Monday, December 26, 2005

Back To The Conservatory III

OK I'd like to take a break from Christmas for a while and do something different coz I'm all Christmased out!
Let me take you back to the Conservatory again, you may have read my previous post on it here and here.
Just a quick recap, the Conservatory is a free flowers display in the Fitzroy Gardens that features flowers of different species throughout the year for all to enjoy.
As I said in the previous posts they change the display in the Conservatory every 3 months and now I must post the Summer display featuring Hydreageas and Fuchsias.
This display will be on show until February when the Tuberous Begonia and Gloxinia display will take over.
The most interesting feature of showy hydrangea flowerheads is their ability to change colour according to the pH level of the soil.
Hydrangeas have blue flowers where the soil is naturally acidic, and pink or red blooms in alkaline soil.
There are hundreds of varieties of Fuchsia and the flowers usually come in the shape of a lantern.
The great majority are native to South America, but with a few occurring north through Central America to Mexico, and also several on New Zealand and Tahiti.
Pronunciation of "Fuchsia" is difficult for many English language speakers, as the correct pronunciation from the German origin of the name is "fook-sya" readily confusable with the profanity "fuck". As a result, most English speakers tend to say "fyew'sha". This tends to lead to misspellings like "fushcia" or "fuschia".

If you think you've seen the last of the Conservatory posts you are wrong, I have one more post to write but that would be in February next year!

8 comments:

Nabeel said...

deja vu .. i've been here before ..
is this at Lincoln Park, Chicago?

Wuching said...

nabeel-sorry mate, you're way off the dial, this is in Melbourne Australia!

Anonymous said...

Love the pond.
Yours truly, regular Sibu reader is growing water-lily & water lettuce in my home garden.

Anonymous said...

Aiyooo so beautiful..like the garden of eve. I used to have several fuchsias at my garden, when in full bloom they are as stunning as a woman in full bloom...hehehe

Wuching said...

amelia-good to meet a fellow sibu person, let me know about your water lily pond coz mine doesn't flower at all! :(

che-cheh: yes it is beautiful like the garden of eden, all it needs is adam & eve! ;P

Jeremy C said...

nice...always loved to go to Fitzroy with my friends then...so therapeutic...

5xmom.com said...

Is this the one next to the cathedral or something with Captain Cook's hut or something? I remember going to some place like this in Melbourne before.

Wuching said...

jeremy-when are you coming down again?

5xmom-yes you are right, its next to capt. cook's cottage..so you been there!