by Loti | Jun 17, 2013 | Flowers, United States
Palm Beach, FL. It is always interesting when you move a plant. This plant was a little green shoot until I moved it one foot into the sun about a month ago and then it exploded into this beautiful flower. Oh, and I have had the plant for 8 years and this is the first time I have seen it bloom. It just goes to show how tweaking something can bring spectacular results. A little to the right, a little to the left. Trying something new. Now I just have to figure out the name of the plant. No easy task. I thought it would be readily apparent with all the Internet resources. But after several hours of searching, including reviewing some new plant identification apps, I came up empty. So if anyone knows the name of the plant, let me know. In the meantime, I am just going to enjoy its beauty. Just picking my head up, fine tuning the small things and falling in love with life. Now that is good! Enjoy! UPDATE: The flower is an orange allium. ...
by Loti | May 28, 2013 | Art, Flowers, Food, United States
Boston. I don’t really think of a banana as a flower, but it turns out it is a flower, an herb (the world’s largest), a fruit and a berry. Well that is pretty cool. Here you see it recreated by the Blaschka’s in their amazing Harvard glass collection. Everything you see is made of glass. Every one knows bananas are really good for you, but I didn’t know they are slightly radioactive. That’s because of all the potassium which shows up as potassium 40 isotope. I also didn’t know they are the 4th largest world crop behind rice, wheat and maize with India being the largest producing country followed by Uganda. Really! And the Cavendish, the main banana we eat, is currently being infected by an unstoppable disease and will probably disappear during our lifetime. Hopefully replaced by another one. Wow. Who would have thought the banana had so much going on. Good thing I just finished one for breakfast. > > >...
by Loti | May 24, 2013 | Art, Flowers, United States
Boston. Amazing, stunning, impossible! All terms that come to mind as I view the Harvard Museum’s collection of glass flowers. Why don’t I know about these beautiful replicas of over 830 plant species made by father and son team, Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka, between 1887 and 1936? Turns out they were commissioned by Harvard beginning in 1886 to use as models for teaching botany. Back then, there were no photos, just paper maiche and wax models. The Blaschka’s were able to make scientifically accurate glass models using various glass making techniques which they perfected over a 50 year period. Unfortunately their glass making processes died with the Blaschka’s and no one has been able to duplicate these amazing flowers. Dale Chihuly, one of my favorite glass artists, said the exhibit of flowers was mind boggling and extraordinary. So if you get to New England, be sure to put this on your bucket list. You won’t be disappointed. I know I wasn’t. I am still learning about the flowers and some other specimens the Blaschka’s made. There is a whole world out there. I just have to pick my head up and look! ...
by Loti | Feb 16, 2013 | Flowers, Singapore
Singapore. What to get for the person that has everything? Naming rights to your very own orchid. Pretty cool. However you just might have to wait 7 years. The time it takes an orchid to grow from seed to blossom. With over 30,000 varieties of orchid, it is hard not to love them. And I had no idea they are named after so many famous people. Nelson Mandela, Martha Stewart, Michele Obama ( and all of the other recent US First Ladies), Sir Elton John and many others. There is even a orchid called the Vanda William Kate, named after the royal couple and presented to them in Sept, 2012 at The Singapore Gardens. While at the gardens, home to the world’s largest tropical orchid display, William and Kate viewed the orchid named for Williams mother, Princess Diana. She was supposed to fly to Singapore 2 weeks after she died for a ceremony honoring her new flower. Sadly, she never got to see it. There are 2 established ways to get an orchid named after you, discover a new species or make a new hybrid, which is just what Chadwick & Son in Virginia does. For $1,500 you can get your own orchid with a plaque and 20 seedlings. I haven’t had a chance to see how long it takes to get on the naming list but……you just might see a Loti orchid turn up soon. ...
