Nature Nurture's
Today I need to go back to the earth and look at all the nature that is around me and be reminded of how these things of nature, nurture me....and hopefully, nurture you, too... I cannot remembe the name of this plant, I'm sorry to say....These arms are about as big and round as a big fat cigar....and the intricate design of each of these arms just knocks me out...nature---in all it's beauty and geometry, too---creates things that are truly astounding....but, here is another look from a slightly different angle...same plant....a different day, too....more sun...so we see more of the exactness of that glorious pattern....this pattern that repeats and repeats hundreds of times in each little arm....BEAUTIFUL!
I have a couple of these plants and they are all related...they all came from one plant...and that one plant is in the ground...This one, in the photo, is in a pot because an arm or two got broken off and so we planted it in a pot just to let it root. But it looked so very pretty in that particular place that I decided to just leave it there and let it do it's thing....And it's thing is to grow and multiply! And it has been doing that very successfully for a couple of years now...so, unless something happens to the sister plant that is in the ground, we'll just leave this beauty in the pot exactly where it is right now. It sure is happy there and that's important for a plant, cause if they are happy, they are beautiful and they then nurture you!
Another wonderful plant is this beautiful succulent (Echevaria, I believe)....the color alone nurtures me every time I see it.....the shape, too. I don't even know how to describe this color---
and I'm a painter and in order to mix these colors, you would have to use about 8 or 10 different colors, mixed very very carefully, and even then...this would be near to impossible to do...Oh, I know it can be done perhaps, by a De Vinci or a Rembrandt....masters of color, they were, but God's Garden....well.....almost impossible to duplicate. And that shape....my my my....so very perfect yet not, if you see what I mean. This plant is in a pot, too, out on my deck, which faces the city...but I have a few in the ground, as well....they are sturdy plants even though they have a delicacy to them....they look very delicate to me, anyway, and I think it's the softness of each leaf which gives one the feeling of delicacy....thick, but soft...I'm in love here!And this is one of my very very favorite plants....I probably have 50 of them in various sizes, all over the garden. Many are 'volunteers'.
This plant is called a Senecio....(It has a second name because there are many types of Senecio's....and I use to know it, but I've forgotten it....sorry about that...) This Senecio grows like a weed....the little puffs of flower seeds fly off with a very slight wind and land on the ground and wherever they land, they root and grow. That's why I have so very many of these plants...and we've pulled up more than I can count over time when they were very very small cause in a day or so from that moment of pulling up, there could be ten or fifteen more little volunteers!
These next photo's give you a closer look at the bark of the Senecio....bark is really not the right word, and truthfully
I don't know what the correct word is...but given that, look at the pattern on this....and it is so smooth. There are no little 'stickers' on a Senecio...nothing to hurt you in any way...Beautiful Beautiful Lush plant. And to the side there, by the way, is 'George' with the "buttons" that will be growing and that I am watching? And in fact there has been a little bit of growth since the first photo which was on that last "walking" post, as I recall...I love the leaves on a Senicio....very long thin soft leaves....clean in a way, just like the stalk or bark. Smooth and clean, and BEAUTIFUL, Oh my....this plant nurtures me soooo very much and has since I planted the very first one's 20 years ago. I never tire of looking at them and they make me feel incredibly good every time I do look at them because they are like works of art; so very sculptural; such a lovely soft color, too! This plant feeds my soul.
Here's another special plant....strange and beautiful and, believe it or not, I believe, another type of Senecio! (Who would believe....?) Here are two photographs of this small plant that grows low to the ground. It is almost white in color because it creates this powdery stuff on each of it's thick juicy looking leaves to protect it from the sun, all the while, needing the sun...And you can see that on one of those leaves the powder got washed off and so you are able to see that underneath that powdery white stuff is a green leaf.
These plants will do well in the ground if they are in the proper somewhat protected area where 'the elements' like heavy wind don't get at them. This next photo is a closer look at these very beautiful leaves. They are soft soft soft and it's the powder that gives them that soft look.And again, you can see the light olive green of these leaves where the rain has washed that magical powder off....Isn't that amazing?
Once again, this nurtures me.
I saw this wonderful plaque many many years ago, in a friends garden in Sarasota, Florida....I was having a show of my Paintings there in a lovely Gallery which I think is gone now, called The Foster Harmon Gallery. Foster had been there in Sarasota for years and years and years. My friend Barbara had moved to Sarasota from Chicago after her dear dear husband, who had been my voice teacher in New York, had died. Barbara is originally from England and a Proper Garden was always very very imporant to her wherever she lived here in the states. She had this plaque in that sweet garden of hers and I saw it and knew I had to have one for my garden...And, luckily, we were able to find one right there in Sarasota...and here it is, a bit beaten by the elements, but still wonderful and so very very true.
I apologize for turning on the 'Comment Moderator' and the 'Registered Member' thing, but I've had a number of nasty mean spirited Anonymous Comments which I don't need and in fact, which nobody needs....So, if this very angry person wants to leave a comment, they will have to come out of the woodwork and not hide behind "Anonymous", anymore.
- had this to say:
Wow!!! What lovely plants. Wish you could take pictures of your beautiful garden.
Btw, how do you take care of all of them? Just curious.- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 3:30:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
That white coated plant sure it neat.
Sorry about the anonymous ass. I think that's the price you pay for being famous! :)- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 3:37:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Naomi, I LOVE the composition of the photo that "George" is in. It is beautiful!
You have been holding out on us; I didn't realize you are an artist too. Can you post some of your art on the blog?- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 5:40:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
P.S. I am sorry that you have received some bad comments. I think you will like comment moderation; I do, and you can also get rid of spam comments easily.
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 5:41:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi! What a beautiful garden you have! I love so much the Cactus Family! They are all wonderful plants! Love the quote in the garden too!
The photos are great! Well done!- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 6:50:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I don't know why people have to be so mean, especially to someone as sweet as you are Naomi! But, unfortunately, those people are out there.
Anyway, another lovely post!! Those plants are so pretty and it makes me wish I could touch them and see them in person. You do such a nice job describing them. Nature is very nurturing!- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 8:00:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Sorry to hear you have received nasty comments...Oh, well. Loved your post, I recognize one plant from my garden too: the pink echevaria. The other ones are so pretty and the sun light reflected on those pictures just make one's heart happy. Even if I have that sunlight out of my door!
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 9:55:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Naomi, thanks for the visit. As to securing the minister or officiant for the wedding: if they secure their choice of church the minister goes with it - however if the ceremony is not in a church - the bride and groom need to find an officiant quickly into the planning. It isn't much good to plan everything else and not have someone to perform the ceremony! LOL
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 12:06:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Well Aunty you already know my thoughts on the whole matter :)
Glad I was around to be an ear last night :)- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 2:10:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Lovely plants, especially the white Senecio. Wendy directed me here today. :)
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 3:31:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
These pictures are beautiful! Absolutely wonderful.
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 3:34:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
I really don't understand why anyone would leave you nasty comments. You of all people Honestly. Shame on them. Thanks again for your wonderful plant post. I love how you talk about your plants. :)
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 5:57:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Very cool! I'm amazed because I have to admit to actually killing a poor cactus. Not on purpose of course, it just kind of shriveled up one day - I felt terrible! I do have a Christmas cactus that's doing great, bloomed in Dec. and is getting ready to bloom again - maybe it's confused?? LOL. Wendy directed me here.
- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 6:28:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Hi, Naomi!
I just read thru your post and was taken back by the beauty of the cacti! Lovely! And the warm hints of color...reminds me of my warmer days in Los Angeles.
I,too, am sad to read about the negative poster. Some people forget there are real people here and we should be respectful of each other, regardless of likes or dislikes.
All the best to you!- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 7:31:00 PM PST
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had this to say:
Lovely pictures. No apologies are necesary for moderated comments.
CheersQ- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 8:02:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
These photos are really beautiful. Are you familiar with a painter named David Bates. If you don't mind, I'll stick a link here to a post I did of his work. He is a direct descendant of Marsden Hartley (artistically), but he comes into his own as a painter of the Gulf Coast. These photos remind me of him. Take a look:
http://verb-ops.blogspot.com/2006/02/blog-post_17.html
I came to your site in the Michele party, you may remember. I'm coming back and will again. I really like it.
Rick- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 9:00:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Cool plants. Haven't seen any of them in my garden. :)
I am here from Wendy's casting call.- Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 10:12:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Stopping by to say hello after a detour in NZ, Wendy's casting call! have a great day.
- Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 12:52:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I love all the pictures, I liked the one you said looked like a big fat cigar, it reminded me of a finger!
The other one I liked was Echevaria- Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 5:29:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I love to visit wonderful gardens, but have never had the time or the green thumb to do it right. Glad someone like you can so we can see these lovely plants.
- Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 7:12:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Your garden is so beautiful. I always enjoy the blogging tours you take us through. Beautiful, beautiful!
- Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 7:55:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
A pox on anyone who would leave you anything less than a shiningly complimentary comment. I regret that I, too, have had to resort to moderation to keep the nasties away.
I guess the world isn't as universally beautiful as we'd like. Still, it's heartening to see good souls continue to shine the light on all that is good. You keep writing and shooting, and we'll keep reading and commenting. Deal?- Sunday, March 5, 2006 at 4:20:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
came thru michelles blog, I read from this post all the way to tadyas post, I love your blog. The cacti are the greatest. Will all of those different kinds grow here in GA do you think? What happens when it gets colder? (it hasnt been cold here at all really this winter, maybe a week below 20 degrees). very beatiful, thanks for sharing.
- Monday, March 13, 2006 at 9:02:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
I'm back for another look - your images always require additional viewing after giving 'em time to sink in.
What I particularly love about these is the light. They almost seem to come alive in the gentle sun. I'm learning from your experience. Thanks!- Sunday, March 19, 2006 at 2:30:00 PM PST
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