I remember fondly being given a microscope when I was 9 in Buenos Aires. From there my sense of wonder was reinforced by high school biology classes in the lab where we had more powerful units.

Many opine that hostas should be known for their beautiful variegated leaves and that the flowers are insignificant. I do not agree.

My discovery of their beauty and elegance, that for me parallels Swedish design, came about by using my scanner to scan the roses of my garden some 17 years ago. As soon as I had seen those roses I learned to look at the details in other plants.

The scanner, a good one and mine is a good one, has the ability to magnify like a high school microscope. I use little dark green bamboo sticks suspended from an Art Deco lamp on my desk that is alongside my scanner to scan my plants. I have several kinds of clips and clothes pins to suspend the flowers and plants so that they are almost in contact with the scanner glass. When white roses do touch the glass or are very close they appear over-exposed. That is why white flowers are the toughest. Also most roses with multi petals will squash if they are on the glass.

If you look at these hosta flowers you will I hope agree on their beauty and elegance.