In Asian countries such as Bali, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand it is quite common to find a water bowl filled with an arrangement of floating flowers and foliage as a form of reverence towards nature, a sign of welcome to visitors and a way to adorn your home with something beautiful.
There are estimated to be over 18,000 species of flowering plants in India, which constitute some 6-7 percent of the total plant species in the world.
In India, the most commonly found plumeria are the Palba (white flowers with yellow center) and P. Rubra (deep pink with white petals). Because they continue to produce leaves and flowers even after being uprooted, Plumeria has earned the distinction of being ‘immortal’ in the Indian context.
Lotus is the national flower of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial.
Here is a lotus flower with its reflection in a pond ….
Will be posting images from a trip to India in October 2022. We start with a series on flowers in India.
India, the land with many landscapes; here, you’ll find the green mountains as well as the blue seas and the yellow sandy deserts so the flower variety of this country ranges from one state to another due to the soil quality.
Cape Marguerite Daisy and Garden Cosmos combine to form a spectacular color collage of nature. With this we end our extended series on flowers.
A plumeria’s deep-green, long, leathery leaves grow in dense clumps at the tips of its branches. From early summer through fall, clusters of five-petaled flowers bloom amid the leaves. Large and aromatic, flowers can be white, cream, yellow, pink, lilac, or red. In Asia, plumeria flowers adorn Buddhist and Hindu temples. Captured these in Cerritos, California.
Wax begonia is a compact, mounded, succulent, and fibrous-rooted plant with fleshy stems and green to bronze leaves. Loose clusters of cymes in leaf axils, single or double and in various colors. Found these in Santa Monica, California.
Fairy Snow White Balloon Flower is an interesting clump forming perennial so named because the buds puff up like balloons before they open. This compact Platycodon produces white bell-shaped blossoms with delicately contrasting blue veins in mid through late summer. Captured in Santa Monica, California.
Petunias are among the most popular flowering annuals for good reason. Petunias are bright and lively, bloom from spring until frost, and scent the air with lovely fragrance. Captured this flower color combination in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
One of the most famous and well-known flowers – a delicate rose captured here displaying its softness after morning dew
Seaside Pussypaws found in Santa Monica, California. Very limited information on this variety of flowers.
Found these flower buds in Santa Monica, California, but can’t identify them. If you are aware of this type of flower, please share your knowledge in the comments section.
The Regal Pelargonium has unmissable flowers that bloom in a trumpet shape. The flowers have six petals in bright purple, bright pink, pale pink, dark red, pillar box red or white. And the extravagance of the flowers is matched by the softness of the velvety leaves which also have a lovely scent. Captured in Santa Monica, California.
Also known as marsh rosemary and lavender thrift, sea lavender is a perennial coastal plant that can often be found growing in both salt marshes and along coastal sand dunes. Despite its name, it is not actually related to the lavender plant. The plant creates leathery, spoon-shaped leaves, red-tinted stems, and delicate purple blooms that appear in summer. Found these flowers in Santa Monica, California.
A native to the eastern United States, purple coneflowers are found in many flower gardens. Planting purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in the garden or flower bed draws bees and butterflies, ensuring that nearby plants have plenty of pollinators. Captured these in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Leucospermum ‘Scarlet Ribbon’ (Nodding Pincushion) – A dense compact shrub produces an abundance of 4 inch wide pincushion flowers. The multi-colored flower heads start a salmon pink color and then open to expose the orange-yellow perianth styles and shiny red tepals that look like ribbons. Captured in Santa Monica, California.
Mexican bush sage, or Salvia leucantha, is an evergreen shrubby perennial that’s prized for its dense, arching spikes and ability to produce an attractive late summer bloom of showy flowers. The plant feels soft and hairy to the touch, and the bi-color blooms include white corollas and purple calyces. Captured in Santa Monica, California.
Mystic Illusion Dahlia has stunning dark foliage that is almost black in color. The bright yellow daisy looking flowers with expressive golden-brown eyes create a stunning contrast of color and texture.
Orange lily (Lilium bulbiferum) a perennial; and Bird-of-paradise, one of the world’s best-known plants, bring out bright orange hues to the flowering gardens.
