Botany of Desire

Besides books on food and foodways and eating, Michael Pollan also wrote The Botany of Desire, about how plants manipulate humans to create new plant species.

This leads me to wonder: Do I really want what I want?  Or is there some external force working in the universe to thwart my true desires?  I mean, I know how I'd dress given my druthers (Stevie Nicks is a GODDESS), but the reality of me is much . . . sloppier.  And less lace driven, although still platform shoed.

GODDESS

And for those more formal occasions like prom:

He'd be the best prom date ever, no offense Alan, David, or Derek

And she had an album entitled Bella Donna!  Which is a super poisonous plant!  She was so meant to be on this website somehow.

Atropa belladonna

To return to the subject of garden desire, in my last post, I swooned over black/burgundy plants.  Now those are schmexy colors invoking Tom Ford a la Gucci (in the not hilarious, campy way, but in the oh, goodness! way).  But why not pink?  Not fuchsia, but pink.  Or lavender?  I mean, look at Scott Weber's garden on any of his postings on Rhone Street Garden.  Photographic skills aside, this gentleman has a lovely sweep of lovely!  Why don't I want it?  OK, I'm lazy, and those flowers aren't going to deadhead themselves, but is that it?  I know why I don't plant anything with yellow foliage or flowers even though I do like them.  It's because I read once that real estate agents plant yellow flowers because viewers remember that, and hence, will remember the house.  My reasoning is that yellow flowers/foliage will cause someone who is casing the joint to come back and rob it.  Yah, I'm serious.  Hey, it's a good a reason as any.

But again, am I creating my personal Eden or the other way around? 

Little Known Fact: Plant Porn > Shoe Porn

There are more plants that I want than there are shoes.  This is a major statement, but easy to understand.  I mean, even trying my best, I'll never wear more than 2 different styles at one time - ideally, they'd be of similar heel height, but hey, keep an open mind, I guess.

But with the flora, oh, my goodness!  How much green (preferably black) goodness can be stuffed in a square foot?  Well, yah, depending on size, but you get my meaning.  And since I rarely refer to the template of reality, and lack any kind of aesthetic discipline, my gardens tend to be very crowded.  Sensory overload?  Who says that when confronted with an exquisite pastry selection?

So while I was waiting for the day to get really hot so I can garden (because suffering builds character, and I'm Asian), I trolled Gardendesign.com for "ideas" - and found some that really need to go in my garden, like, now.

Ghost fern (Athyrium 'Ghost')

OK, honestly, who can resist a name like "Ghost fern"?  And supposedly it glows at night because of its silvery color, hence the name.

Another fern with very awesome black stems:

Green Cliff Brake Fern (Cheilanthes viridis)

And these shrubby trees:

Elderberry (Sambucus "Black Lace")

Apparently the Elderberry also flowers quite heavily.  It's nice and all, but kind of unnecessary given the amazing color of the leaves, no?  And think of the rubbish!  I'm very anti-rubbish.

Elderberry (Sambucus "Black Lace")

Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria "Royal Purple")

And a closer shot of the Cotinus below.  Supposedly, it's the same, but the growth looks a lot different.  I like both!

Cotinus coggygria "Royal Purple"

Hmm, actually, I think that I have the Cotinus coggygria (top picture) in a pot.  OK, let me amend: I want more of them.   By the way, the close up shot of the Smoke Tree above is from UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research website which is a really interesting and useful (mostly for plant porn) site even for gardeners in tropical climes.

And some tender plants:

Pineapple Lily (Eucomis comosa "Sparkling Burgundy"

The Eucomis is the deep purple plant growing in the foreground.  I also am digging those plants in the background with the black stems.  Nice.

And a Canna:

Canna Tropicanna Black

I have a skinny leafed black canna which I'm doing my best not to kill.  The Canna Tropicanna Black above has such fatty leaves.  Love.  The flowers are a little unfortunate, but they only last a day, so I can deal.

And this is the reasonable list; the plants are all good in my zone!  Except for the Elderberry which is zone 4.  But 4 is just 10 - 6 which is just like.

Happy Sunday gardening everyone.