Travel Story--the Botanical Garden in Quito, Ecuador

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is at 9,350' in elevation (the various neighborhoods a little higher and a little lower) and the town center is about 15 miles south of the Equator (latitude 0ᆼ,0', 0"). I live at about 5,000' elevation in Colorado. Where I live, winter lasts from October to May. In Quito, there is no winter. Despite the elevation, Quito does not have frosts and consequently, the Botanical Garden had amazing tropical plants. It boggled this temperate zone botanist's mind.

orchid (Epidendrum) growing outside in Quito

Followers

 I know a lot about plants. Websites and blogs, not so much. So today, after 13 years of blogging, I figured out and added the Follower's gadget. 

Who knows what other discoveries are out there...

Photos of bouquets for fun: 

Plant Story--Red valerian, Jupiter's beard, Valeriana rubra, Centranthus ruber

The plant is called red valerian or Jupiter's beard. Here's a picture

red valerian, Jupiter's beard,
Valeriana rubra formerly Centranthus ruber

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Travel Story--Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas

For me, who writes about plants and checks her accuracy in books and on websides, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (website) has long been a resource I rely on, both the website (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower data base) and books they have published. So to visit the actual center was a treat!

flower bed of evening primroses (Oenothera)

Disambiguation of Some Common Plant Names 3: Marigold, Mountain Ash, Bugleweed, and Loosestrife

Common names are locally-used names. Nobody standardizes them. So it is easy for people to use the same common name for different plants. 

marigolds, genus Tagetes

Plant Story--Common Poppies, Corn Poppies, Flanders Poppies, Papaver rhoeas

 Poppies are cheerful flowers of middle and late spring. 

common poppies, Papaver rhoeas

Travel--Spring in the Chinese Garden in Montreal

Traveling, my husband always tries to pick the perfect time: not too hot, not too cold, not rainy, etc. He scheduled us to see Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the second week in May because apparently tourists start arriving the third week in May and hotel prices rise dramatically. I am not sure whether he thought about what that said about Montreal's weather. We flew into most of a week of chilly temperatures and light rain. 

So I have to say this was not the perfect time to see Montreal. 

rhododendrons in the Chinese garden

And yet, the Chinese Garden at the Jardin botanique de Montreal was gorgeous.