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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Seymour Conservatory for the Twelfth Day of Christmas

Happy Epiphany and twelfth day of Christmas.  In the eastern orthodox tradition, Christmas was celebrated yesterday. Technically, twelfth night was December fifth but some lump it together with Epiphany on the sixth.  It's bad luck to take down holiday decorations before this date and some say it's bad luck to leave them up any longer.  Some sources say that it's okay to leave everything up until Candlemas (Groundhog Day) on February 2.  Simplifying things, I didn't put any decorations up this year so am not worried about when they should be removed.   We walked over to the conservatory to see their holiday display last week.


 Difficult to see in this photo are two poinsettia trees.  There are colored lights wound around branches of many of the plants.

Orchids and Hippieastrum 

More poinsettias.  

The riot of color is rather nice during this cold season.  BTW in addition to the regular heat source, there was a large space heater blowing hot air into the tropical area.

The sun came out and backlit the Amaryllis (Hippieastrum) beautifully.


The plant in the background is labelled Amorphophallus  and from the description, it sounds like A. titanum.  Which translates misshapen giant phallus.  Isn't botanical Latin fun?



And speaking of amorphallus, this Hippieastrum seems to have two bloom stalks that fused together.









You may have noticed white paper stars in some of the pictures.  These are part of Tacoma's "Stars 4 Peace."  The instructions are 2 complicated for 1 of my advanced years to follow but the idea is nice. Digits instead of words, Tag, pound sign, capitalized Social Media, I'm confused.  (I don't like to complain but don't want to risk losing my curmudgeon credential.)
Wishing you all the blessing of peace today and always. 

17 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this bit of tropicalness (is that a word?) on this very very cold morning. You didn't decorate this year at all? Good for you. Isn't it wonderful not to have to put all that crap away again?

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    1. Some years I love decorating but never love having to haul all the stuff away again. Although taking everything down makes the house seem larger again.

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  2. Wish my Florida garden looked like that…amazing blossoms.

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  3. Oh to have a conservatory within walking distance of home...

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    1. We're very lucky to live so close. It's a trade off for having to clean discarded beer cans, needles, coffee cups, etc. out of the parking strips.

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  4. A wonderful structure. I wouldn't mind a small one in my back yard.
    I like everything in the second picture: from the odd looking fruit in front of the poinsettia tree (what is that?!) to the metal stakes in shape of carnivores plants; do they have a function or are they a fun display?

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    1. The fruit is a large lemon that seems to bear all year long. The hungry plant stakes surround the donation box. Pay off the plants and they won't eat you!

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  5. Nothing like a warm Conservatory on a winter day.

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  6. Wow, what plants and flowers! The pictures are amazing! Thanks for sharing.

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  7. I love that conservatory. Every visit I've had there has been wonderful.

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  8. What a wonderful place to visit on a cold day, the flowers are beautiful!

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  9. What a wonderful Hippieastrum, Peter! I never have success with it, it's my favorite.

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  10. It's a lovely place to hang out. I have to say that Amorphophallus is impressive!

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  11. Nice holiday display, especially the Amaryllis/Hippeastrum.

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  12. I think this is the perfect time of year to have these overloads of color, and the warm humid air must feel fantastic as well. I also like when the whole scene changes with the seasons, even though it could all just keep going year round.
    Lucky you to have it so close.

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  13. Oh, that is a beautiful place, inside and out! The star campaign is so inspiring, too. Happy Epiphany!

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  14. Wow, spectacular place! Thanks for sharing it.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.