TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Naked Ladies

Thank you Luiz for featuring my Ammaryllis belladonna on

this week's TODAY'S FLOWERS.

They come in two tones of pink and this lovely creamy white,

that is what the book says but I have a shorter paler variety

with pointier petals as well, blooming in my mountain garden.

Belladonnas are interesting weather prophets as well, they

pop up out of the dry ground exactly two weeks before the first

autumn rain.

When you pick or handle them, remember to wash your hands

afterwards as these beauties are poisonous. Their toxicity is

the reason they spread so readily on paddocks and roadsides as

grazing animals have a sixth sense and leave the alone.

These flowers are native to the West Cape of Africa where our

early settlers stopped to replenish water and fresh food for

themselves and fodder for their animals for the long and

arduous voyage by sailing ship to the new colonies in Australia.

They stretch their flower heads to the sun, naked and leafless,

with a multitude of buds waiting to open to this perfect showing

with a perfume that is heady and delightful. I count at least

eighteen flowers and buds on this single stem.

Here is the paler pink version

and the glory of a stand of deep pink ones

and to finish off, just a little more eye candy.

All these were photographed this afternoon in my garden.

Thank you Luiz for your continued efforts in keeping this meme alive.

All photos enlarge and the Logo leads to fields and fields of flowers.