flora

Glimpses of Beauty

/ Quilly / 45 Comments

Yesterday I took two walks.  In neither walk did I go far from our apartment.  I wanted to take a few pictures to give you an idea of the beauty around me.

fhl-flowers

Clockwise from top left: (please click to enlarge):   Pacific Madrone Trees (2), Weed, Daisy Cousin with Spit Bug, Wild Blackberries, Wild Rose, Hawk Weed

fhl2

Clockwise from top left: (please click to enlarge): Harbor Seal, telephone booth, Harbor Seal, Thistle, Biplane, Tree & Sea, Dandelion Fluff, Bird Silhouette  [center] Wild Blackberry.

buildings

Clockwise from top left: (please click to enlarge):Fox Glove plant below our bedroom window; Friday Harbor Marina; our apartment (top with balcony); Friday Harbor Labs & dock; our apartment seen from the bottom of the hill

X is For Xerophilous

/ Quilly / 21 Comments

This xerophilous Prickly Pear Cactus
was equipped by nature for a life in a very dry climate,
but it is thriving here in the land of relatively consistent 80% humidity.

And I bet you had no idea that the flowers on this plant are xanthochromatic.
For real. Honest.

As are these, Allamanda.

And this lovely lady of the dog bane family.
Name currently unknown.

And this.
A Hibiscus, of course.
A double Hibiscus to be more precise.
You didn’t think I’d share flowers without sneaking one in, did you?

Bouquets

/ Quilly / 12 Comments

I took the photos below on the University of Hawaii campus. OC said he had something to do in his lab that would take about 20 minutes. I took my camera and disappeared for 45 minutes. Even so, I returned too early. I was unsurprised to find him still working. His concept of “20 minutes” and mine vary greatly.

I entered his lab full of enthusiasm over the exotic plants I’d found and I began chattering about the glorious orchid trees. OC said, “You mean the one just out the door and to the left?” I agreed. He informed me that I’d been snapping photos of Tulip trees. African Tulip Trees.

Okay. I didn’t argue with him. He’s the botanist, right? (Keep in mind he also doesn’t know how to tell time.)

I brought the photos home, downloaded them, trimmed them, named them and saved them — only to be corrected later and told that they are not African Tulip Trees, but are instead . . .

. . . Hong Kong Orchid Trees.

This is a Hong Kong Orchid Tree.

This is a Hong Kong Orchid.

Sorry it’s a bit blurry, the wind was blowing and the dang thing wouldn’t stay still — not even when I took my umbrella to it! Just the same, I thought those of you shivering in the snow and ice while dreaming fondly of Spring might like a bouquet of flowers.