Spent a drizzly hour+ marching around the South African garden at UCSC Arboretum, taking reference photos of proteas for the upcoming kit, inspired by Keli’s free-style flowering.
So many other-hemisphere plants to see. Not all are in peak bloom, but I was more interested in gaining an overall sense of the range of protea forms, structures and colors.
I didn’t even concern myself with recording the names of all the varieties, since I plan a sort of hybrid quintessential form for the kit. But the colors, the colors!
This one is a Leucadendron, “Inca Gold”. So luminous.
In the transition zone between South Africa and succulent gardens, there were flowering eucalyptus. The scent was heavenly! There’s nothing quite like being in a deserted botanical garden on a rainy day, with only hopping bunnies and many small brownish birds.
Look at the subtle colors and bold pattern of this succulent.
Again, but with the spiral nature of growth (and decay).
These were quite a surprise. Smallish, leathery, spiky, but what?! If I had done these colors I would call it a mis-step, but now I am emboldened.
This field trip was inspirational. I’ve many more examples of natural plant colorations that will probably inspire me to have to buy more markers.
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