If you love gardens and you aren't yet a regular reader of Stephen Orr's blog, What Were the Skies Like, then we highly recommend you remedy that situation right away. A former editor of the late House & Garden and Domino magazines, he has an incredible eye for all things gorgeous in the plant world. Recently he posted some strange and lovely photos by Canadian artist Scott McFarland, who documents the behind-the-scenes work of garden maintenance, reminding us that gardening is, like photography, both an extraordinary art form and a fascinating science...

McFarland's gardening photos have such an odd and unexpected beauty. We can't put our finger on why, but somehow these photos feel as if they were taken decades ago, though they're actually all from the last ten years. The pervasive light and somewhat otherworldly color makes them seem out of a fifties- or sixties-era garden magazine.

To see more of Scott McFarland's work, check out his website and the links to his galleries. And of course, for a lot more garden inspiration and some gorgeous plant photography, visit Stephen Orr's blog, What Were the Skies Like.

(Images: Scott McFarland, via What Were the Skies Like)