Thursday, April 16, 2009

Guest Photographs: from Florida

I was thumbing through an old photo album which contained pix of trips to South Florida growing up and it made me think that it might be fun to show off the beautiful blooms at my parents' house (they live in Florida's Treasure Coast area). So I rang up my mummy and daddest requesting that they snap some loveliness on daddest's iphone and send it along to me to share with the blogosphere.

Lo and behold, they delivered! And being the sort of people who actually know the names of the plants in their yard I even have their accompanying common (non latin) names below each photo.

This is Mandivilla - I don't think I've ever noticed this type of flower before, but it's so tropically gorgeous! I want to put on in my hair, but I think it would take over and I would look like I was crazy. Mebbe I am.

This one is "some kind of Lily"...do you recognize it?

Mexican Heather. Don't these look like they're glowing? My parents have been feeding them radioactive vitaminds and soil supplements. They'll be cashing in big I expect...wouldn't you love glowing flowers?

Jatropa - the buds look like little poisonous berries and the petals of the blooms remind me of orange frangipani.

Now, here is one I recognize...jasmine! Jasmine grows all over Southern California and I miss it up here in Washington. I can just smell its fragrance when I look at this picture. Aaah!
Here is the quintessential tropical flower; the Hibsicus!

My parents are lucky enough to have scads of gardenias around their house. Along with peonies, these are my favorite flowers. They're blooms are so lush and each petal so thick and soft.

You cannot see it in this picture, but there are thorns all over this plant and that is where it gets its name, "Crown of Thorns." The red petals are flat and sparse, but large and very colorful as you can see for yourself. My parents are not trying to kill the plant, those white splotches are poisonous dried "latex" goo. Eek!


Lastly, this is Alamonda which reminds me of a daffodil without the center tube. I have no idea what that middle part is called, sorry. :)

I hope you all enjoy this glimpse into the more vibrant and kaleidiscopic flora of another place in this great nation. We are so blessed to be citizens of a country with an abundance of natural resources that provide and inspire.

Happy Spring!

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