We welcome a new week of photography today.

A Gazania in the Sun (Treasure Flower)

How can you not be fascinated by an African flower that opens only during the day and closes at night or when it’s cloudy? Sardinia, with its nearly African climate, is a land where gazanias bloom in a variety of colors, ranging from red and white to yellow and purple. Growing in the garden of my apartment building, it exemplifies how photography can capture fleeting beauty. I waited several days to capture the full opening of its petals because they don’t always form such a perfect circle. But it was worth it. (Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, July 1, 2025)

Snail Flower

I had never seen this flower before. One day, however, I came across a large garden while walking along a country road near Cagliari. A low wall was all that separated the garden from the road. At first glance, I noticed an unusual plant climbing a trellis on the side of a house. With its curled shape, it truly resembled a snail. Nature has a way of deceiving the human eye and surprising us with forms that not even a painter could imagine. When I returned home, I searched online to identify the plant and discovered that it is named after the cute little animal it resembles. It is native to Venezuela and grows in warm, tropical climates like that of Sardinia. (Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, May 7, 2025)