I love textures! I also love color and form, but I think I like texture best... today anyway. The picture above is Agave Victoria, one of my favorites from this show. You might argue that this is a study in form, and it could be that too, but I think when you come in close like this, that the texture becomes the important element.
Here's a more typical picture. I wish the focus were sharper, but I like the contrast between the thorny bud, the smooth petal, and the shiny water drop.
This is one of my favorite succulents, Haworthia truncata. It looks like a bunch of flat, green gummy worms that have been chopped off. I actually could have brought one home... the first time I've seen one for sale anywhere, but it was $25 for a 4-inch pot. I don't see one of those in my future! I did indulge myself with some small, more common succulents. Cousin Maggie and I bought several that could be split and we are taking home some very tiny plants with high hopes.
Here is a plant that is a relative of the African Violet. It is a Gesneriad, which is the family of plants to which they both belong. This one, Sinningia leucotricha, is a popular houseplant because of the white, silky leaves and stunning salmon-colored tubular flowers. I may have to show you those when we get to color! It is sometimes called Brazilian Edelweiss. Don't you just want to touch it?
This is a closeup of one of the masks in the African exhibit. I just love the mosaic look that the various kinds of beans and seeds make, and then contrasted with the stiff grasses. The masks were really amazing. Should we do a whole day of masks?
Finally for today, this is Deuterocohnia brevifolia. It is actually a Bromeliad. (Pineapples are also bromeliads.) It's overall form is very interesting too, as it grows into a beautiful mound, but close-up, the texture becomes important.
It is hard to pick just a few things to share. I probably could have spent all week at the Flower Show studying all the various exhibits in long view, and then closeup, and then by individual plants. The Sinningia was new to me and also the Deuterocohnia brevifolia. And a lot more, of course. But I do try to file away a few new names each year that I hope to actually remember.
 | See Philadelphia Flower Show 2010 - Passport to the World
See Rediscovering Jenks Creek for more textures |
11 comments:
Nice blog. Glad to see Philadelphia Flower Show 2010 - Textures through the medium of your blog. each and every picture on your blog looks nice.
love the flowers!
Those forms and textures are really very attractive.
I can't decide which I like best. All of them are so amazing. It's kind of a tie between Haworthia truncata and Sinningia leucotricha. The white one looks like brushed cotton and I want to touch it! The other is so different from anything I've seen before. It made me think of the huge domino set ups that make a picture when they tip over. I can't take my eyes off it!
I'm with you, the second photo is amazing. I do love texture though and it seems the exotics are brimming with texture.
Ooooh, Sharky, those are great! It made me want to reach out and touch all of them. :)
Love all the textures here. My favorite had to be Haworthia truncata. But then the one after that just looked so soft and fuzzy. I think that a whole day of masks would be great.
hi Flowers- I know you would love the show!
wenn- they were great
Chuck- there is so much variety it's like overload.
rainfield- many from your part of the world!
Clara- I know what you mean!
Jo- you would go nuts taking great photos!
Lin- shhh, I did touch a few on the sly
Ann- a day of masks we will have! (soon)
What a wonderful collection! I'm especially drawn to some of these textures you have captured.
Karen! Oh, I'm so glad you came by... I know you are very good at capturing this kind of thing too.
After reading you mention textures, I felt like I could almost feel these things when I saw them. Some I really wanted to touch, and others I felt myself pulling away. I like them all though, even the ones I pulled back from.
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