Proteas
My protea is in bloom, with masses of flowers and it’s looking gorgeous.
It’s a grey old day here, and they look much better in sunshine — the flowers look almost luminous — but I couldn’t wait.
I was taking these pics from the footpath, as the flowers tend to face that way (toward the sun) and a woman walking her dog said from behind me, “Aren’t they gorgeous?” She told me she’d been admiring them every morning when she passed.
So I nipped inside, grabbed my secateurs and sent her off with a nice bunch. She was a bit shocked, as she’d assumed because I was on the footpath that I was just passing too.
But she was very happy and it made me happy too.
Plus there are so many flowers and many more buds coming, you can’t even notice that I picked any.
Proteas are South African plants but they’re grown so widely here most people assume they’re native. They’re also very popular with florists, as they last a good while. No perfume, though. They come in all kinds of colors and shapes, but this is the first orange one I’ve ever seen. This type is called a pincushion protea, but despite looking prickly, they’re very soft.
They look amazing.
Thanks, Liz — yes, a bit space-agey I think — and with the sun on the flowers they look almost luminous.
The first time I saw or heard of proteas was in South Africa in 1968. My parents had just arrived there as political refugees from Communist Europe and my dad loved gardening and plants. He photographed proteas every chance he had. I still have some of his photos from then. We immigrated to the USA two years later, and eventually ended up in Southern California. I love proteas. They are such beautiful plants. They can grow here, but sadly I have not been successful with them. All I have is a faux pincushion and a faux King protea in a… Read more »
Thanks, Alena — lovely story about your dad. I take no credit for my protea — it seems pretty tough and grows without any attention, except a bit of water when it’s dry in summer.
Just lovely. I’d never heard of them before.
Pam, I think once florists discover how nice and easy they are, you’ll hear more about them. And if you do a google image search for proteas, you’ll see many different flower shapes and colors.
Your story reminds me of Vittoria Cottage by D. E. Stevenson – Caroline cuts flowers and gives bouquets to passersby who admire her garden :)
Thanks, Felicia, I’ve never read Vittoria Cottage by D. E. Stevenson, so I might have to chase that up.
Those are absolutely gorgeous plants. How nice that you were able to share with someone who had a proper appreciation of them. I had a mailman that I used to share my zinnias with because he really appreciated them.
Zinnias are lovely, Vicki — and how nice that your mailman liked them too. I had another friend drop by yesterday and she left with a bunch of the proteas too. I was pleased to have something to give her, because she often brings me things from her garden — a bunch of basil, rhubarb and things like that.
They look amazing. I have never seen these before. Lovely color too.
Thanks Margot. They also come in red, which I think would be lovely.