Like black roses, blue roses do not grow naturally, as roses lack the gene or pigmentation to produce blue. Even science hasn’t made a truly blue rose, with collaborative research by an Australian company, Florigene, and a Japanese company, Suntory, falling short of their genetic engineering goal. While the genetically modified rose was sold and described as blue, they were closer to lavender or mauve.
With so many colours to choose from, why stick with just one rose colour? Mixing different colours of roses together in one massive bouquet is a fabulous way to personalise your message into a single flower arrangement. Mixed roses can symbolise so many more emotions than just one colour on their own. Get mixing and matching to find the perfect combination from the myriad of emotions and meanings that roses represent.
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth. According to the Encyclopaedia of Earth, there are around 550 species of plants living in the Atacama Desert with over 60% being endemic.
Early in 2015, the Atacama Desert received a significant amount of rain, seven years worth of rain fell in twelve hours. Sadly as a result of the storm, people were killed, and thousands were left homeless.
The unusual amount of rain caused death and destruction, but it also gave life. Spring 2015 saw the usually dry and desolate looking landscape transform into a bright and vibrant landscape of pinks and purples.
The Pink Cistanthe grandiflora and hundreds of other flowering species emerged in a rare display called “Desierto Florido” or ” Flowering Desert”.
By the end of 2015, the desierto florido was over, and the landscape returned to its usual state.
The Californian Poppy is native to the US and Mexico and is the official state flower of California. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a 1745 acre reserve that turns into a sea of orange during peak flowering season.
The dominant flower, of course, is the Californian Poppy but also you can see flowers such as the Purple Lupine, Goldfields, Owl Clover, redstem filaree and much more
California state parks exclude grazing from livestock, and it does not water or stimulate the flowers in any way, the Reserve remains in its natural state. Every single flower in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is protected, picking them is prohibited.
Namaqualand is part of the Succulent Karoo and is an arid region of South Africa and Namibia. An estimated 3500 plant species that live in this dry place with around 1000 being endemic to the Namaqualand. The early Spring brings the South African daisy season, a very short period that transforms this arid land into an incredible rainbow of colours. Namaqua National Park resides inside Namaqualand and is one of the best places to see the spectacular spring flower displays and also conserves some of the world’s richest succulent.
Less than an hour’s drive, Northwest of London you will find the Ashridge Estate, which is now owned by the UK National Trust. The Ashridge Estate is a 5000-acre property and is one of the best places in the world to see living carpets of the Common Bluebell. According to the National Trust property manager, Graeme Cannon, the UK has between 25 to 50 percent of the world’s population of Bluebells. The first shoots of the Bluebells appear in January, and the flowers bloom for a very short period from April to May. Unfortunately, the Native Bluebell is now being threatened by not only people but also the Spanish Bluebell, which produces little to no scent compared to the Common Bluebell.
A common sight in some parts of Texas are the Indian Paintbrushes and Texas Bluebonnets. The Texas Bluebonnet is a biennial plant endemic to Texas and is also the chosen State flower (includes five species of the Lupinus). Only a small portion of Texas has the prime soil and climate for the Bluebonnets so the best place to start would be Ennis, Texas, the official Bluebonnet city of Texas and the best time of year is between Mid-March and Mid-April. Apart from their great looks, the Bluebonnets are natural fertilisers by improving levels of nitrogen in the soil which is needed for most crops and grass for livestock.
The Indian Paintbrush is also known as the Texas Paintbrush and a few other paintbrush names, they are a red to orange colour and Bloom time is from March to May. The flowers of the Indian Paintbrush were often consumed by the Native American’s as a side dish with fresh greens as well as many other uses such as a treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, immune system enhancer and treatment for rheumatism. However, they can be potentially toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed.
