The Post Guide to Hemispheric Flora
Created | Updated May 1, 2016
Seasonal reflections.
The Post Guide to Hemispheric Flora
It's spring. At least, it's spring in the northern hemisphere. Do you visualise 'north' as 'on top'? Then you're probably the victim of hemispheric conditioning by generations of blinkered map makers. After all, there's no upside-down in space, right? But however you visualise it, you're bound to welcome these harbingers of longer and sunnier days and warmer nights to come.
Sure, it's only a dandelion. But it makes the bees hum, and leads to hopes of more flowers and a nice, ripe tomato or two.
These flowers are a signal. They say, 'Get out the gardening gloves. Tell the cats to quit napping in the pail. Check on those seeds drying in the cupboard, and figure out where you hid that trowel. Get ready to rumble!'
These are jonquils. Or daffodils, if you prefer. It's a kind of narcissus. You remember the legend of Narcissus? He fell in love with his own reflection. (People like that are often found on Youtube.) If the original narcissist was anywhere near as beautiful as this flower, we can kind of see how it happened. Anyway, the jonquils are a welcome addition to the springtime neighbourhood.
This particular kind is said to be local here, but I lack Willem's botanical knowledge. All I know is that they're pretty, and hardy. They popped right up as soon as the snow quit.
Here are more of our daffodils, all in a row.
Over on the other side of the equator, things are different. There, summer is winding down into fall, and things are cooling off. Willem says, 'First sign of Autumn over here ... see, some of my plants' leaves are turning yellow!' He sent this photo to prove it. Interesting the way they turned.
The plant is called Dioscorea dregeana, and I forgot to ask Willem about it. I looked it up, and it turns out it's a kind of yam. Don't know if it's tasty. Willem has written about other yams, though, so you can read up on them. Plants thrive in Willem's garden, because he has a green thumb and lots of knowledge.
Whereas plants in the Gheorgheni yard have to rely on luck, tenacity, and the occasional good piece of advice from the Hoggetts – such as, 'Don't plant anything until it stops snowing in Colorado.'
Keep turning, Earth, and a belated Happy Earth Day to you!
