Fffffascinating feathers

I do find the whole cycle of nature so fffffascinating. I love watching the transformation that occurs to plants through the seasons. It's rather quirky that plants can flower some years and not others - and that they're so affected by the weather and the amount of water they get. And I'm curious to know if plants appreciate our loving care and attention as we tend them over the years - let alone our emotional attachment.






Apparently the idea of talking to plants was first introduced in 1848, when Dr Gustav Theodor Fechner, a German professor, suggested the original idea in his book Nanna (Soul Life of Plants). He believed that plants are capable of emotions, just like humans and that healthy growth can be promoted by showering plants with attentive chatter. Later, a botanist called Luther Burbank, suggested that, although plants may not understand the spoken word, they might telepathically understand the meaning of speech.




In 1970, a New York dentist called George Milstein released a record called Music to Grow Plants By. Various experiments were carried out (straight faces all round, of course), and there did seem to be some evidence that soothing and/or classical music was of benefit to plant growth, as opposed to loud agressive rock-type music.







In reality (ie ignoring scientific models and experimental quackery), we don't really have much in the way of confirmation that plants like to be talked to, or that they appreciate the odd blasting of Mozart's Requiem (although perhaps that's not so soothing). I think it's a lovely idea though, and I do often stroke the leaves of my plants and tell them how sensational they're looking. I just hope that the neighbours aren't watching!





I've also been known to place unique feather fascinators from ShopCurious amongst the plants to photograph them, which might seem equally odd, but it's all in the name of art. These are just so naturally beautiful, they could almost be real. They also look fabulous in your hair, or as a fashion accessory on your clothes, attached to a hat - or just as a rather original decoration for your dressing table perhaps?





By the way, for anyone who's interested to know what happened next to my Triffid - here's how the magnificent flower curiously withered and died. I hope that wasn't a reflection of my negecting to converse regularly enough with it. The flower has since been lopped off and the plant looks somewhat less threatening...

Another yukka type plant has just burst into bloom though. Have you got any plants that have fffffascinatingly started flowering at the very end of the 'summer'? Or have you experienced any other curious natural occurences, possibly linked to the strange weather patterns of late? If so, do let us know.
Will you?

Tropical tresses

A couple of years ago I had a curiously crazy idea to get a few outdoor plants delivered to create my own tropical paradise in central London. Of course I went a bit over the top and eventually had to organize a crane to deliver said pots and palms - but the result is a pleasingly stylish and unique oasis of rustling leaves, twittering birds and buzzing insects (though at this time of the year there are quite a lot of nasty garden spiders too.. )

I thought it might be appropriate to focus on nature for a while, since so many of the new products at ShopCurious are naturally beautiful things - like these rather individual silk and feather hair accessories. Each is lovingly handmade in England by the designer, Gil Fox.






They're great for so many occasions like parties and weddings. They'll also make a perfect addition to your Christmas wardrobe, or even an unusual seasonal gift. These unique accessories are also very versatile and not just for wearing in your hair. Why not attach the clip to a hat to add some ornamentation - or fix to your clothing and turn this into a quirky corsage, or an original piece of jewellery.





They also look very arty in the leaves of my palms. The one in the middle (above) is attached to the rather dangerous looking agave (right), a plant native to Mexico. This agave is now scarily larger than when first delivered,as is the rather fiercely spined plant pictured in the top left of this blog, which I'm stilll trying to identify - I think it's a type of trithrinax. Does anyone know?

Do you?

Chelsea's curiously changing climate

The other day I bumped into a girl who was struggling to carry a small potted olive tree to the lift. "The climate's changing," she explained, "and apparently olive trees are growing really well here now, so I've just got this for my balcony." I responded, "Yes, so long as you keep them out of any freezing cold north easterly winds - should be fine." And indeed, my rather large olive tree is thriving.

The Day of the Triffid?








Not only that, but during the course of the Chelsea Flower Show this week, an as yet unidentified plant (see above - I think it's a variety of yucca?) on my balcony has exploded into flower. At first I was amazed at the speed of the blooming, then rather amused at the curiously erotic eruption emerging ever higher from the splaying depths of the plant - and finally just stunned at the Triffid-like growth, if not a bit concerned that it might twist up through the window and eat me alive in the night.

If you're also a lover of naturally beautiful things, you might be interested in some of the curiosities on offer at ShopCurious. There are some unusual handmade stone ginkgo leaf coasters and placemats - and a couple of really unique raffia bags from the 1950s. One in verdant green with an ultra-stylish bamboo handle. The other in summery white, with blossoming flowers and pretty gold shells - reminds me of 'Mary Mary quite contrary... '
Are you?