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Thursday 18 April 2013

A-Z Challenge 2013 - 'P' - Passion Flower



My A-Z posts this year are based on my garden – flowers, animals, the birds and the bees, butterflies - with a bit of poetry thrown in. For some letters I am expecting to cheat somewhat – wishing they were here.

Please note that I have been/still am ill. Also I have had a computer failure that has not yet been resolved completely causing me to post late. I have been unable to reply to comments and to visit other A- Z participants for the past week. Will do my best to catch up as soon as I can; please accept my apologies in the meantime.

P – Passion Flower, Pheasant, Petunia, Peacock, Peony

Lay down on your pillow
And turn the lights down low
Let me take you to the garden
Where the passion flower grows.
 
Passion Flower
Roman Catholic priests (late 1500's) named it for the Passion (suffering and death) of Jesus Christ. The parts of the plant symbolised features of the Passion. The flower's petals and sepals represented the apostles who remained faithful to Jesus throughout the Passion. The circle of hair-like rays above the petals suggested the crown of thorns that Jesus wore the day he died.

Each day since late February, when it’s just light enough to see, we have heard, not the crowing of a cockerel, but the call of one of these magnificent birds:-
 
Cock Pheasant (on Tresco)
Gilded with leaf-thick paint; a steady
Eye fixed like a ruby rock;
Across the cidrous banks of autumn
Swaggers the stamping pheasant-cock.

At different times during the day it takes a stroll around two or three gardens before it returns to shelter under the bushes next door.
 
Cock Pheasant crossing drive next door
When it comes to flowers there are so many beginning with a ‘P,’ so I have to be careful which ones I choose to show.

These have been successful in the border and in tubs.
 
Petunias
There is no chance for any one of them to claim, "I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch,"  (see video link)

 Butterflies take a fancy to them too, but the Buddleia bush is a particular favourite for some.
 
Peacock Butterflies
Issa, a Japanese poet, is said to have written  up to 20,000 haiku, with around 84 about the peony, a flower which has a reputation for bringing prosperity:


Peonies
The god of fortune
and luck dwells here
a peony
 Poems:
  • Where the Passion Flower Grows – Charles M Moore
  • Cock-Pheasant – Laurie Lee
  • Peony – Issa; Japanese peony haiku
Photos/Video

8 comments:

ScotSue said...

More beautiful photographs and fascinating factual titbits. I never get my camera out quick enough to photograph pheasants. One I would add to my list of Ps - poppies which are so cheerful to see.

aw said...

A number of plants seem to be used to explain aspects of religion, Bob, but none seems to have so many connections as the Passion flower. We planted a white one when we moved here but over the years it got cross-polinated with the version you illustrate and the flowers are all like that now. A lovely collection of photos again.
Ann

Bish Denham said...

I didn't know the Passion flower grew in England! And hubby and I would love it if pheasants walked through our yard.

Jo said...

I couldn't grow peonies either. I love them too. Lonely little petunia in an onion patch, haven't heard that in years. our Gracie.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

Spanj said...

What a lovely idea for your A-Z theme. I never knew that about the passion flower; fascinating.
angelinetrevena.blogspot.co.uk

Unknown said...

More great photos Bob. The first one reminded me of the passion flower that grew up the wall outside my kitchen window at my last house, which plant sadly became a landscaping casualty of when I had a patio put in. Must get a new passion flower plant for here. The blooms are so beautiful.

Do hope you will be well again soon.

Tracy MacDonald said...

Hello Bob- visiting from the A to Z. I love petunias and they do very well in my garden.
A2Z Mommy And What’s In between

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob .. love your selections - peonies were one of my mother's favourite flowers (me too!) .. Peacock butterflies may we see many more ...

Pheasants = delicious to eat and look at I agree! Passion Flowers are so beautiful to look at ..

Cheers Hilary