Victoria cruzianaDid you know about these water plants? They are called victoria or "giant water platter," and I find them stunning! The above photo is from Longwood Gardens (link is to their blog) in Pennsylvania, home to beautiful massive pools full of both genus (es?) of victoria, as well as a hybrid of the two:
Victoria x Longwood Hybrid
Victoria x Longwood Hybrid
Victoria amazonicaAt Longwood gardens they are so serious about victoria that they are writing a book about them, and that they dye the water in their pools black so that the leaves and flowers will stand out.
Mom and Lisa: shouldn't we go to Longwood Gardens? Shouldn't we build a pool and fill it will victorias? Shouldn't we do this now?
They even have tulips!
Mom and Lisa: shouldn't we go to Longwood Gardens? Shouldn't we build a pool and fill it will victorias? Shouldn't we do this now?
They even have tulips!
8 comments:
I really like those Victorias, but I would be content to just look at them in someone elses garden. I hope they will have frogs on them when I get there.
I think we should do it! I'm going to dye mom's birthday fountain water black RIGHT NOW. And then I'll get to work digging a pond in the middle of the lawn...
Mom: they better have frogs.
Lisa: Travis and I have actually discussed on multiple occasions wanting to do that exact thing with mom and dad's lawn.
Hooray! Except guess what? Now there is talk of actually planting raspberries in the middle of the lawn. Mom tolerates the idea of putting something out in the middle. Dad merrily commits to pruning. I'm quiet as a mouse, so as not to put them off the path of it!
Well, except now they seem to be forgetting. Maybe they need some encouragement.
MOM, DAD: RASPBERRIES. It's either that or Travis digs a pond and Jeannie and I dye it black.
Yes, parents. And I've never seen Travis dig a pond, but I'm pretty sure it would be just like when he throws rocks at buoys way out in the water. He will not stop for hours, and at the end there will be rocks everywhere. So you should probably plant raspberries instead.
Also, Lisa: what do you think one uses to dye water black? I can't figure it out.
Yes, I have been thinking about this. Shoepolish? Ink? Like you know that little thing of black ink for the inkpad that dad has had in his desk since 1982? That would be a start. How big is Travis going to dig the pond? I think it should be kidney shaped.
I was thinking something more like RIT dye, but then I realized it was for clothes, and not the water itself. But doesn't it turn the water colors too? I'm just worried it would be gray instead of black.
Also, the lawn is already kidney-shaped, right? So how about the whole thing.
With maybe a border of raspberries.
Okay, now we are getting somewhere: a black-watered, kidney-shaped swimming pool bordered by a thicket of raspberries. There's something sort of Sleeping Beauty about it, isn't there? Swimming Beauty? I'm not sure shoepolish will mix effectively with the water, and yeah, it seems like RIT will come out grey unless we really get a lot. RIT or ink: either way, our Swimming Beauties will come out a funny color. But there'll be a nutritious delicious snack available before and after the swim!
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