Strelitzia reginae

The botanical name for the common Bird of Paradise is Strelitzia reginae, while other popular types include Strelitzia nicolai (Giant White Bird of Paradise) and Strelitzia alba (White Bird of Paradise), all belonging to the genus Strelitzia, known for their exotic, crane-like flowers and banana-like leaves, native to South Africa.

Perennials and other plants like roses, like humans need sleep and rest. Here in Vancouver my perennials, including my hostas and roses are resting until spring. In Florida, people who grow hostas keep them in fridges during the warm Florida winters.

The exception to the above are plants that live in places that we would define as having an eternal spring. This is the case of the town of Cuernavaca in the State of Morelos in Mexico. I was there from the second to the fourth of December.

I marvelled at the plants in the garden of my cousin Luisito Miranda and his daughter Mariteli. All their bougainvilleas were in bloom plus some exotic plants like the Bird of Paradise. Unfortunately I had no scanner so I could not do my usual scanographs and had to rely on my digital Fuji X-E3.

I was hit with some sadness as I know that had Rosemary been alive she would have been smiling at these blooms. I do keep her bougainvillea safe in my bedroom. It blooms all the time. Something of her is that bougainvillea. She and the plant are with me.