A large display in the middle of the gardens drew lots of attention. At first glance, it was a lush green carpet surrounding a mini jungle-like setting. Upon closer inspection we saw that the green carpet was actually a floating blanket of tiny plants. The green floating blanket and the jungle island in the middle were made up entirely of carnivorous plants. It reminded me so much of a chapter from a very popular book that I blurted this right out, totally spoiling it for my kids who are still a bit too young to read the book. Bad Mom! Maybe they’ll forget. At this point my daughter exclaims, “I want to touch it!” And just then we read this sign:
And of course after reading the sign, both kids exclaimed, “I still want to touch it!” So we moved on to the next display. In contrast to the dark and slightly creepy flesh-eating swamp, this was a colorful explosion of lush tropical paradise. The amazing thing about this display is that it looked EXACTLY like my OWN back yard:
Yeah, right. Maybe my next back yard. I can dream. Here, sadly, is my latest casualty:
It used to be a hibiscus. Now it’s bye-bye-biscus. I think I need to be spending a little less time at the computer and a little more time in the yard, before the plants back there start growing downright hostile.
8 comments:
OMG -- nearly choked on my coffee @ "bye-bye-biscus"! I have a few of those growing in my yard right now. So funny about your kids wanting to touch it. Mine would be the same way, and so would my husband, for that matter. Great post!
hmmm...I think I have the cousin to the bye-bye-biscus in my yard...hubby says I could kill a fake plant with my "any color but green" thumb...
We have a lady that lives up the road that plants fake flowers every year in the spring...I use to comment on how beautiful her flowers always were..."she must work so hard to keep them so beautiful"...this is when my hubby finally (after about 3 years) that they were fake! grin
LOL Brenda! I'm good at killing fake plants too. If it's not pulling the leaves off trying to wipe the year of dust on them, it's the cats chewing on them. No plant is safe here -- dead or alive.
I so know what you're talking about. My yard used to be beautiful then we got a puppy - I've given up completely this year. It's depressing.
Plus, my husband, three kids and I drove four hours out of the way on one vacation to see some carnivorous pitcher plants. It ended up being a huge drive to see very little. It was a swampy-bog with some nondescript plants. A long drive with three little kids.
Luckily that was long ago.
Rena - Yeah, if my husband had seen it I would've had a hard time tearing him away, too.
Brenda - I never understood that practice of planting fake flowers...I'd rather look at weeds, frankly!
Kim - We have a new puppy, too - landscaping will have to wait 'til she's all grown up!
Tag, You're it. Here are my answers, but - if you want to play - post your on your blog.
1. What are your nicknames? Kimbo (from my sister), Mo (from my daughter), Sweetpea (my husband)
2. What game show and/or reality show would you like to be on? What Not to Wear (I belong on that show)
This isn’t a game show or reality show, but it’s my reality. My kids always tell me “Don’t wear that.”
3. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD? Bambi for the kidsI
4. What is your favorite scent? I love the smell of flowers. Flower Bomb.
5. If you had a million dollars that you could only spend on yourself, what would you do with it? A new boat, I love being out on the water – and a killer swimsuit that would hide my fat thighs – that would be worth a million bucks.
6. What one place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back to? The Grand Canyon. We rode mules half way down. The kids have to be over 12 to ride to the bottom and at the time Kara wasn’t. So, I’d like to go back, ride to the bottom and spend the night – just like the Brady family ;-)
7. Do you trust easily? No. I work in a law firm, so, I guess it’s a hazard of the trade.
8. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think? I think before I act, but talk (sometimes) before I think. …
9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days? It’s been a hard year. My Aunt passed away, then my father-in-law, then my husband’s uncle, then my Mom. All within six weeks.
10. Do you have a good body image? No. But, I’m working on it. Riding my bike to work and all those water sports – I’m hoping.
11. What is your favorite fruit? Every one. No blackberries – see my blog for my organic-volcanic blackberry jam recipe.
12. What websites do you visit daily? Verla Kay's (Blueboard) and Rachelle Gardner’s blogsite.
13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately? Blogging – at least that’s what my husband says.
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is? Super friendly and outgoing with a great smile!!!
15. What's the last song that got stuck in your head? Phantom of the Opera’s Past the Point of No Return – absolutely love it!
16. What's your favorite item of clothing? My slippers
17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy? Who doesn’t, when they are mixed with marshmallows and melted butter!
18. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground? I would grab it and then look around to see if it was anyone’s.
19. What items could you not go without during the day? I’d find it hard to get by without my laptop and coffee.
20. What should you be doing right now? Sleeping – I’m always tired – cause I stay up waaaaay 2 late
Snarf. I'd say something funny, but I can't stop giggling long enough.
How cool--I love exotic flowers--and that display looks positively gruesome! What a neat field trip.
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