Verna and Bob's Weblog

One of the prettiest flowers growing in the South Coast Botanic Gardens is this striking red and white Dahlia. I took this picture the day we were at the orchid show. Click for the big picture (which hardly does this beautiful flower justice – you had to be there).

Here are some interesting facts about Dahlias:

Aztecs collected or cultivated Dahlias as early as the 15th century. Flowers were depicted in cave drawings and hieroglyphics credited to the Aztecs of the 14th and possibly of the 13th century. It was used as a religious symbol and for medicinal and cultural rather than aesthetic purposes. Dahlia tubers were an important food source for the Aztecs indeed to this day. the Indians of central Mexico rely on the tubers as a valuable part of their diet. It was woven into clothing for the Royal family, warriors shields, breast plates, necklaces, etc.

The first encounter by other than the peoples of Mexico seems to be well established as made by a Spanish citizen, Francisco Hernandez who was sent to Mexico in 1570 to investigate the “natural resources of “New Spain.” The first published pictures were drawings by an Hidalgo Gentleman, Francisco Dominguez who accompanied Hernandez on at least some part of his explorations. Both the report and drawings were published at Rome, but not until 1651, about seventy five years after first produced. Prior to publication the report was translated to Latin, and later to English. Little recorded information is found concerning the next 126 years.

(Source: dahlia.org.)

Here’s another offering of a photo I took at last weekend’s orchid show – a beautiful, prize-winning phalaenopsis (moth) orchid. Click on the picture for the really nice close-up.

Some information from the Orchid House website:

Orchids: The Ultimate Plant Hobby In the world of flowers, orchids are the undisputed champions. Once the expensive interest of the wealthy, orchids today are within reach of all. One of the oldest and best organized of plant hobbies, orchid culture now enjoys worldwide popularity. Their incredible beauty and diversity captivate men and women of every walk of life.

If you haven’t grown orchids, you are missing one of nature’s finest offerings.

If you can grow houseplants, you can grow orchids. With some attention to light and temperature, there are many popular and satisfying species and hybrids that will do well in the home or out-of-doors. Like any other plant, an orchid must have the growing conditions it needs to survive. But they are amazingly sturdy and resilient.

Because there are so many of them, there is always more to learn about orchids. New discoveries are made every day, giving the world of orchids an ever-widening horizon. It is an interest that provides as much of a challenge as you like.