April 10 2022 - Over the Falls

 

History for me:  the 104 year old scow lodged on the rocks over Niagara Falls, has broken apart. It will be gone soon.  It celebrated its 100th anniversary lodged in the raging river on August 6, 2018.   This was an amazing site for us children.  It was very close to the Niagara Falls Showcase Greenhouse, so we always went to look at it.  People had all kinds of stories to describe the accident and the impact on the two men stranded on the scow and rescued the next day.  You can imagine the rescue in 1918 - it involved ropes not helicopters. So lots of drama.   You can see it here on the Niagara Parks site.  And our flower today is the Himalayan Poppy in Longwood Gardens conservatory quite a few years ago.  I like the harsh light on the flowers - it makes the colours and textures of the graceful petals so vibrant.

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When the Sun Flows In

Hi everyone,

This is the Meconopsis poppy.  It was named for its poppy-like appearance - mekon - poppy, and opsis - alike.  What an interesting history it has in terms of discovery - this from Wikipedia:

Meconopsis grandis, known as the blue poppy, is the national flower of Bhutan. In the late spring of 1922, a British Himalayan expedition, led by legendary mountaineer George Leigh Mallory, discovered the plant on their failed attempt to reach the summit of the then-unconquered Mount Everest. The flowers were introduced to much excitement at the Royal Horticultural Society's spring show of 1926. However, since they are difficult to grow, the species has become fabled over the decades. 

This reputation remains today.  This is a plant that needs cool and moist summers, so the Jardin de Metis (Redford Gardens) in Quebec has a well-renowned planting.  Here's a link to the site:

http://www.refordgardens.com/english/gardens/gardens-blue-poppy-glade.php

These pot-plants at Longwood were much admired last year.