Where flowers bloom so does hope. ..Lady Bird Johnson

I like reading quotations, I am amazed and impress by the wits of these great writers to express their feelings with clarity and compose words of wisdom. Here are some of my favourite flower quotations.

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into.

- Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts-

I owe perhaps becoming a painter to flowers.

- Claude Monet-

"Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun."

- Kahlil Gibran -

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Blue and White Agapanthus

Agapanthus is one of my favourite summer flowering plants, also known as African blue lilies, one of the most popular border plants found in gardens all over Australia. Agapanthus have trumpet-shaped, deep blue or white flowers. The flowers are held on long stems (30 -120 cm). Their flowering season is from mid spring to early summer. (October - January).
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Here are some interesting facts about Agapanthus.

• The name agapanthus is derived from the Greek 'agape', meaning love, and 'anthos', flower.
  
• The plants are native to South Africa and were brought back to Europe in the seventeenth century by the first European settlers when they stopped in the cape to replenish their supplies.


• Agapanthus africanus was first introduced to Europe in 1679
  (Source: bbc.co.uk, gardening)
  

Frangipani

Plumeria - common name: Frangipani. It is also known as the Lei flower, grows well in warm tropical areas. Frangipani have branches like candelabra and fragrant white or pink flowers.

I took this photo at the Sydney Royal Botanic Garden last summer. I love Frangipani, it reminds me of the place where I grew up in the Philippines we have Fragipani tree in the front yard. I notice that Frangipani designs are very popular these days. There are many items that uses the Frangipani flowers as design on their products - in fabrics, paintings on canvas, framed pictures, designers boxes and ceramics. I also see them on cards, actually I have some pink Fraginpani stickers on my car, courtesy of my sister who bought it at Penrith Wednesday Market.

While browsing on eBay, i saw a salt and pepper shaker with a frangipani flowers on it. How about this one - Frangipani & Lime Soap. A fresh, floral, uplifting soap to revive and elighten the spirit and senses. This soap gently cleanses with a rich creamy lather. The ingredients are palm oil. coconut oil, almond oil, vegetable glycerin soap, lye, frangipani fragrance, lime essential oil.

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Pink Jasmine

I took this picture late last year on a late summer afternoon, these are climbing Summer Jasmine that are hanging over the parish church fence.

Tibouchina - Glory Tree

Tibouchinas, are native to south-east Brazil, they are also known as Glory Tree or Lasiandra, here in Australia, during autumn (March -May) tibouchinas make quite a statement, with their bursting purple flowers, most of the tibouchina that I have seen around our neigbourhood are small tress like the above. I saw Tibouchinas at Bunnings in pots which cost about $14.00.

White lilies

I once read in a photography book that unlike a painter, photographers cannot paint over what they do not wish the viewer to see. But I think it is not true to this day, because you can edit your pictures now in any photo software. Isn't it? But I am lazy to edit that 2 little dots. Can you see it?

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You are responsible for your rose

One of my favourite book is "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery and this is one of my favourite quotations from this novel. "You are responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose."

The rose is extremely significant to the novel because it is her that causes the little prince to leave his planet and begin his explorations. But the prince’s memory of his rose is also what prompts his desire to return back to his planet. Eventhough the rose is vain and naïve, the prince still loves her deeply because of the time he has spent watering and caring for her.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry gave the rose a touch of human characteristics, both good and bad. Because of the rose, the prince learns that what is most essential is invisible, that time away from one’s beloved causes a person to better appreciate that love and that love is coupled with responsibility.

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You may be interested to read:

Quotations about Roses

Flame Tree

This is the Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius). You won't notice this tree for the rest of the year but during summer months this tree stands out because of its bright orange red colour flowers. I took this picture - early summer, (last December) but could not find where I saved it. I know I have it, but it was buried in the many folders I have in my USB drive. I should really organized my photos.

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