just become "wallpaper". And with that all discernment goes out the window.
ReplyDeleteWhat!? Plants as wallpaper! No!
DeleteUgh! Those hacked-off leaves were the first thing I noticed. The photographer didn't have a clue.
ReplyDeleteBut I wonder how much the photographer made???
DeleteGood news though: this means almost all parts of my garden are magazine-worthy now! ;-)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Let me know which magazine comes calling first...
DeleteThat attenuata looks so bad I thought it was a yucca. Not that there's anything wrong with yuccas.
ReplyDeleteYou better not be knocking Yuccas!
DeleteThis is why people without at least a basic understanding of plants shouldn't be allowed to use them as props for photo shoots. Even worse I have seen similar bad plant choices in books or articles about plants!
ReplyDeleteDon't you wish we could make all the rules!? The world would be a better place, really.
DeleteThat's really a strange thing to do for a photo shoot promoting an upscale outdoor look to the Garden Design reader.
ReplyDeleteIt does happen around here, agave too close to the sidewalk or street gets cut back.
I completely understand why cutting back is sometimes needed, but I'd like to think people would try to plant my Agave friends where they would be allowed to stretch their beautiful arms. And it just isn't cool in this situation!
DeleteBut darling, its outdoor living, who's looking at the plants?!?
ReplyDeleteYikes...of course you're right....so sad!
DeleteLOL! The one who did the set for this photoshoot is definitely not a plantsman/gardener! And it looks an ad during the 70's too...
ReplyDeleteHehehe....the 70's!
DeleteI bet it was the photographer, because a stylist would have caught those unhappy agaves in a heartbeat. Or maybe it's just a vain attempt to connect with the little people, (i.e us!) Either way, for the cost of advertising these days, it seems a poor choice.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they decided to save the bucks for the stylist....bad choice!
Deleteloooooooooooool
ReplyDeleteThat's so terrible. If you look on DeviantArt (Photography->Nature->Plants), you will see A LOT of misinformation and general ignorance: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/nature/flora/
Thanks for the link! Can't wait to explore it....
DeleteThat's too funny. I wouldn't even have noticed, since that ad didn't grab my attention anyway. But maybe with nicer plants it would have.
ReplyDeleteI was so enthralled with the plants I didn't even see the chair.....
DeleteIt's a UK company, I think. Perhaps those xeric plants in a UK climate are something like Hostas in Phoenix--you are so amazed to see one, you overlook their somewhat unhealthy appearance... I must admit, I have some Barlowe Tyrie furniture. It's nice stuff.
ReplyDeleteHa. The first thing I noticed was the poor chopped up Agave in front. I didn't even notice the chair until I was done looking at the plants... If you're selling garden furniture wouldn't you at least think that maybe some of your customers are gardeners and would notice?!
ReplyDelete