Saturday 31 January 2009

Bougainvillea Beauty....

I love plants - and gardening - for me there is nothing more meditative than hanging out in the garden, digging the dirt and connecting with the earth. I admit that I don't have the greenest thumb of all, but nonetheless the process of trying to find and connect with natures rhythm is one of life's challenges that I truly enjoy. If I had to choose just one plant (god forbid!) that would be my very favourite, I would have to say 'bougainvillea'. It is just such a bold and plentiful plant - hardy enough to cope with my rather renegade gardening style - and generous enough to offer up bountiful life and colour for months and months on end. My home in Sydney was full to the brim with bouganvillea in an array of bright and beautiful colours - pink, orange and ruby red - and I'm in the process of trying to encourage a few up here on the farm as well. This beautiful photograph - from a very old issue of Inside Out - reminded me of just how beautiful this plant truly is. Hope it inspires you too....

6 comments:

Sharnel said...

Shannon I share your love of bouganvillea. The vibrant colours are able to whisk me away everytime. We have just planted one side of our tennis court with bright pink! I can't wait to see it in full bloom.
x

Unknown said...

Oh I love bougainvillea too! Not too fond of the thorns, though

Anonymous said...

I, too, LOVE bougainvillea. Here in the desert it's nice to have a spray of color that can take the heat and not wilt from the sun. It is truly beautiful. (Putting it in vases always reminds me of Frida...)

Salon de Sucre said...

I totally agree that gardening is a relaxing thing to do.. I live in Kuwait and we dont really have a good soil to work with . ( its a desert) .. I replenish my thirst for gardening by purchasing pretty flowers and arranging them at home!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful bougainvillea...the hotel where i went on my honeymoon was blooming all over with these colors! This photo and that memory help make this US winter a little more bearable.

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

I love gardening and think it's so good for the soul. I must plant some bouganvillea. If it's so hardy it might survive me. I did find these lovely sun flowers that seem to survive me. I never seem to have luck with lavender. It's been a hard summer for the gardens.

Love the pink and green in that photo!