WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Me-Now-Views; Less Speak More Peek

Last week hints were dropped. What then, was so special to get me driving over to Edinburgh again?

A flower.  Yup. No ordinary flower. The Amorphophallus Titanum; or the Titan Lily to you. The specialness comes by virtue of the fact that thing takes over a decade to flower for the first time... and then is jolly erratic, but never closer than 3 years between flowerings and sometimes 20 years.

The specimen at Edinburgh Botanics (this is me making use of my new 'friendship' card, ie free entry) was presented to the gardens some 13 years ago from the Amsterdam equivalent. This was the first flowering event and there was quite some excitement let me tell you. From me, it was because only a short few months back, the Melbourne one flowered. I wasn't there of course. Blogbuddy Stewart was though; (here's his post). By the time I and Mac2 and NeighbourM were going (the Monday) it was 3rd day of flowering - still quite good, but not at its best. This also meant that the stink for which the flower get's its common name (Corpse Flower) was pretty much gone.


A twenty minute bus ride from our side of town (South) to the other (North).


(Is this the place to say that Edinburgh bus routes and service are pretty darn close to being the best in the world? Not an idle boast. I've tried many of the world's public transport systems remember!)

The entry gates are nearly as impressive as those at Bowmore... but these ones are silver...















The trail was well marked -












































This lady is the main keeper of the hothouse and was waxing lyrical with the story of 'the opening'. It made for great entertainment as we waited. Crowd control was at max, shifts of 15 at a time...























According to this, we might have expected to see a rather droopy item. Fortune was with us, however. Nature's architecture never fails to amaze, astound and to instil a sense of awe...


























































































I couldn't stop thinking of radicchio... or triffids, for that matter. Are you impressed?

This wasn't all we did, of course. More next week.

17 comments:

  1. Yes, I'm impressed. What a magnificent specimen. Magnificent photography, too.

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  2. Good to know that the public transportation system in Edinburgh is top notch. Hope to visit there one day. And oh my dog, that radicchio is enormous.

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  3. Saw one of those at the Melbourne zoological gardens many years ago - totally weird - remind me of the triffids :)

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  4. So very impressed!!! I thought radicchio too...but prettier!!

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  5. Yes, very impressive and very different from any flower we have ever seen!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  6. Yamini,
    This is the biggest flower I have ever seen.
    Impressive find!
    Have a Great Day!!
    Peace :)

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  7. Beautiful and impressive.

    Aroo to you,
    Sully

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  8. I think we may have both timed this well - I'm not sure I needed the stink!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Hari OM
      Heheheh - actually, there was a small piece of the 'trunk' which had been extracted (to promote extract spores) and we were allowed to sniff it. I elected not.. but sister (Mac2) did. Oh if only I'd had the camera on her face in that moment!!! Yxx

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  9. the titan lily is an artpiece that's for sure... they should call it titanic... or is there too much bad karma? it's wonderful and I would love to see one once :o)
    easy rider

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  10. Why that is the largest single flower in the world but to have the odor that smells like rotting flesh. I guess what "the lord giveth the lord taketh away" applies to the Amorphophallus Titanum. We enjoy seeing things like this.
    Thanks for the compliment you paid us on our Rodeo post ~ it was a blast.
    Sweet William The Scot

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    1. Oh here is the link to the Dog Day of Summer Event. If you are blocked by security police again it might be you have cookies on your site. Thirty six bloggers have seen it so far. It is only 29 seconds.

      http://www.local12.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Annual-quot-Dog-Day-of-Summer-quot-held-at-Spring-Grove-Cemetery-155653.shtml

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  11. It's beautiful in stature and color.
    Reminds me of a exotic tulip gone
    astray on steroids.
    xo Linda and Cinnamon

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    1. Hari OM
      BOL - oh you made me laugh Cinnamon! That is a great description...and definitely on the 'triffids' side of the argument!
      Huggies, Yx

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  12. Great that you got to see this rare sight.
    Yes, radicchio maybe.
    I only think of triffids when I see those road signs saying 'heavy plant crossing'.
    Cheers!
    Gail.

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    1. Hari OM
      HAHAHAH - oh yes, the heavy plant one is a twister in my head too!!! It was one of my favourites of Wyndham's novels and the BBC series with John Duttine (good grief, three+ decades ago!) was excellent - no fancy comugraphics - the plants were brilliant - and heavy man &*>
      Yxx

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