Peace starts with a Smile

Spain Championship

2010-07-13T00:25:00.006+08:00

Spain is a paradise for partiers, a mecca for art lovers, a kick-start for thrill-seekers, and a rest-stop for the restless. It is perhaps Europe's most diverse country geographically. Its regions offer distinctive foods and styles, as well generous portions of natural and man-made wonders, and everywhere the Spanish people are eager to share their joyful, social lifestyle. Northeastern and central Spain are aesthetic wonders, with trend-setting Barcelona, a rugged coastline that inspired Dali, and Bilbao's shining Guggenheim Museum. The dizzying Pyrenees and Picos de Europe challenge adventurers, while Baroque, Arab, and Modernista constructions in Galicia, Cataluna, and Andalucia invigorate architectural enthusiasts. The Spain of popular imagination, full of bullfights and flamenco, exists throughout the south, and the Spain of youthful excitement, with enough all-night partying to turn entire cities nocturnal, can be found in Madrid, Barcelona, and Ibiza. Spain is the perfect destination for first-time travellers, seasoned adventurers, families with children, or college students in search of fast, easy fun. Once you're there, you'll wonder why you never came before...

Yesterday, Spain won the World Cup 2010, first time they said! This is all the wonders of God's creation... In Spain, there is this local legend of Sevilla's Tragic Tale, that goes like this: Among its many legacies, the Juderia left Sevilla one of its most tragic legends -- that of Susona, La Hermosa Hembra (vulgar for 'beautiful woman').

During the 15th century, even as relations between Sevilla's Christian and Jewish populations were increasingly tense, Susona, the daughter of a Jewish merchant, fell in love with a Christian knight. Every night, she would sneak out of the window, meet her lover by the army barracks, and make it back home before dawn unnoticed. One night, however, she overheard her father plotting a rebellion against the Christian government and, fearing that she would lose her lover forever, Susona warned him of the plot. The Christian army's retaliation was swift and merciless -- Susona's entire family was slaughtered, and their bodies were left to scavengers, which was considered the most dishonourable death. Susona's street thereafter bore the name C. Muerte.

Deeply remorseful, Susona confessed in Sevilla's Cathedral (

Sevilla's Cathedral is the 3rd largest church in Europe and the largest Gothic church anywhere.), received Baptism, and retreated into a convent. When she died, she asked that her head be placed above the doorway as a symbol of redemption for all and, strangely, nobody touched it for over one hundred years. While Susona's skull no longer can be seen on what is now C. Susona, a plaque still bears testimony to her tragic story.

Spain's climate varies greatly and it is certainly not universally Mediterranean. Central Spain has hot summers and bitter winters, but is constantly pretty dry. Rainfall is increasingly scarce the farther south you travel, and given the fiercely hot summers there are very real fears of desertification. The north of the country is wetter, snowier and colder, due mainly to the Pyreness.

While Spain remains an essentially Catholic country, church attendance is dropping. Religious freedom is guaranteed by the 1978 Constitution. The birth rate is also dropping, which has huge social implications for the still strongly traditional family-dominated way of life. Spain's population of around 40 million will start to drop within the next couple of decades (some experts predict a 10 million decrease within 50 years at current levels) and in some regions, such as Asturias, the replacement rate is already at crisis point. Into this demographic hole are pouring immigrants from South America and Africa...

I like Spain and this is such an interesting place which I would like buy cheap airline tickets to go Spain. I am so fascinated by all their beautiful artwork, sculptures, buildings and various monuments. It is said that the ancient pilgrims wore wide hats to keep off the sun and rain, and carried a leather pouch or scrip and a stout stave. When they arrived at Santiago, they would buy a scallop and stick the shell in their hats as proof that they had made the journey. The scallop shell has become the symbol of the pilgrimage...

The face of Europe changed in the ninth century when the Catholic Church let it be known that the tomb of St James the Apostle had been discovered in Santiago de Compostela, in far Calicia, in the northwest corner of Spain... Get cheap airline tickets and journey for salvation! From the early days, the pilgrimage brought its own architecture. The monks of Cluny in France were heavily involved, subsidized by the Spanish kingdoms. Churches of much greater size were now built (as were some very pretty small ones), using the normal Romanesque round arch. The large ones had galleries along the nave and transepts, to handle the great numbers of pilgrims. Best of all was the sculpture, simultaneously assured and innocent. Indeed the architectural delights of the Camino de Santiago are one of the main reasons for a modern pilgrimage.

My mother’s house altar, with my Holy Family Statue and the Holy Water behind it.

Holy Family Statue back to my home on Sunday, 8th March 2009

With God everything is possible... This is really THE Sagrada Familia... What had I seen when I was hospitalized in Tan Tock Seng Hospital one year ago..... it is a long story. But I came back to life, that is the most important part, to be able to tend to my little Isaac. All I want to cut short is that in some day, we might not even need to pay cheap airline tickets to Spain. It is a matter of 'Teleporting' just like Second Life...

Happy Easter Day

2010-03-29T22:34:00.019+08:00

It's been more than a year or coming to two years since I last wrote on this blog. This is my precious blog because it is my first blog, which was started in September 2005, a day before my birthday. I wrote about things which is of interest to me, mainly on Peace...

In the beginning, I was just testing out on blogging. But as I 'tried', I had more ideas coming to my mind. I began to set up more blogs in the process. Soon blogging has become part of my life, my hobbies as well as my money-making tools.

Over this five years of time on the internet, I had made much progress. My blogs have increased and I had found the truth in life and about life as well... you just have to check out my blogs to know the details. But today, I really have a new life in God's Kingdom... Palm Sunday is just over (yesterday) and this is a Holy Week for Christians. Christians looked forward to the day where Jesus was resurrected or rose again on the third day after his death on Friday (Good Friday). Christians celebrate this day by having Easter eggs or party time.

Below are photographs of my younger days in San Francisco. The photographs were taken at the Exploratorium. It was such a beautiful and peaceful place -- very quiet, very serene, with birds to be viewed around you as well as the beautiful plants.

You can see the smiles on our face. These are the happy days when life was still not so burdened... Now that I have three kids, I have lots of things to do. Everyday I have to toil from day to night, 24/7 practically.

Traveling is not so easy now that Isaac is still very young. I would want to look at some Travel coupons so that there is cheap deals to reach our destination. Where would I want to go? I would want to bring the children to San Francisco again! San Francisco is really a wonderful place which I can enjoy their cool weather as well as see beautiful places.

Life is tough. Everything is getting expensive year after year. With more kids to feed also, I really cannot afford to lavish my money on unnecessary things. Savings.com offers Southwest airlines promotion code as well as many other great savings on various categories of items. Easter Day falls on 4 April 2010 this year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone Happy Easter in advance. Other than making Easter eggs or giving out Easter eggs, there are several ways of celebrating Easter. Some families go away on holiday for the Easter weekend too. There are six more days for you to plan for Easter. Check out coupons deals and start shopping for gifts or personal belongings to start a great savings so as to enjoy a great Easter! If you love nature, and wants to watch birds, the Exploratorium is really a good place to consider.

Peace Be With You

2008-07-13T18:00:00.000+08:00

Was a really beautiful day to start with yesterday. The weather was nice, perfect blue sky with beautiful and amazing clouds. We cycled to Fu Chun Community Club, just opposite Metta Home. There, I was again surprised with happiness at the sight of two 'coo-coo' birds/ peaceful dove/ turtle dove whatever the name. The photograph showed the birds. It was 'my bird', once my pet...

I used to buy seeds for my 'coo-coo' bird to eat -- white seeds, red seeds or mixture. It costs about S$0.50. The 'coo-coo' bird often called 'croo-croo' and my father also imitated it. My father knows how to make the sand of the 'croo-croo' using his hands. I never know how. This was such a RARE sight, it was my FIRST TIME seeing turtle doves in public places. All peaceful doves which I seen were in cages or at bird parks. In nature, we often see myna and pigeons most frequently.

The last time I saw the peaceful dove was at my house, one flying and one perching outside my house. This is the third time I see the peaceful dove. But this time it was a pair.

In the church, people are kneeling down to pray. I was busy taking photographs, 'exploring the place'. There are always so much to see. After I had finished taking photographs, I stood in front of this statue of Mary and prayed. After I had finished praying, I went forward to the statue. I was searching for something. Then I found in front of my eyes was a spider that crawled up. This is amazing. The spider was black and white, with the hands white and it was like doing the sign of praying (the chinese called it Bai4 -- 拜拜). After that, it continues to crawl up the clothes. This is another different type of spider species I had seen, different from the one I had seen at St Joseph's Church.

People used to say that when people died, they become butterflies. This must be really true. I saw so many butterflies yesterday, of different colours and sizes.

While the children were attending catechism class, I had nothing to do, but walked around. It was such a special day, I walked and walked and met Yang Yang the church dog. He was coming out of 'Ghost Town' (my children told me the place was called Ghost Town, the place behind the Columbarium).

I explored and explored and I really came to the Columbarium, the first time also.

Too many things to be shown all at one time, too much great findings all in a day. I also saw one beautiful strange bird (white and black, not pigeon), flying in front of me. During the evening, I saw the Canon ball trees flowers, I saw Star tortoise and I saw my favourite cat, and had a wonderful dinner. There is only one song to sum up everything... Come let us adore him... Christ the king.

Four O'clock Flowers

2008-06-23T01:57:00.000+08:00

These are called Four O'clock flowers, as what I had learned from my father. My father loves this flowers so much. I am also influenced by him and I love it too. I had only seen white and magenta ones, but at St Francis Church of Assisi, I was so amazed that they had such wonderful range of colours and they grow so much of it over there.

I do not know what is the scientific name for this flower. But it is a special flower that only open so beautifully in the morning and will close in the afternoon and evening. It is so short-lived, and it is not that easy to survive either.

I loved this plant so much. I grew this plant on several attempts but none was successful. However, this year, March, a miracle happened. I saw this plant growing from my pot. I never sown any seeds nor had any young plant of it anywhere. BUT it really grew from my favourite GREEN pot as shown in this picture below.

Picture taken on 25th March 2008.

Over the months, it grew so much that the whole pot was filled with foliage. Yesterday I transferred the plants to a bigger pot as shown below.

I transferred the whole 'mass' into this bigger pot.

A few days ago, Richard transferred this little bit out of this pot of his. Nothing happened, no Bryophyllum growing on it, ever since he transferred the plant out.

Everything transferred out, leaving only this small one in the Green pot. The GIANT Bryophyllum was seen today (Just one day), and there were small ones growing in the pot, which seem to 'act as control'.

Amazing thing happened today. REALLY AMAZING and INCREDIBLE. You can see this HUGE Bryophyllum plant growing on the green pot, at the edge of the pot.

Today, I asked everybody if they had planted this plant at my pot. Everybody said,"NO." and I wondered if the neighbours' kids or any neigbours could have come and planted it. But who would come and do such a thing? I tried 'pulling' the Bryophyllum, and it was rather hard, really 'hard', meaning, the root is rather deep in -- If someone could have planted it, the whole plant would be so easy to remove, but not for this. This is really AMAZING and INCREDIBLE.........

This is the POWER OF GOD, the AMAZING MIRACLES which all happens for me to witness.....lots and lots of things....... THE KINGDOM OF GOD.....

Incredible and Amazing: Sacred Heart Moved, The Turning of Merlion Head
Slamming of Doors

Singapore Flyer (Marina Bay)

2008-06-15T02:25:00.000+08:00

After the PC show 2008, we went to Marina Square. What a big change! Everything was so nice -- the clothes, the surrounding building, everything look new and fantastic. There was so much things to see and to shop!

I wanted to walk around slowly, but as usual, 'nobody' was interested in what I like to do. So it was always in a hurry, always rushing for time, and always got so little time to 'appreciate' nature...

Anyway, from Marina Square, we walked to Singapore Flyer. Saw lots of familiar plants around, and it really 'opened' my heart. I love plants. On the way, birds, myna birds, flying in pairs and this is a 'good' sign. Not only birds 'flying with me' at Woodlands, but over here as well! What a lovely scene...

海阔天空 (Singapore Flyer)

Singapore Flyer Pte Ltd
30 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039803
open daily: 8.30am-10.30pm

About Singapore Flyer
Inspiration for the Singapore Flyer sparked off from various observation icons like the Eiffel Tower. On this inspiration, Dr Kisho Kurokawa of Japan and DP Architects, Singapore developed the initial concept behind the Singapore Flyer's design.

The entire construction of Singapore Flyer took the team exactly 2 years and 3 months. Its ground breaking took place on September 2005 and Singapore Flyer became a permanent fixture on Singapore's skyline in December 2007. A high level of sophistication in engineering and technology was used to develop this S$240 million Giant Observation Wheel.

Standing at 165metres, Singapore Flyer exemplifies a new level of success for Singapore -- from its humble beginnings of a simple fishing village to a highly successful cosmopolitan city. BOasting an unobstructed 360 view, the World's Largest Giant Observation Wheel offers different perspectives of the dynamic Singapore landscape at every turn of the wheel.

What I like About Singapore Flyer

The thing I like best at Singapore Flyer is this plant, don't know what name is it, but perhaps 'purple lallang'. Second thing I like was the Rainforest: The Yakult Rainforest Discovery offers visitors a very naturalistic looking landscape that houses a vast array of a diverse range of lush vegetation, waterfalls, streams and rocky outcrops. The rainforest takes up the whole courtyard of the Terminal Building and is a public access area. The Rainforest was really nice.

Santa Clara University

2008-04-25T15:16:00.002+08:00

I am so glad that I went Santa Clara University. Santa Clara was where Richard and I went, with little Ricsson in me. It was such a beautiful place, I was filled with happiness there. The roses were beautiful, and the biggest roses I had seen. These are such sweet memories now.

Santa Clara University is a private, co-educational Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California. Santa Clara is located in the center of Silicon Valley, and is home to the headquarters of Intel, Applied Materials, Sun Microsystems, NVIDIA, Agilent Technologies, and many other high-tech companies.

Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), whose members founded the school in 1851. Santa Clara is the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California and the oldest Catholic university in the American West. It is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

Richard and I had such an wonderful time at this beautiful university filled with flowers and greeneries. We took so many photographs. These are some photographs of the different colours of roses there.

How I wish I can go back to Santa Clara again one day, but now with my two children. This time, it is even more full of meaning. I want to take all the beautiful flowers, each and every species of flowers there, at St Clare's garden. St Clare's garden is a memorial to St. Clare of Assisi (1193-1253), religious mystic and follower of apostolic poverty, spiritual friend of St. Francis, and the first woman in Western Europe to compose a rule of religious life for women. It would be so great to go back there with my family and I would like to visit the dutch windmill this time ( I only took a picture of it, but not went there, it's a regret, I never get to see a real windmill -- no chance to admire it).

This is a Mother's Day Gift I gave to my mother last year. This year, I have not decide what to give my mother. I had gave my mother brooches, bags and dried flowers before. If you would like to send fresh flowers to your mum this Mother's Day, then click here for Philippines roses now. At Island Rose, you can find flower gifts as well as other gifts for my loved ones. Find out what different colours of roses mean at their website. Lastly, you can shop with a peace of mind at Island Rose. They provide high quality roses as well as Philippine flower delivery at fair prices.

Woodlands Town Garden

2008-04-12T09:58:00.002+08:00

张国荣 - 一片痴 (Woodlands Town Garden)

Woodlands Town Garden
Location : Woodlands Centre Road adjacent to Bukit Timah Expressway
Size of park : 11 Ha

About the park : If you are around Woodlands New Town, drop by Woodlands Town Park and enjoy the greenery and ambience the park has to offer. Look out for the design of the park amenities that has both Malay and Chinese elements. Sungei Mandai Kecil, a river that flows through the park, was also integrated in the design of the park. Part of this river that flows into the park was enlarged into a lake, irregularly-shaped for a natural look. The park is lit from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am.

Facilities : Amphitheatre, playground, restrooms, pond, shelters
Getting there : Service 856 from Yishun Interchange.
Services 911, 912, 913 and 856 from Woodlands Interchange
Carparks are available at entrance of park at Woodlands Centre Road.

Glory To God In The Highest, and Peace To His People On Earth...
I cannot stop singing. I am so filled with passion, so filled with inspiration, so filled with touched and the Glory of Love.

This is Woodlands Town Garden, somewhere near the heart of Woodlands, the place where I found peace, tranquility and the place where all the birds gathered to make peace -- Pigeons of different colours gathered, black, white, brown, mixed colours; myna, sparrows living in harmony, with the presence of peaceful dove I saw. I need time to present to you the photographs of these birds... they were so nice, so lovely, never in my life have I had such an awe-filled experience, which I go 'wow, wow, wow'.

A bird which I saw during childhood, a bird that I began to see again of late and the bird that show me how it can fly so high despite its big size. And whether it is a white egret or black egret, both can fly.

Those are birds flying, sparrows, swift, eagles, and many, many, which I cannot even differentiate what is what, but all flying birds.

Mind opening experience, heart filled with great appreciation of God's providence of nature.

This common bird, myna, often comes to my house, and it was me who feed him one day.... At a time where people are so afraid of birds (bird flu), I was tested, I fear not, fed the bird and now I see all the reasons behind.....

On my way walking to Woodlands Town Garden with Richard, that was the day I saw the most birds in my life. This is really the time of my life I saw the MOST BIRDS, lots of varieties of birds and all flying in different direction, up, down, left to right, everywhere are birds.

Photographs of birds are so difficult to take. By the time I shot them with my camera, they had flown away! But luckily, I managed to take a few ones still.

For once, my eyes, heart and mind was fully opened, all senses at work, in appreciation of nature, walking in this garden of paradise where there are my favourite flowers, trees and most important of all, the mangrove swamp, the place that I used to roam. (However, it is not the perfect garden now, I sense the smell, it was different, 'bad' and I saw the signs -- even the fish told me: I saw the cichlid 'overturn' (dying), the air was aweful, not normal there. One side of the garden was perfect, but the mangrove side was aweful. The last time I went there, about five to six years back, that was the perfect smell, but there were no birds, no spirits of life.

Cyclades

2007-12-12T23:21:00.000+08:00

Cyclades comes from kyklos, a circle, and a glance at the map indicates that the islands circle the sacred isle of Dilos. In historic terms, the Cyclades are probably the most significant group of all the Greek islands. Over the period 3000-1000 B.C, the so-called Cycladic civilization flourished here, producing extraordinary works of art that have had a lasting impact on the world. In antiquity, the Cyclades had at their center, the small island of Delos, where mythology tells us that Apollo and his sister Artemis were born. Declared a sanctuary where both birth and death were prohibited, Delos was an important spiritual, cultural and commercial hub of the Aegean. Today, its extensive remains remind visitors of its former importance.

If you see a photograph illustrating the Greek islands, there is a strong chance it was taken on one of the Cyclades. It will show an ink-blue sky, a jumble of dazzling white houses set higgledy-piggledy against a hillside, and somewhere, a blue-domed church. In many people's minds, this is the archetypal picture of a Greek island. On these particular islands, you'll also find red poppies growing from bare white rock, the aroma of wild herbs filling the air, and idyllic beaches gleaming in the sun.

The administrative capital of the Cyclades is Siros. Naxos, the largest island, along with its neigbour Paros, is more precisely in the geographical center of the group than in Dilos. Paros (sometimes called 'the poor man's Mykonos'), is the transport hub of the Cyclades, with a gentle landscape, appealing villages, good beaches and opportunities for windsurfing. Paros is the third largest of the Cyclades Islands. It is even more famous for its marble than Naxos. As the raw material desired by all the finest sculptors and architects, it was transported throughout Greece in classical times.

Paros has always been prosperous and it has retained much of its Greek customs and culture. Paros town, or Paroikia, in a sheltered harbour on the west coast, is a focal point for ferry services around the Cyclades. It has all the activity, bars and restaurants which you might expect. For a map of Paros or Paroikia, click here for Paros accommodation at fantasticgreece.com. The site contains various Paros Hotels with descriptive information as well as beautiful pictures. Paros is noted for its nearby beaches. It really has a little of everything one expects from a Greek island: old villages, monasteries, fishing harbours, a labyrinthine capital, nice beaches and varied nightlife. The island is really tourist attraction hotspot and anyone who wishes to find accommodation at Paros should book for Paros hotel early!

Flowers In Regent's Park

2007-10-19T02:17:00.000+08:00

These are beautiful photographs of flowers you can find in Regent's Park, one of the many beautiful Park in London. There are several Gardens in Regent's Park where you can find and capture photographs of various types of flowers. There are The The Avenue Gardens, also known as the 'Italian Gardens', Queen Mary's Gardens(Inner Circle) and The Secret Garden.

The old adage that 'the camera cannot lie' and therefore that it always reveal the truth about a person, a scene, or an object, is totally true. While it is true that the camera must record the image in front of it, the photograph itself will vary enormously according to lighting, speed, aperture and focal depth used. Photographs can be 'touched up', faked and altered out of all recognition; there are ways in which a variety of effects can be produced when the same subjects is dealt with. The camera can and does lie, in the hands of the expert who may wish to flatter or cheat. However, Lora Severson of Lora Severson Photography has just opened an online store at http://www.cafepress.com/loraseverson. Her store features her beautiful original nature photographs printed on unique gift items such as greeting cards, journals,coffee mugs, magnets and more. She loves to find the beautiful things in life and photograph them to share with the world. At her site, you can see photographs of flowers and landscapes.

A peaceful photograph when used or presented on calendars, mugs, greeting cards and so on can help to calm and ease one's mind. Peace resides in a room with a view in the warm, safe, quiet corners of your mind. The view is of a blissful today with a backdrop of a brilliant and sunny tomorrow. It is a place where few reside and that many seek. Peace demands its own space in a place that only open hearts can build. Do you hope to have peace in your life? Hope is the nourishment that sustains your soul. Make personal growth a priority. Embrace life by welcoming change in every aspect of your being. Try something different. Travel to an exotic place, visit Regent's Park to see the beautiful flowers or wear a new shirt. Buy a new shirt with a nature photographs printed on it. Buy a greeting card and send it to your love one. Buy a meaning gift at Lora Severson Photography! Find meaning in all the things that you do. Listen to your heart. Look at your unique talents and God-given gifts and use them to help make the world a better place.

Regent's Park

2007-10-18T08:55:00.000+08:00

Regent's Park has everything an urban explorer could wish for: big open spaces, a lake to row on, spectacular gardens, ducks and swans in quantity, ideal picnic spots and alfresco theatre and music.

Once part of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, and subsequently a royal hunting forest, Regent's Park is still owned by the Crown and, including Primrose Hill to the north, covers 472 acres. This large open space has survived a tortuous history dominated by self-interest, greed and commercial need.

The story began when Henry VIII enclosed the ancient woodland for his hunting. Over the following centuries it repeatedly came under threat as monarchs and Lord Protector alike sold off leases. By the late seventeenth century it was largely let off in smallholdings and during the eighteenth century these farms supplied hay and dairy produce to most of London.

Regent's Park is the result of a remarkable coincidence of royal enlightenment, architectural theatre, peaceful times and a large tract of land becoming available. In 1811, the Prince Regent, later George IV, and his architect, John Nash, conceived and completed a Regency backbone for London stretching from St. Jame's Park up Regent Street and Portland Place to Regent's Park. After vast earth-moving activities, the park was given its undulating lawns, lake, garden and trees, all ringed by grand terrace backdrops and dotted with just eight of the 56 planned villas.

What was designed as a garden city for nobles is now the most elegant of London parks. It has been open to the public since 1835, when Regent's Canal was one of the busiest stretches of canal in Britain. Londoners flocked to visit the zoo, Inner Circle Gardens and Avenue Gardens, which W.A. Nesfield designed in 1864. Its 197 ha (487 acres) easily absorb the many Muslims strolling from the gold-domed Central Mosque, patrons of the Open Air Theatre, cricketers -- and many others besides.

Regent's Park is renowned for its excellent sports facilities. The boating lake, which has many varieties of water birds, is marvellously romantic, especially when music drifts across from the bandstand in the distance. Queen Mary's Gardens are a mass of wonderful sights and smells in summer, when visitors can enjoy Shakespeare productions at the Open Air Theatre nearby. Travel to London and visit Regent's Park. If London does not appeal to you, visit Travel Blog which introduces you to many places in the world. The travel blog writes about North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. Browse by destinations or things to do, travel blog also has forum and travel deals for you -- "Purchase your Virgin Atlantic flight on Orbitz today and see for yourself how extraordinary Economy Class can be on flights to London!" quoted from the travel blog.

"Parks are the lungs of London", said William Pitt as he addressed Parliament in the 19th century. By 1850 half the population lived in cities and it was widely agreed that public spaces were needed for health and recreation. Within a few years London had established itself as one of the greenest cities in Europe. Today it has more parks and open spaces than any other city in the world.

St Paul's Churchyard

2007-10-11T22:16:00.000+08:00

St Paul's Churchyard

London is home to nearly seven million people, the workplace of three-quarters of a million more, and every year it attracts over thirteen million visitors from overseas. Yet this busy place is also among the greenest of cities, with over sixty-seven square miles of parks and gardens. Various London accommodation are available if you visit London. For example, there are hotels out of town, mid-price hotels, designer hotels, business hotels, character hotels, luxury hotels and even cheap hotels too.

St Paul's churchyard is a smallish garden around the cathedral with some associated small plots -- a place that is relatively peaceful in a part of the City that rarely rests. Virtually a traffic island, it is close to the line of the ancient Roman Watling Street and, to the south, the brand new Millennium Bridge that leads across the river to Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre. The gardens are municipal in flavour but immaculately maintained. They are based on trees, shrubs and roses, and summer bedding. They are enclosed by substantial handsome early wrought-iron railings, made in 1714, which make a suitable boundary for the stately cathedral.

The site has a stirring history. Here martyrs once died for their faith. Nearby is Christ Church, an imposing survivor of the old Greyfriars monastery, founded in the Blitz of 1941. The whole site has been transformed into a rose garden, with large-scale timber frame supports, linked by heavy rope swags, for climbing and rambling roses. Large urns are planted with spring and summer colour. All that remains of the church is the Wren tower, which looks on, rather like that at Postman's Park, making a theatrical end to the small garden.

Postman's Park

Much of London's special character stems from the open spaces within it. Over centuries, despite regular threats of enclosure and urbanization, London has managed to retain, create and develop green areas in large sweeps and small pockets -- sometimes flushed with flowers or studded with splendid trees, sometimes wild, sometimes made magnificent by the hand of man; sometimes open and spacious, sometimes hidden. These areas include royal parks, old estates, deer parks, the grounds of country houses, commons, heaths, nature reserves, community gardens, private gardens, botanical gardens, garden squares, cemeteries and municipal parks.

Although the city can claim to have over 67 square miles of open space, among which are 1700 spaces that are over 1 acre in size. A large proportion of these are accessible to the public. Few cities of the world provide as much open space for nature and people as in found in London.

New Jersey

2007-09-17T18:42:00.000+08:00

The so-named North Jersey Coast begins at Sandy Hook and continues south through Long Branch and Asbury Park to Bay Head, the south end of the New Jersey Transit line from Manhattan.

Atlantic City

New Jersey's Atlantic coast, a 130-mile stretch of almost uninterrupted resorts -- some rowdy, some run-down, some undeveloped and peaceful -- has long been reliant on farming and tourism. No profitable ports were established, nor did short-lived attempts at whaling come to anything. In the late 1980x, the whole coastline suffered severe and well-publicized pollution from ocean dumping. But today, the beaches, if occasionally somewhat crowded, are safe and clean: sandy, broad, and lined by characteristic wooden boardwalks.

Spring Lake

Seaside New Jersey offers an amazingly varied string of locales that serve equally well for a day at the beach or a short-stay bed-and-breakfast destination, and as a suburban bedroom community. The rowdy, sleaszy glitz of Atlantic City is perhaps the shore's best known attraction, though there are also quieter resorts like Spring Lake and Victorian Cape May.
Spring Lake is the leafiest of all the communities, and the town has strict regulations to keep it first and foremost a pleasant place to live.

Victorian Cape May

New Jersey is easily accessible from New York City. Visitors most often travel from New York to northern New Jersey for the great shopping: from huge malls and designer outlet stores to ethnic emporiums. Traveling west on the interstates from the shore or from New York City, however, visitors see the New Jersey of popular imagination: heavily industralized, a cultural desert, peppered with run-down cities like Trenton and Paterson. Visit DestinationJerseyCity.com for more information about Jersey City.

Indonesia

2007-09-15T00:42:00.000+08:00

Sumatra - Samosir island, Lake Toba

Most countries offer the foreign visitor an insight into a different culture, but Indonesia, with its dozens of historical influences, offers something dramatically more. The strands of varied customs, religions, legends and modernity are woven into complex patterns that reveal themselves in layers. Visitors with only a few days to spare will find much of colour and vitality to attract them, while those with more time will discover something deeper about the country's subtlety and diversity.

Kalimantan - Mahakam River

With an area of about 1950 000 square kilometres, the Republic of Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia and the world's largest archipelago. It stretches some 5150km and includes over 17 500 islands: about 6000 are inhabited. Roughly 70% of the population lives on Java, the largest island; the other major islands are Sumatra and Sulawesi, Kalimanta (which is Indonesia part of Borneo) and Papua (the Indonesian part of New Guinea formerly known as Irian Jaya).

Bali - Lake and Mount Batur

Indonesian landscapes are often rugged. Shallow seas patterned with coral reefs surround shores of mangrove swamps and coastal plains reaching back to dense rainforest. The mountains and geological structures are mainly volcanic, with many of the volcanoes still alive. It is estimated to have 128 active volcanoes!

Sulawesi

As an island nation, Indonesia has always been dependent upon the sea for transportation and communication, with rivers also important in the interior of the larger landmasses, notably Kalimantan. The shallow seas around the archipelago are vital as a source of food, and as a base for the tourist industry. As well as the numerous resorts of Bali, Lombok, Bintan and other areas, there is excellent scuba-diving around North Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Maluku, Flores, and Komodo -- even the heavily used seas around Java and Bali have some good reefs. Talking about island, what do you think you would do if you are trapped on an island? Read Ten Things to do if you are trapped on an island at BlogAsian, Asia Hotels Blog providing you with Asian news on travel and hotels.

Sulawesi - Manado

Indonesia's climate is predominantly tropical, the two main influences on it being the archipelago's equatorial position and its situation between the landmasses of Australasia and Asia, which affect the monsoon seasons.

Indonesia is a country blessed with amazing wildlife, beautiful freshwater streams, hot water springs, lakes, mountains, a wide variety of marine life in her surrounding water and magnificent beaches. Indonesia is blessed with vast deposits of oil, uranium, natural gas, gold, bauxite, iron ore, and other precious metals, and has great economic potential yet to be tapped. She remains an excellent country to enjoy a quiet and slow pace of life, amongst people who are generally more hospitable and friendly than others in Asia. If Indonesia is not your favourite holidays destination, you may visit Asia Travel News for more travel information and news. Do you know what is The largest attraction in the world? At BlogAsian, you can find answer to this question. You can also read more interesting asian travel and hotels news there!

Kensington Gardens

2007-09-11T20:30:00.000+08:00

Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, is one of the Royal Parks of London. Kensington Gardens covers an area of 1.1km² (275 acres) and lies immediately to the west of Hyde Park.

At Kensington Gardens you can see open lawns, shady lanes, and walking paths planted with magnificent trees and ornamental flower beds. At the centre of the garden is a pond where water birds are a common scene. Benches are interspersed around the pond where visitors can enjoy a quiet spot to enjoy a rest.

The history of Kensington Gardens is closely linked with that of Kensington Palace, which stands near the western boundary of the gardens. A popular feature in Kensington Gardens is the Peter Pan statue. Wildlife in the park include bird watching and a variety of fish. Kensington Gardens is a popular place for sunbathing and picnics. It is also popular as a healthy walking route to work for commuters. There are several upcoming events at Kensington Gardens. These include Scottish Country Dancing(on 15 Sep 2007), Guided Walk such as Art & Architecture(25 October 2007) and even Christmas(13 Dec 2007) and so on.

At Kensington Gardens, The Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground is a fantastic adventure for kids up to the age of 12. Ever year many youngsters visit the playground. Kensington Gardens is a romantic Italian garden. It is open from 6am to dusk all year round. Not only are there beautiful plants and flowers in the gardens, there are many fascinating buildings and monuments.

London has many beautiful gardens as well as other places of attractions. Springtime in London carries an almost tangible air of a city waking up to longer days and outdoor pursuits. The cheerful yellow of daffodils studs the parks, and less-hardy Londoners turn out for their first jog of the year to find themselves puffing in the wake of serious runners in training for the Marathon. As spring turns into summer, the royal parks reach their full glory, and in Kensington Gardens nannies gather to chat under venerable chestnut trees. As autumn takes hold, these same trees are ablaze with red and gold. Londoners' thoughts turn to afternoons in museums and art galleries, followed by tea in a cafe.

London's best hotels are famed for their discreet service and attention to detail. Although it was not until relatively recently that London responded to the global trend for stylish, more individualistic accommodation, there is now an incomparable array of establishments, ranging from the ultramodern to the ingeniously or ironically traditional. To search for London Hotels such as Top Kensington Gardens Hotel, visit TimeOut London. At TimeOut London, you can find Hotels in London as well as many other information such as travel solution, London Clubs, Bars and Pubs and so on. Time Out Group Website, Time Out Online at TimeOut.com is a handy travel information guide. At Time Out Online, you can find information about top destinations such as Berlin, Barcelona, Beijing and many more. Time Out is a worldwide company with Time Outs for different cities such as Time Out New York and Time Out Chicago. If you have no idea where to go this holiday seasons, visit Time Out for more ideas!

Australia: Adelaide

2007-08-30T12:29:00.000+08:00

Mount Gambier

South Australia contains a wide range of landscapes. A striking coastline of sandy beaches and steep cliffs gives way to lush valleys, mountains and rolling plains of wheat and barley. Further inland, the terrain changes starkly as the climate becomes hotter and drier. The Far North encompasses huge areas and includes the Flinders Ranges and Coober Pedy, the opal-mining town with "dugout" homes. Most of the state's population lives in the capital, Adelaide, and the wine-making towns of the Clare and Barossa valleys.

Flinders Ranges: stretch from north of St Vincent's Gulf far into the Outback. They include some of South Australia's most rugged scenery and offer fine bushwalking.

Adelaide is a vibrant city, whose surrounding hills abound with vineyards from the Barossa Valley to McLaren Vale. To the east, the great Murray River meanders from the Victoria border down to the Southern Ocean. With high rainfall and irrigated by the Murray River, the region is the most fertile in the state. The coastline includes the Fleurieu Peinsula and the beautiful Coorong National Park. Just off the Fleurieu Peninsula lies Kangaroo Island, a haven for wildlife.

Murray River

Adelaide is a green and elegant city. There are many historic sites to explore. To the northeast, beyond the Adelaide Hills, are quaint 19th century villages and the many wineries of the Barossa Valley region. To the east and south lie Australia's largest river, the Murray River, and the rolling hills of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Further to the southeast the beatuy of the xoastal Coorong National Park and the Southern Ocean coastline contrasts with the flat, agricultural area inland.

St. Peter's Anglican Cathedral

The innercity of Adelaide is best explored on foot; it is compact, well laid out and flat. There is a public transport system of mostly buses, and some trains, throughout the metropolitan area, although services are often restricted at weekends. For those with car, the city's roads are good and the traffic generally light. Outside Adelaide, public transport is very limited, although coach tours are available to most areas. A domestic air service operates between Adelaide and Mount Gambier. Kangaroo Island is serviced by air from Adelaide and also by ferry from Cape Jervis. The predominantly flat landscape also makes this a popular area for cyclists and walkers.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Adelaide is a city with great charm. They have unhurried way of life. Well planned on a grid pattern, it is bordered by wide terraces and parkland. Within the city are a number of garden squares and gracious stone buildings. However, while Adelaide values its past, it is very much a modern city. The balmy climate and excellent local food and wine have given rise to an abundance of streetside restaurants and cafes. With its acclaimed arts-based Adelaide Festival, the city also prides itself on being the artistic capital of Australia.

Karijini National Park, Perth

There are many reasons to travel to Adelaide. There are many online websites offering cheap hotels and luxurious vacation homes. Cheaperthanhotels offers lastminute and year round accommodation at hotels, motels and serviced apartments. Serviced apartments are just like apartments home away from home and great value, often better value than smaller hotel rooms. Excellent for visiting the summer festivals of New Year / January / February. Go to Cheaperthanhotels to book for Hotels In Adelaide now!

If your vacation is in Australia, you might want to go Perth and Sydney. The 2007 Perth International Arts Festival was a great success. The festival was created in 1953 by the University of Western Australia, making it the oldest international arts festival in Australia. Activities include theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts and literature, occurring right across the state. If you love crowds and you love arts, plan for 2008 Perth International Arts Festival now. For more hotels choices for various destinations, cheaperthanhotels has Hotels In Perth for you. Book your hotels early to prevent any disappointments. If all these does not appeal to you, you can still lookout for Melbourne Accomodation if you want to visit Melbourne.

Australia: Perth

2007-08-29T17:13:00.000+08:00

Kimberley, Western Australia: covers 421000 square kilometers and has a population of less than 25000. Geologically it is one of the oldest regions on earth. Its rocks formed up to 2000 million years ago. Aboriginal people have lived here for thousands of years, but his unique land has been a tourist attraction only since the 1980s.

The huge state of Western Australia encompasses a land mass of more than 2500000 square kilometers. In recent years, the state's popularity as a tourist destination has increased, with large numbers of visitors drawn to its many areas of extreme natural beauty. The landscape ranges from giant karri forests, imposing mountains and meadows of wildflowers to vast expanses of untamed wilderness with ancient gorges and rock formations. The coastline has an abundance of beaches, ideal for surfing, and some stunning offshore reefs.

Rottnest Island: settled by Europeans in 1831, it was used as an Aboriginal prison between 1838 and 1902. In 1917, in recognition of its scenic beauty and rich bird life, the island became a protected area and today it is a popular tourist destination.

In the east, great deserts stretch to the state border. The capital, Perth is Australia's most isolated yet most modern state capital. It lies on the Swan River, just 10 km from where it flows into the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain on which it stands is bordered to the north and west by the Darling Range, beyond which lie the region's wheat fields. To the south is a diverse landscape: forests with some of the tallest trees on earth, mountains that dramatically change colour during the course of each day and a spectacular coastline. Inland are the gold fields that kept the colony alive in the 1980s, beyond lies the Nullabor Plain, bordering the raging Southern Ocean.

Swan Bells Tower: opened in 2001, one of Perth's main attractions. Swan Bells Tower contains 12 bells from St Martin-in-the-fields, in England. There are displays and exhibitions inside the tower and an observation deck.

Aborigines have lived in the southern region of Western Australia for at least 30000 years. However, within 20 years of the settlement of the state's first European colony in 1829, most Aboriginal groups had been either forcibly ejected from the region, imprisoned or stricken by European diseases. Today, Perth and Southwest are fast becoming popular international tourist destinations. Blessed with superb beaches and a glorious climate, the region has everything to offer visitors from climbing the tallest fire-lookout tree in the country to whale-watching along the coast. World-class wineries abound in the Margaret River region and, in springtime, vast tracts of the south are covered with wildflowers.

Adelaide Botanic Gardens: Begun in 1855, this is a peaceful garden that cover an area of 50 acres. They include artificial lakes and the beautiful Bicentennial Conservatory in which a tropical rainforest environment has been re-created.

Cleaming skyscrapers, an easy-going atmosphere and its coastal setting make it a popular destination. Home to 80% of the state's population, Perth has many historic towns scattered around the southwest, such as the gold field Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. Among the many Perth Hotels in Australia, York Hotel in Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie was built in the 19th century during the region's gold rush era. Its interior has been carefully preserved. Some attractions of Perth includes Stirling Range National Park, St George's Anglican Cathedral and St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, The Deanery, Fire Brigade Museum, Perth Mint,Swan Bells Tower, Whiteman Park, Perth Zoo, Rottnest Island and so on.

Adelaide and Sydney are great tourist destinations too. Festivals and food. Arts and culture. Shopping and sports. This is Adelaide - the city where there's always something on. Whether you want to party or relax, South Australia's capital has it all. With spacious boulevards and vibrant inner-city districts, sophisticated architecture and lush gardens, it's the perfect venue for all sorts of activities - big or small. You might want to immerse yourself in the culture of the city's North Terrace, with its museums and libraries. You might want to indulge in retail therapy at Rundle Mall, or sample the variety of tastes on offer at the famed Adelaide Central Market. In Adelaide, there is a brilliant blend of things to see and do. All you have to do is choose. Choose your Adelaide Hotels at cheaperthanhotels! To make the most of a trip to a country as vast and geographically diverse as Australia, a specialist holiday is an excellent idea. Whether you are pursuing an interest, acquiring a new skill or learning about the environment, such holidays can be very rewarding experience. Your Australia holidays can being at Sydney. Start booking early for your favourite Sydney Accomodation now!

California

2007-08-29T12:04:00.000+08:00

California's dramatic landscape: Highest point in the US, Mount Whitney in the High Sierras

California is more like a country than a state. It is big and it symbolizes the United States' diversity and sense of prosperity. Of the 50 united states only Alaska and Texas are bigger. The coastline stretches for 2036km from the mist-shrouded redwood forests on the Oregon border to the hot, dry deserts of Mexico, and it is the most fertile state in the Union. California can conveniently be divided in two, with San Francisco as the hub for northern California and Los Angeles for the Southern part of the state. The majority of visitors will fly into one of these hub cities.

Yosemite National Park

California is the land of plenty. The Central Valley is one of the world's most productive agricultural regions and the shelves of any supermarket will reflect the wealth of fresh produce available. An impressive range of fruits and vegetables is grown there and most of them are available year round at inexpensive prices. Grapes are a major crop, some of the world's finest wines flow from bottles produced in the Napa Valley.

Napa Valley

California claims the second highest peak in the country Mount Whitney, and its lowest expanse of dry land, Death valley. More than 1500 plant species grow here that cannot be found anywhere else on earth. Roughly one in every eight Americans is a Californian, making this the most populous of the 50 states. Walk through any of the four most-populated cities -- Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco, although visitors usually go California to see one of two cities: San Francisco or Los Angeles. San Francisco is older and more compact. Although California in general is recognized for its eccentricities and is still the birthplace of new trends.

Balboa Park, San Diego

San Diego cover more than 4000 square miles. It lies close to the border with Mexico, exploiting a large bay protected by two peninsulas. Stunning beaches and plentiful oppportunities for leisure activities are the main attractions along the Pacific shoreline. A drive inland takes the visitor to the tranquility of Cleveland National Forest and the wilderness of state parks, such as Palomar Mountain and Cuyamaca Rancho.

Torrey Pines State Preserve and Santa Rosa Island are the only two places in the world where the Torrey Pine, or Pinu torreyana, survives. A remnant of pre-Ice Age forests, this tree is well adapted to this area's dry, sandy environment.

Torrey Pines State Preserve, San Diego

The growth of modern San Diego began in the 1870x, when Alonzo Horton, a San Francisco businessman, began to develop the town's waterfront areas. Close to the Santa Fe Depot, one of the city's tallest buildings, the America Plaza, is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art. There are many more attractions at San Diego. Some attractions of San Diego includes the zoo, Balboa Park, Batiquiltos Lagoon, San Diego Museum of Art, San Pasqual Battlefield, Palomar Mountain etc. Start planning for your vacation now if you love San Diego. Book for San Diego vacation rentals or you can look up for other vacation homes too you would love want to tour California or other places of your choice. If you are travelling with children, the best months to go California are June, July and August. This is also when Disneyland is at its busiest. If you are looking for a quieter time, March, April, May, late September, October and November are more peaceful. Avoid American holidays when you will be more likely to come across long tailbacks and choked highways.

California is a vibrant and diverse vacation destination. It is wise to plan ahead. San Francisco and LA are the two main gateways for visitors traveling to California by air. You can also get there by car, train, long-distance bus or by ocean liner. Accommodation can easily be found at Goin2Travel which provide various vacation homes such as Newport beach vacation rentals and many more.

France

2007-08-28T19:15:00.000+08:00

Chateau de Versailles

France is one of the largest countries in Europe, covering an area of 543 965 square kilometres. It has a population of around 61 million. It is known as the "Hexagon" due to its six-sided shape. It is bordered by six countries:Spain across the Pyreness to the south; Italy and Switzerland beyond the Alps; Luxembourg and Belgium to the north; and Germany on the other side of the Rhine. The United Kingdom lies across the English Channel.

France's landscape ranges from high mountain plateaux to lush farmland, traditional villages to chic boulevards. The idea of life in the country, with long tables set in the sun for the wine and anecdotes to flow, is as seductive as ever for residents and visitors alike. The climate of France is varied and temperate. An Atlantic influence prevails in the northwest, with westerly sea winds bringing humidity and warm winters. The east experiences Continental temperature extremes with frosty, clear winters and often stormy summers. The south enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters, punctuated by violent winds.

Eiffel Tower

France is really a beautiful country where there are winemaking and artists have always been inspired by France; and one of the pleasures of touring the countryside is the recognition of landscapes made famous in paintings. France is rich in medieval architecture, ranging from small Romanesque churches to great Gothic cathedrals.

The French are convinced that their way of life is best, and that their country is the most civilized on earth. Many millions of visitors agree with them. The food and wine are justly celebrated. French culture, literature, art, cinema and architecture can be both profound and provocative. Whether cerebral, sensual or sportif, France is a country where anyone might feel at home.

Bois de Vincennes

Paris is the largest city, followed by Lyon, Marseille and the conurbation of Lille-Lens-Valenciennes. Paris is rich in museums, art galleries and monuments. The Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Pompidou Centre are among the most popular sights. Surrounding Paris, the Ile de France takes in 12000 square kilometres of busy suburbs and commuter towns punctuated by chateaux, the most celebrated being Versailles. Further out, suburbia gives way to farmland, forests and the magnificent palace of Fontainebleau.

Bois de Boulogne

France has airline connections with most cities in the world. Every year it receives over 75 million visitors. Paris is the major transport hub with two international airports, others include Bordeaus, Lille, Lyon, Nice and Toulouse. There are good, high-speed rail links with the rest of Europe, and a network of efficient motorways. A number of ferry routes cross the Mediterranean to Corsica and beyond. Cross-Channel ferries serve several ports, with the Channel Tunnel providing an alternative link by rail.

Paris epitomizes luxury and good living. Entertainment and shopping for gifts and souvenirs are so much fun in Paris. It has a wealth of stylish gift options, from designer accessories to Eiffel Tower paperweights. Whether your preference is for classical drama, ballet, jazz or cinema or dancing the night away, Paris has it all. When planning to travel to Paris, Hôtels en Paris and Cheaperthanhotels offer last minute and year round accommodation at prices often less than direct prices, but also with free inclusions. This works out to be excellent value when 2 or more persons are travelling to hotels, hostels or serviced apartments. Paris is lovely in the fall. Book for Hotels in Paris early to prevent any disappointment. Start looking for Paris Hotels at Cheaperthanhotels now!

Kew Palace

2007-08-27T10:03:00.000+08:00

Kew Palace, Kew, Surrey

Kew Palace formerly The Dutch House, is located in Kew Gardens, which is between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. Kew Palace is set like a miniature jewel within the vast expanse of the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Palace began life as the Dutch House and was built in red brick around 1613 by a Dutch merchant called Samuel Fortrey. It was one of the first examples in Britain of a brickwork known as "Flemish bond", in which the bricks are laid with their sides and ends alternating. The rounded gables gave the house its distinctive Dutch appearance. Fortrey lived here with his wife, Catherine.

The Dutch House was leased in 1728 by Queen Caroline, who intended to use it as a royal annexe whenever she and her husband, George II, were staying at nearby Richmond Lodge. The Dutch House became a nursery for the royal children, and George III spent a lot of time here as a boy. Caroline also leased several other buildings and plots of land, including the White House which stood nearby. In 1731, the White House became the home of Frederick, Prince of Wales. He was the despised eldest son of George II and Queen Caroline, so even the thought of his nearby presence must have been vexations to them. However, he and his wife, Augusta, were rare visitors to Kew until the death of Caroline in 1737. After that, they lived at Kew, devoting much of their time to creating what are now the Royal Botanic Gardens.

In 1772, the White House was taken over by Frederick and Augusta's son, George III, and his young family. George, Prince of Wales (who became the Prince Regent in 1811 and George IV in 1820) and his younger brother, Frederick, lodged nearby at Kew Palace. The freehold of the property was given to their mother, Queen Charlotte, in 1781.

Although the life of Royal Botanic Gardens continued to develop, and still flourishes today,William, Duke of Clarence and his younger brother, Kew Palace enjoyed only a brief flowering. By 1818, it was the end of an era. On 13 July 1818, William, Duke of Kent, were both married in a joint ceremony at Kew Palace. A crisis had been triggered the previous year by the death of Princess Charlotte, the daughter of the Prince Regent, in childbirth. The Royal family needed more heirs, and in effect the two brothers embarked on a race to see who could produce a child first. It was a sad irony that the Duke of Clarence had fathered numerous healthy, illegitimate children, most notably by his long-time and devoted mistress, Mrs Jordon, but none of his legitimate children survived early infancy. The Duke of Kent and his wife, Victoria, were more fortunate and produced a daughter who grew up to become Queen Victoria.

On 17 November 1818, Queen Charlotte died at Kew Palace, and it was closed. The Royal Botanic Gardens acquired the palace, with Queen Victoria's permission in 1896, and it was opened to the public two years later.

Kew Palace is the oldest building within the Royal Botanic Gardens. Since Medieval times, London has had large expanses of green. Some of these, such as Hampstead Heath, were originally common land, where smallholders such as Richmond Park and Holland Park, were royal hunting grounds or the gardens of large houses; several still have formal features dating from those times. Today you can cross much of central London by walking from St James's Park in the east to Kensington Gardens in the west. Purpose-built parks, like Battersea Park and botanical gardens, like Kew Gardens are not to be missed. Every London park has its own charm and character. Traveling to London is always advisable to book well in advance, as room availabilty and better quality hotels are in constant demand. Direct bookings of London Hotels can be done easily at easytobook.com. Internet hotels booking is fast and efficient. There are also some good deals available by booking hotels online. At easytobook.com, you can also book for New York Hotels and many destinations Hotels like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome and so on.

Royal Botanic Gardens

2007-08-26T09:58:00.000+08:00

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens. The Royal Botanic Gardens, between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England, are a World Heritage Site and the most complete public gardens in the world. Their reputation was first established by Sir Joseph Banks, the British naturalist and plant hunter, who worked here in the late 18th century. In 1841 the former royal gardens were given to the nation and now display about 40 000 different kinds of plants. There are conservatories, a herbarium, a library and eating places. Kew is also a centre for scholarly research and garden enthusiasts will want a full day for their visit.

Designed by Decimus Burton in the 1840s, the famous jewel of Victorian engineering houses exotic plants in tropical conditions.

History of Royal Botanic Gardens
In the 18th century, this area formed the private gardens of Frederick, Prince of Wales, which are today known as the Royal Botanic Gardens. At the time, Kew was a place of political intrigue, having grown in importance during the previous two centuries because of tis close proximity to nearby Richmond Palace. Frederick was a very keen gardener, having already created a landscaped garden at Carlton House in London, and he set about doing the same thing at Kew. Frederick was greatly aided in this task by John Stuart, the 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-92), who was briefly Prime Minister in 1762-63. He helped the prince to design the gardens and to collect many of the plants and trees that became the basis of the world-renowned collection of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

On 31 March 1751, Frederick died from complications that set in after he caught a chill while gardening in the rain. His widow, Augusta, continued to live at the White House, which was one of the residences within the gardens. She also continue to work on the gardens with Bute, prompting some ribald gossip about the nature of their relationship. Their work at Kew was helped by William Chambers (1726-96), who was the architectural tutor to Augusta's son, George, Prince of Wales, and a noted expert on Chinese culture. He undoubtedly had a very strong influence on the plethora of Chinese-inspired buildings that sprang up in the grounds of Kew. The Chinese Pagoda is one of the few extant buildings from that time. Other buildings at Kew were inspired by foreign cultures as well.

By the end of her life, Augusta was only an occasional visitor to Kew, but she had helped to landscape over 100 acres(40.5 hectares), which contained more than 2700 species of plants. It was a colossal achievement and is commemorated in the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, which was opened by Diana, another Princess of Wales, in 1987.

Travelling Information
London is one of Europe's central routing points for international air and sea travel. London has two main airports. By air, travellers face a bewildering choice of carriers serving Europe, North America, Australasia and the Far East. Stiff competition on some routes means that low fares are occasionally introduced to attract new passengers. As for long distance sea travel, there are efficient and regular ferry services from Europe. Travelling by rail is possible to London. London has eight main rail stations.

Are you thinking of visiting London or do you wish to know what is The Hottest Steaming Tourist Destinations? For interesting travel news or articles, BlogsToGo provides Last minute travel news and updates. Find interesting article like London Will Scare You To Death at BlogClub, the right hand side bar of BlogsToGo. If you do not like gardens or parks, find other places, The Three Most Futuristic Cities or even The Three Cheapest Cities for Shopaholics. For last minutes hotel deals, you can even click on RatesToGo!

Photographs of New Zealand

2007-08-25T21:14:00.000+08:00

Orewa, Auckland: The beach at Orewa, popular with swimmers and windsurfers.

New Zealand lies in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising two large islands and a number of smaller ones. Its total land area is comparable in size to Japan or the British Isles. Two-thirds of the country's 4 million people live in the North Island, just over one million of those in Auckland, the country's largest city and the world's most populous Polynesian centre. New Zealand's capital is Wellington, at the southernmost tip of the North Island.

Auckland Domain: The oldest park is the Auckland Domain.

New Zealand is an old land with a young landscape. There are many peaceful sceneries to see at New Zealand, where natural beauty is the country's greatest asset. There are numerous forests and countless scenic reserves. It is a great place for relaxation. There are many things which tourists can do at New Zealand -- bird-watching, walking, fishing, golfing, wine-tasting and so on. Some of the attractions of New Zealand includes Christ Church Cathedral in the heart of Christchurch, Lake Wakatipu, Larnach Castle, Crater Lake of Mount Ruapehu, Mount Taranaki/Egmont, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Martinborough, Hawke's Bay vineyard and Raukumara Forest Park.

Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington: Establish in 1868. Wellington Botanic Garden is a mix of protected native forest, conifer plantings and plant collections.

During the December holidays season, families can set off to New Zealand for some fun and relaxing moments. Enjoy walking or hiking with backpacks, food and sleeping bags in well-marked paths. Enjoy peaceful sceneries and have a chance to view a varieties of beautiful flora and fauna of New Zealand. Some of the sceneries are mountains, rivers, forests, coastline, lakes, cityscapes, beaches, volcanoes, caves and plants.

Martinborough Vineyard, Wellington : The size and quality of New Zealand's fast-growing wine industry comes as a surprise to many people. In New Zealand, around 60 million liters of wine are produced annually, with 20 million litres exported. It attract serious interest from wine writers and from the trade in general.

Avon River, Christchurch: Punting on the Avon River in Christchurch

Spring(September through November) and autumn(March through May) are the best times to visit New Zealand. The busiest time to visit is from late December until the end of January. This is the high holiday season, when it seems that every family in New Zealand takes a trip. Roads and trains are jammed, hotels and motels are booked up, and all tourist facilities are crowded. New Zealand is well supplied with hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, farmstays, lodges, motor camps, campgrounds and backpacker accommodation -- ranging from high luxury to unadorned simplicity. Cheaperthanhotels NZ offers last minute and year round discount accommodation throughout the country. During peak holiday season from mid-December to the end of January, tourist must need to book their accomodation in advance. At Cheaperthanhotels, you can book Hotels in Auckland and many more. If you are looking for Hotels In Wellington then you might consider The Wellesley Boutique Hotel Wellington, which is a four-stars hotel. The hotel is only 20min by car to the airport. For more details, Cheaperthanhotels have more information on that. On the other hand, it you are looking for Hotels In Christchurch then you might consider these four accommodation -- Merivale Manor Christchurch, Gunyah Country Estate, Hadleigh Boutique Lodge and Elm Tree House Christchurch. To be sure to get the right accommodation you like, you have to book for your hotels in advance!

South Africa

2007-08-24T01:32:00.000+08:00

Cape Town : Cape Town does not seem like part of Africa. The climate is Mediterranean, the buildings European and many of the faces you see around are light-skinned. It provides plenty of mellow history, fascinating museums, good shopping and enchanting gardens such as the superb Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

Dismayed by horrific films of squatter camps and township violence, of police brutality and children lying dead in the dust, many tourists stayed away from South Africa until the 1994 elections. Now they are arriving in droves in search of the New South Africa; by 2003, visitor numbers had risen to over 6.5 million (1.95 million from outside Africa).

Cape Town: Take strolls around the town and embark on hikes on the mountain, where you can find some of the world's most dramatic views and spectacular sunsets.

In a world riven with strife and conflict, South Africa's emergence like a butterfly from the chrysalis of its solitude and isolation is a great story of the triumph of the human spirit. In Africa, there is an indigenous philosophy, known as ubuntu, which describes the paramount importance of human relationships. Simply translated, ubuntu means "I am a person because of other people", a remarkable statement that sums up in a single phrase the impetus behind the country's magnificent act of reconciliation and the creation of its much admired new democracy.

Cape Town: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Aside from the riveting human drama of past 15 years, South Africa has always been a place of fascination for the environmentalist and nature lover. This huge country, with a land area which exceeds that of Italy, France and Germany combined, has a relatively small population of some 48 million people, with 11 official languages and cultural traditions from across Europe, Asia and Africa. Falling between its two spectacular ocean boundaries, the warm Indian Ocean to the east and the icy waters of the Atlantic to the west, is a staggering variety of landscapes and climates. In sultry KwaZulu-Natal one finds dense tropical coastal dune forests, while a short three-hour drive inland brings one straight to the province's imposing mountain range, the Drakensberg. To the northwest of the country stretch the timeless desert wastes of the legendary Kalahari, and the centre of the country, in the wondrous Eastern Cape province, lies one of the world's most ancient pieces of primordial land, the Karoo. Here, in an area of immense semi-desert biodiversity, can be found traces of the earliest creatures to have walked the earth, primitive beings which pre-dated the dinosaurs by millennia. To the south lie the fertile and verdant valleys of the Cape, which is blessed with a Mediterranean-like climate comparable to that of the south of France, while to the north are huge tracts of classic African bushveld, which is home to the famous Big Five. The term Big Five is used to denote the animals which were most sought after as trophies by big game hunters of the 19th century, namely lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros and buffalo.

Franschhoek, 80km northeast of Cape Town, in the heart of the Cape Winelands: Huguenot Memorial

For well over 100 years, South Africa's seductive safari experiences have been a magnet for the adventurous. Most towns were built on a grid layout, with Dutch-style squares and English-style parks to give a feeling of space, and broad streets lined with ornamental trees. Official buildings became ever larger and grander, culminating in Sir Herbert Baker's superb Union buildings in Pretoria. Until the early 20th century, the towns were relatively multiracial, with areas like Cape Town's District Six and Johannesburg's Sophiatown as vibrant cultural melting pots. They produced innovative art, music and dance and created pockets of bohemian life beneath the stern noses of the Dutch Reformed pastors. Scenic hikes can be made in any of the 9 provinces. South Africa also has some of the world's top hot-air ballooning spots, notably in the Magaliesberg in Gauteng and the Free State. In the ocean, one can dive in search of wrecks, reefs and sharks, sail the rough seas off Cape Town or seek out gentler swells further north along the Indian Ocean coast.

Franschhoek: Franschhoek is among the top five tourist destinations in South Africa. Franschhoek lies in a green valley surrounded by majestic mountains. It exudes in beauty and ambience and provides the ultimate in relaxation and tranquility.

Middle-class South Africans have an exceptionally high standard of living. South Africa actually provides excellent accomodation. Few locals can afford international five star prices but the hoteliers have been jumping on the bandwagon as tourism and business boom. Johannesburg and Cape Town both have an excellent collection of top-end hotels. Cheaperthanhotels offers last minute and year round accommodation discounts at prices usually less than those available directly from the hotels. To book for Hotels In Johannesburg or Hotels In Cape Town visit Cheaperthanhotels. For people who cannot afford luxury, Cheaperthanhotels have hotels that cater for your comfort and convenience. For example you can find a Sandton Hotels ranging from two-stars to five-stars at Cheaperthanhotels. They provide hotels reviews too. Click here for Hotels In Sandton for more information. Book for your favourite accomodation before you visit South Africa! Enjoy some peaceful photographs of South Africa's attractions!

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls is the largest and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world.

London Peace

2007-08-23T07:32:00.000+08:00

Royal Botanic Gardens
Have Peace within you and everywhere you go you will find peace. In London, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are a World Heritage site. It is the most complete public gardens in the world.

From its first creation under the Romans two thousand years ago, London has had a life of its own and has grown and developed with little formal planning. London means different things to different people. For multitude of visitors or tourists, it is a wonderful place of theatres, concert halls, art galleries, museums and festivals. In every field of work, London acts as a magnet: in government, the arts, in law, and in business. London is not only the capital city and therefore the administrative centre of the country, it is also the centre for almost everything.

It is impossible to walk around London without coming upon, amongst the immediately modern, some corner of Roman, Tudor, Georgian or Victorian London. A little piece preserved by chance or design. There are so many layers of history in London's streets and buildings. It is impossible to separate London from its history. Every building, street, shop and statue has a story to tell about its past -- whether it happened yesterday or 1000 years ago.

London's Top Ten Tourist Attraction includes St. Paul's Cathedral, Hampton Court, Buckingham Palace, British Museum, National Gallery, Westminister Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Victoria and Albert Museum. Below are three beautiful pictures of London places which I would love to go. In addition to St. James's Park, Tower of London and Columbia Road Market, I would love to visit St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey and Victoria and Albert Museum.

St James's Park
St James's Park was first laid out in 1532 by Henry VIII and later, under the Stuart Kings, it was only used by the court. St James's Park is the oldest royal park in London and it has the added distinction of being surrounded by three royal palaces: Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminister and St James's Palace. Although it is now part of one of the most prestigious areas in London, it began life as a boggy field next to a leper hospital for women. The site of the hospital has also come up in the world, as it is now occupied by St. James's Palace. Today the park can be enjoyed by everyone and it is home to several pelicans, which were first introduced when a Russian ambassador gave a pair of the birds to Charles II.

Tower of London
Some of the greatest architectural and historic royal treasures of London, such as St Paul's Cathedral and the Guildhall, belong to its ancient City. The Tower of London is one of the most famous buildings in the world and it is still an impressive sight almost 1000 years after it was first built. The Tower of London, one of the most distinctive buildings in the world, occupies a majestic position on the banks of the Thames just outside the City of London. For centuries, the sight of its rising towers and thick walls struck terror in the hearts of many Londoners because the Tower was a fortified prison as well as a royal palace.

Columbia Road Market
Anyone who loves flowers will love Columbia Road Market. Most devoted to plants and seedlings, it also has stalls of cut flowers on sale. This is the place for common flowers and shrubs like petunias, pansies, lobelias and begonias. It is truly a market for everyone who loves gardening.

There are many places to visit in London. Accomodation in London is costly, but you can find mid-range hotels or cheap Hotels in London at Cheaperthanhotels. Cheaperthanhotels offers last minute and year round accommodation with free inclusions at prices often less than directly at the hotel , hostels or serviced apartments. Not only can you find inexpensive Hotels in London, you can also find inexpensive Hotels in Birmingham and other hotels in United Kingdom. If you love parks and gardens like me, then you would love Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Fletcher Moss botanical garden. Fletcher Moss botanical garden is situated in southern Manchester, in close proximity to Didsbury. Book for Hotels in Manchester to explore the beautiful flora and fauna of Manchester botanical garden!

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden (known locally as Fletcher Moss)

Vienna And Berlin

2007-08-17T23:46:00.000+08:00

Schloss Charlottenburg Park

This is such a beautiful world. Vienna is full of beautiful arts. There are the best Museums and Galleries and there are the best churches. In addition, there are also many great historic houses and palaces with great architectural designs. These are my love. In Berlin, there are beautiful houses and peaceful landscape, another of my love.

If I have a chance to travel to these two places, Vienna and Berlin, I would want to visit these places which is going to be described below. But first of all, I have to book for hotels. Among the Hotels in Vienna at CheaperthanHotels, I would want to book for Grand Hotel Vienna which is a five stars hotel. I would be flying from Vienna to Berlin and I need to book for Hotels in Berlin too. Among the hotels available at CheaperthanHotels, I would choose Schlosshotel Im Grunewald Berlin.

Schonbrunn Palace Garden

At Vienna, the places that I want to visit are Kinsky Palace, Schonbrunn Palace, Winter Palace of Prince Eugene, Sigmund Freud's House, Historical Museum of the City of Vienna, Austrian Museum of Applied Arts, Museums of Baroque and Medieval Arts, Museum of 19th and 20th Century Art, Heeresgeschichtliches Museum, Ruprechtskirche and Michaelerkirche.

Kinsky Palace

At Berlin, the places that I want to visit are Schloss Charlottenburg, and most important of all, Potsdam, Brandenburg Potsdam, a satellite town of Berlin. Potsdam is a favourite destination with Berliners who wish to have a relaxing excursion. Capital of the province of Brandenburg, the town is set amid pleasant woodland, interspersed with lakes formed by the River Havel.

Potsdam Schloss Cecilienhof is a copy of an English Tudor-style mansion house. This is where Churchill, Truman and Stalin decided the fate of post-war Germany and signed the Potsdam Treaty on 2 August 1945.

Potsdam Schloss Cecilienhof

Vienna contains an astonishing array of monuments, palaces, parks and museums, which themselves house an impressive array of art and artefacts from all over the world and from all periods of history. Out of the places which I wanted to go as described above, the thing which I really hope to see is the Medieval Arts and the applied arts of Vienna, in addition to the garden Palaces. I would love to free and easy tour of my own so that I can take my own sweet time to enjoy every moment of admiring the beautiful arts and peaceful moments in Vienna and Berlin. To enjoy my trip, I need cheap but good hotel. If I had a chance to go Vienna and Berlin, to get the Hotels in Vienna and Hotels in Berlin which I want, I have to book them in advance. I would look forward to the day where my dream will come true.

Free Trip To Australia

2007-08-07T20:14:00.000+08:00

The Conservatory in Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens

Many years back, I was given a chance to go Sydney. Hotel in Sydney was being booked and the date was arranged. However, I did not go Sydney in the end. To me, Sydney is a just another bustling city like Singapore. I have no wish to go Sydney during that time. However, if I have free tickets to Australia now, the first place I would want to go is Melbourne.

Why do I want to go Melbourne? Melbourne is not much different to Sydney. It is a modern city. However, something which I would not want to miss out is Fitzroy Gardens, a popular tourists destination in Melbourne. The reasons I want to visit Fitzroy Gardens is not because it is popular. I want to go Fitzroy Gardens because I love gardens and parks. Fitzroy Gardens is not an ordinary park. It has features of beautiful victoria garden with sculptures, fountain, conservatory, and most importantly, I want to see the cottages and tudor village.

This is Model Tudor village at Fitzroy Gardens. This is what I would really want to see and walk around to admire the great art. I would like to go nearer to observe the details of every part of the beautiful houses. I would get myself a good camera if I have a chance to go there. I would want to capture my own image of every houses there.

At Melbourne, I would want to stay in five stars hotel like Chateau Yering Historic House Hotel, which can be easily booked at CheaperthanHotels. The next thing which I would love to see is Cook's Cottage, which is where James Cook used to stay during his childhood days. I have never stepped into a cottage before. I would love to see its interior.

Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are near to each other, with Sydney in between. After my stay at Hotel in Melbourne, I would go to Sydney next. I would stay at Meriton Parramatta Sydney, the cheapest five stars Sydney Hotel at CheaperthanHotels. At Sydney, I would want to go Chinese Garden of Friendship and the Royal Botanic Gardens. If time permits, I shall visit the Museums and Art Galleries too. Sydney may be famous for its Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach etc. However, I have no wish to see these. However, if I am not tired, I would like to visit them.

After Sydney, the last place I would go is Brisbane. Brisbane is my last destination and I would want to have a good stay in Conrad Treasury Hotel Brisbane, a Hotel in Brisbane which is reasonably priced. The only place which I would love to see again in Brisbane is the peaceful parks and gardens. I would wish to have a quiet day in Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens. With that, I would be satisfied with my trip to Australia.

Whistler

2007-08-05T19:40:00.000+08:00

Whistler is located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada -- on Highway 99 approximately 44 kilometers (27 mi) north of Squamish. It is only two hours from Vancouver(north of Vancouver) along the scenic Sea to Sky Highway, and five hours from Seattle, WA. Whistler is ranked the number one resort in North America and it is a year-round destination, visited by more than two million of people every year. If you like Lake Tahoe, like me, then you would like Whistler too.

Whistler has almost everything for you. There are more than 200 shops (eg. boutiques and coffee shops), 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas as well as the best mountain bike park in the world. Whistler features two spectacular mountains and it has the most ski runs in the world. Besides Alpine skiing and mountain biking, other activities you can enjoy at Whistler include golf, sledge hockey, shopping, dining, river rafting, hiking and most importantly beautiful sceneries. It is a fantastic place to fish too (Fishing season generally runs April through October but some fishing is available all year round.)!

Whistler is a great winter vacation spot for skiing. It also attracts many visitors in the summertime. For people who loves nature, Whistler is a peaceful place where you can see wildlife such as American Bald eagles, Black bears, Hoary marmots, gophers, native birds (such as hummingbirds, Stellar jays, whiskijacks, ravens, and crows), deer, native fish (such as salmon, trout, char, steelhead), cougars, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and rabbits. Beautiful and magnificent scenery includes the alpine glaciers (for example Squamish Glacier covers 80 square miles of ice), ice caps, rugged volcanic peaks, ancient cedar forests (1000 years old, trees 50 feet around), pine and hemlock forests, waterfalls, alpine meadows, jade and blue coloured alpine lakes, valley wetlands, and volcanic craters.

Whether it is summertime or wintertime, Whistler provides the perfect retreat for anyone who need to get away from the bustling city life. Whistler pedestrian village has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines for the past 15 years. Traveling to Whistler resort can be done so easily by air, train, or bus with connections from international airports.

There are many varieties of accommodation choices at Whistler. Holiday Whistler is a vacation rental company based in Whistler, BC. Holiday Whistler offers a wide variety of properties for rent all year round. Many are ski-in, ski-out and have wood-burning fireplaces and private hot tubs. To enjoy a peaceful and great time at Whistler, checkout Whistler accomodation at Holiday Whistler. Book for Whistler condo rental or Whistler lodging to enjoy high quality vacation close to home for the whole family. Children and adults can enjoy many fun water activities and beautiful sceneries of peaceful lakes. Holiday Whistler is your guide to the a perfect place for enjoyable outdoor adventure at Whistler. Not only can you search for Whistler Accomodation easily, there is also featured Whistler rental for your reference. Click for an interesting Whistler accomodation at Cedar Ridge 17 now to view the beautiful place for your holiday vacation now!

Brisbane Botanic Gardens

2007-07-31T16:27:00.000+08:00

Brisbane has two botanic gardens, the original ones in the city(Brisbane City Botanic Gardens), and a newer one up on Mt Coot-tha(Brisbane Botanic Gardens).

Brisbane City Botanic Gardens were once called "Queens Park". Located in central Brisbane, Brisbane City Botanic Gardens were established in 1855. It has an area of approximately 20 hectares and feature mature planting, some of it dating back over 150 years. This is one of the oldest and most historic gardens in the Brisbane and Queensland area. The attractions at Brisbane Botanical Gardens include walking trails, seating areas, colourful flower borders, landscaped gardens, seasonal events and a café area. However, due to the proximity to the river, the Botanic Gardens have been flooded eight times between 1870 to 1974. With many plants being washed away, the Brisbane City Council established a new botanic gardens at Mount Coot-tha.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens (Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens) are the second botanical gardens established in Brisbane. The gardens were established by the Brisbane City Council in 1970, and officially opened in 1976. Brisbane Botanic Gardens are located 7 km from the city of Brisbane in Toowong, Queensland, at the foot of Brisbane's tallest mountain, Mount Coot-tha.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens – Mt-Coot-tha
Established: 1970
Area: 52 ha
Location: Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Queensland
Open: Monday to Sunday 8 am to 5 pm

Having an area of 50 hectares(120 acres), Brisbane Botanic Gardens contain many important plant collections, exotic specimens and landscaped garden areas. There are the magnificent Japanese garden, Bonsai House, Fern House, Arid Zone and Cactus House, Exotic Rainforest, Australian Rainforest, Fragant Plant and Herb Garden, Temperate Garden, Lagoon and Bamboo Grove, Australian Plant communities and National Freedom Wall, and Tropical Display Dome.

Brisbane is a wonderful place that have many peaceful parks and gardens, both in the heart of central Brisbane and also in the suburbs of Brisbane. Besides Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, there are other popular parks which can provide invaluable areas for relaxation and recreation. These include a number of impressive National Parks, Peace Park, Bayside Parklands and the Sherwood Arboretum, etc.

Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens are popular venue for weddings. A wedding can be seen nearly every weekend. Brisbane City Botanic Gardens are accessible by Alice St, the Goodwill Bridge and Brisbane City Council's ferries and CityCats at the Gardens Point and Eagle St wharves. Anyone who loves flora and nature should visit Brisbane. The Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens are one of the most impressive botanic gardens in the Brisbane and Queensland area. The Botanic Gardens regularly attracts large numbers of visitors throughout the seasons. To tour Brisbane, lookout for Brisbane Accomodation such as Cheap Hotels in Brisbane. Brisbane City Botanic Gardens is a living museum of plant collections, displaying early heritage specimens through to present day exotic and native plantings. In addition to the plant collections, there are a number of significant heritage features. Book for Hotels in Brisbane and be among the tourists to visit Brisbane, Australia's 3rd largest city and the capital of Queensland!

Melbourne Flowers

2007-07-27T08:56:00.000+08:00

Melbourne is considered to be Australia's garden city. Melbourne has an excellent selection of parks and gardens, both in the heart of Melbourne city centre and also on the outskirts of Melbourne. A variety of common and rare plant species can be seen around Melbourne, on pathways, streets, avenues as well as the parks. Because of its extensive network of parks and gardens, Melbourne is often refer to as one of the world's ‘most liveable cities'.

Many areas and districts of Melbourne have at least one park or garden. This provide invaluable areas for relaxation and recreation in the city of Melbourne. Melbourne parks include a number of impressive National Parks, Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens, the Alexandra Gardens and the popular Fitzroy Park. The vast city of Melbourne is a popular tourist attraction. There are many mature trees and shrubs, native wildlife, central gardens, floral displays, picnic areas and barbecue facilities.

Melbourne is a great place for honeymoon as well as relaxation. The parks and gardens in Melbourne offer a cool, green and peaceful scenery. For people who loves gardening, for people who loves flowers and nature, Melbourne is a great destination for holiday. Some popular parks and gardens include the Flagstaff Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Carlton Gardens, Treasury Gardens, the Fitzroy Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens and Alexandra Gardens.

Every year, there are at least 14 million visitors who use the parks and gardens in Melbourne. Spaces in the parks and gardens are mostly use by the community for a wide range of activities such as barbecues, playgrounds and all sorts of recreation. Special events such as weddings and flower shows are held in the stunning gardens and parks of Melbourne too.

To tour Melbourne, book for Melbourne Hotels at CheaperThanHotels.com.au. Make your trip to Melbourne a more enjoyable one by having Cheap Melbourne Hotels. For accomodation in Melbourne, you can take a look at CheaperThanHotels.com.au. They offer great selection of accomodation to meet your needs and budget. Whether you need a budget hotel or a luxurious hotel, they have all you want.

The world renowned Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is entering its 13th year and is now regarded as the largest and most successful horticultural event in the Southern Hemisphere, rated among the top five flower and garden shows in the world. Book for Melbourne Accomodation now to see Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, to be held on 2- 6 April 2008. The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is staged at the historic Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens; and is undoubtedly Australia's most beautiful event, representing all areas of the Ornamental Horticulture Industry. For anyone who loves to see flowers -- waratahs, agonis, banksia, kangaroo paw, chrysanthemum, gerbera, lisianthus, carnations, tulips, mountain daisy, eucalyptus, begonias, geraniums, rhododendrons, etc, this is a golden opportunity not to be missed. Search for Melbourne Accomodation and give yourself and family a chance to experience peace and inspiration from the gardens of Melbourne.

Fitzroy Gardens

2007-07-26T10:16:00.000+08:00

Fitzroy Gardens
Macleay Street
Kings Cross NSW 2011

The Conservatory in Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens (built in 1929) , an excellent example of the Spanish-mission style of architecture, accomodates a wide range of plant species.

The Fitzroy Gardens is a popular tourist destination in Melbourne. The Fitzroy Gardens are 26 hectares (64 acres) located on the southeastern edge of the Melbourne Central Business District in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The perfect place to sit and watch the world go by, Fitzroy Gardens is nestled in the heart of energetic Kings Cross. Highlights of the park include the El Alamein Fountain and a Sunday market.

The gardens are one of the major Victorian era landscaped gardens in Australia and add to Melbourne's claim to being the garden city of Australia. Set within the gardens are:

an ornamental lake

kiosk and cafe

Conservatory

Cook's Cottage - a house where James Cook reputedly spent some years of his childhood (the cottage was in England at that time).

Sinclair’s Cottage (Visitor information)

Model Tudor village

Fountains and sculptures

Band Pavilion

the Rotunda

the fairy tree

The Fitzroy Gardens are of historical, aesthetic, architectural, scientific (horticultural) and social significance to the State of Victoria.

The Fitzroy Gardens are of historical significance as one of a ring of public reserves around Melbourne established in the nineteenth century to provide respite and relaxation for the city's residents. The Fitzroy Gardens have been viewed as the flagship of this group of city gardens, which includes the Flagstaff, Treasury, Carlton and Alexandra Gardens and the Kings Domain. In a statewide context, while not as intact as the Royal Botanic Gardens or the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, the Fitzroy Gardens are an important remnant of the city's nineteenth century garden heritage. They are also a reminder of the city's relatively large investment in public gardens, a reflection of 19th century beliefs about the moral and health benefits of green spaces in often dirty, smelly and overcrowded cities.

The Fitzroy Gardens are of social significance because, from their establishment in the early 1860s, the Gardens have been a place of relaxation, passive recreation and entertainment; the Gardens have been the people's park in the city.

Parco Giardino Sigurtà

2007-07-23T15:41:00.000+08:00

Parco Giardino Sigurtà is situated to Valeggio on the Mincio nell’geographic area of the Lake Garda. Parco Giardino Sigurtà extends over 560,000 square meter and is one of the 5 most beautiful parks around the world. Giardino Sigurtà is surrounded with its beautiful flora, knows to receive the visitor.

Carlo Sigurtà spent 40 years irrigating and planting this barren hillside in order to turn it into one of Italy's great gardens, with swathes of manicured lawns and pathways amid vibrant flower beds and reflecting pools. Hidden along the far western edge, where few visitors venture, are some large enclosures, where deer and goats run free.

The nature of Parco Giardino Sigurtà will bewitch you with spectacular panoramas and colours. Find tranquilities and peace among some of the beautiful flowers are Tulip, Roses, Aster and Lilies. Other peaceful scenery in the park includes the Great Oak, the Eremo and lakes with tropical fish.

In every season of the year it is worth the pain visiting the Park following the ages of the five great closings: Tulipani (to the beginning of the spring), Iris (to the beginning of the spring), Roses (in the May month), Ninfee (summer), Stars (beginning autumn).

Milan is Italy's economic powerhouse, a bustling city of finance and industry, media empires and fashion houses, backed up by an impressive cultural heritage of important art galleries and ancient churches. Yet a 40-minute train ride takes you to the azure pools of the lakes, lined with fishing villages, villas and laid-back resorts.

Italy's top theme park, by Lake Garda, is a far cry from Disneyland, but it does have roller coasters, a jungle safari and a thrilling water park. It is a place where older children can be dropped off for a day of fun while the parents drive off to explore more of those villas and gardens. If you are planning a trip to Italy or other destinations, let RealTravel be your trip planner. At RealTravel, you can discover various destinations, learn about travel news and the best part is you get to plan your perfect trip with a FREE Trip Planner. With travel deals and price comparison, you can definitely saves with trip planner, RealTravel. After your vacation, you can even create a free travel blog to share all your travel experience with friends and families! If you had no idea where to go for holidays, you can always refer to the Editor's pick at RealTravel or you can always discover places to go by browsing things to do at RealTravel too. RealTravel is definitely a site worth your bookmarking if you enjoy traveling!

Jersey City

2007-07-22T11:20:00.000+08:00

Jersey City lies on a peninsula between the Hudson and Hackensack rivers in northeastern New Jersey. Seven miles to the west is Newark, New Jersey, United States; across the Hudson River to the east is New York City's, Manhattan Island. It was a site of battle of Paulus Hook in1779. Jersey City is part of the New York metropolitan area. Jersey City is a nicknamed "The Garden State". Jersey City is a city of neighborhoods, each with a different aesthetic and architectural style, to some degree. The official New Jersey state tree is the red oak, Quercus borealis maxima while the state memorial tree is the dogwood.

Jersey City is a commercial and industrial center that has an important transportation terminus and distribution center. Products such as steel, chemicals, soaps and perfumes are manufactured from Jersey City. It has railroad shops, oil refineries, warehouses, and plants that manufacture a diverse assortment of products, including chemicals, petroleum, electronics, textiles, and cosmetics. There were numerous housing and shoppings in Jersey City too.

While Jersey City's climate tends to be continental, influenced by winds from the west, it does experience temperature extremes throughout its four seasons. Summers are hot and humid while winters are moderately snowy. There are many interesting and exciting places of attractions to be explored at Jersey City. Some of the beautiful breathtaking attractions in Jersey City are Liberty State Park, Hudson River Waterfront Walkway and Leonard Gordon Park. Other fun and fantastic places of attraction for families are the Margaret Williams Theater, Live Entertainment,Liberty Science Center and Cineplex Odeon Cinema and many others. For more details Jersey City attractions and guide, please refer to Destinations:Jersey City where you can enjoy your online tour of Jersey City.

Jersey City is the second largest city in New Jersey and also one of the top New Jersey destination. Destinationjerseycity.com is your great companion when you are want to plan for your vacation to Jersey City. From Planning to transportation and accomodation, destinationjerseycity.com provides maps as well as suggestions on what things to do at Jersey City. Visit Jersey City and find the landscape of diverse cultures, architectural styles and many historic places.

Recommended Ferns

2007-04-27T11:45:00.000+08:00

Ferns are a very ancient family of plants: early fern fossils predate the beginning of the Mesozoic era, 360 million years ago. They are older than land animals and far older than the dinosaurs. They were thriving on Earth for two hundred million years before the flowering plants evolved.

As we know them now, most ferns are leafy plants that grow in moist areas under forest canopy. They are "vascular plants" with well-developed internal vein structures that promote the flow of water and nutrients. Unlike the other vascular plants, the flowering plants and conifers, where the adult plant grows immediately from the seed, ferns reproduce from spores and an intermediate plant stage called a gametophyte.

The North American Maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) is one of the favourite shade-loving ferns grown in central European gardens. It is a delicate fern with flat, fan-like foliage on thin stalks. The black, wiry leaf-stalks carry at a height of about 50-60 cm delicate, pale green, horizontally-spread, very ornamental leaves resembling those of rue.

Maidenhair likes partial shade to full shade and is particularly effective planted together with low-growing False Goat's Beard (Astilbe), primrose (Primula), Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium), Windflower (Anemone) and autumn-flowering crocus. It likes slightly acid, appropriately moist, loose soil, rich in humus. In congenial situations, it will flourish for years in the same place, in time covering a space of up to one square metre.

The evergreen Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant) is another very decorative plant that flourishes in slightly shaded places and moist peaty-sandy soil without lime. It requires more moisture than the other fern species. In young plants the fronds are arranged in rossettes; in older plants the fronds form dense tufts.

The Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) is a familiar tall fern, reaching a height of 60 - 100 cm or more, with oblong fronds and alernate, pinnatipartite leaflets. The dark green fronds, which form a sort of funnel, reach a length of more than 1 m. This fern will grow even in rather poor soil but does not tolerate permanent dampness. It likes shady situations.

The Ostrich Fern (Matteucia struthiopteris) is particularly decorative in spring when its fronds unfurl to form a broad funnel. It grows to a height of 80cm and likes an appropriately moist situation, either in a sunny spot or in partial shade. It will even tolerate a temporary drought. It spreads rapidly by underground shoots.

The Hart's Tongue Fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium) is an interesting fern with evergreen, tongue-like entire fronds attaining a length of up to 40cm. It flourishes even in very shaded situations that are appropriately moist. It is most effective planted amid suitably arranged rocks, to which it will become close pressed.

The Adder's Fern (Polypodium vulgare) is a low-growing, evergreen fern with leathery, pinnate leaves. It reaches a height of only about 20cm and can be planted in shady places wherever the soil does not contain lime.

Ferns are very successful niche plants: they are well adapted to particular environmental niches - soil moisture, humidity, light, etc. They seldom grow outside these niches, some of which are very specific. Like all plants, ferns have evolved to suit their environment. Some can tolerate extreme drought and heat, others only live in the deepest rainforest. You can’t grow a cactus in the sub-Antarctic, though grasses will survive there. And likewise, you can’t expect a tree fern to grow in a desert, though some varieties of rock fern do.

Ferns

2007-04-26T09:43:00.000+08:00

Of the plants that are being increasingly used nowadays in the shaded areas of the garden, bathrooms or near the windows of the house, most important are the ferns. Their ornamental effect, often lasting the whole year, makes them worthy of more than just passing notice. In spring, it is their changing appearance as the fronds unfurl that makes them interesting. In autumn, it is the golden tint of the dying leaves and in winter either the fresh green of the evergreen species or the splendour of the previous year's fronds coated with hoar-frost and glittering in the pale winter sunshine.

Though some ferns do quite well even in a sunny position, most cultivated species are used to brighten places that are partly shaded or in full shade. Many are noteworthy for their lovely habit or exceptionally beautiful foliage and can therefore be grown as attractive solitary specimens. Others are excellent in mixed or group plantings in rockeries, garden nooks, courtyards, other parts of the garden and even at home, in the balconies, in the washrooms or in the living room near the windows.

Picture of Pulmonaria 'Lewis Palmer'

primula X chamois

Ferns are known to be among the hardiest of perennials, ones that will grown in the shade of taller trees and shrubs. Most cultivated species of taller ferns not only grow well but are particularly attractive amid plantings of numerous shade-loving perennials such as Asarum, low-growing False Goat's Beard (Astilbe), Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria), Windflower (Anemone), Hepatica, Barrenwort (Epimedium), Lungwort (Pulmonaria), Navelwort (Omphalodes), primrose (Primula), periwinkle (Vinca) and other woodland plants.

Picture of Convallaria majalis

In more open woodland sections, ferns can also be teamed with carpets of small bulbs and tubers such as squill (Scilla), Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa), Grape Hyacinth (Muscari), Snowdrop (Galanthus), Snowflake (Leucojum), crocus, and Winter Aconite (Eranthis), which brighten such places with a profusion of flowers in late winter and early spring.

Picture of Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee'

Astilbes are are easy to grow, stay neat all summer with their fern-like foliage, and produce lovely, lacey spires of color ranging from white, through every shade of pink, red and purple. There are many hybrid astilbe varieties with bloom time ranges from July - Sept., and their height from a few inches to several ft. tall.

Most ferns do best in loose, appropriately moist, humus-rich woodland soil. If you do not have such soil your garden you can prepare the required mixture by adding peat, low-moor peat, leaf mould or heath mould and an appropriate amount of river sand. The soil may even be stony but it must always be well drained. Ferns generally are not particularly delicate but one thing they do not tolerate is losing their roots, some primarily when they are being transplanted. Some species do not even tolerate the loss of their fronds during the growing period.

The Anemone is also known as the 'windflower', as the large petals catch the slightest breeze and pivot left to right on its long thick stems. The blooms are always a colorful surprise when planted in groups in the flower garden. In the garden they bloom for several months and as a cut flower the individual stems will last for 7 to 10 days.The flower grows 12 inches tall and you should space the bulbs 6 inches apart in the garden. Plant in September for a great potted winter flowering plant.

Uses Of Echinacea

2007-04-18T18:06:00.001+08:00

Echinacea is believed to be a safe herb when used correctly. Studies indicate that the herb is safe for use by pregnant women and children. For adults, a number of preparations are available to be taken several times a day. For children, extracts which contain alcohol should be avoided. Some individuals may have allergic reactions to Echinacea including rash and anaphylaxis in extreme cases. People with asthma or weed allergies may want to avoid consuming Echinacea.

Picture of Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower, Eastern Purple Coneflower)

Some species of Echinacea, notably P. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, are grown as ornamental plants in gardens They tolerate a wide variety of conditions, maintain attractive foliage throughout the season, and multiply rapidly. Appropriate species are used in prairie restorations. Some species are used by domestic stock for forage; an abundance of these plants on rangeland purportedly indicates "good health".

The entire Echinacea plant is used medicinally. The plant can be dried for use or pressed when fresh to extract juice. Echinacea is found in teas, ointments, pills, juice, as an extract, and combined with other herbs and fruits. Most commercially available Echinacea is a mixture of the three major species. Consumers should be aware that because holistic herbs have less regulation than conventional drugs, packages labeled as containing Echinacea may not in fact contain the plant.

Echinacea rhizome was used by North American Plains Indians, perhaps more than most other plants, for various herbal remedies. In the 1930s "Echinacea" became popular in both Europe and America as a herbal medicine. Echinacea has been popularly attributed with the ability to boost the body's immune system and ward off infections, particularly the common cold. Depending on which species is used, herbal medicinals can be prepared from the above-ground parts and/or the root. It is not known which of echinacea's many chemical components might be responsible for its touted health benefits, although all species possess compounds of a chemical class called phenols (as do most other plants). Cichoric and caftaric acids are phenols that are present in E. purpurea; echinacoside is a phenol found in higher levels within E. angustifolia and E. pallida roots. When making herbal remedies, these phenols can serve as markers to evaluate the quantity of echinacea in the product. Other constituents that may be important include alcamides and polysaccharides.

Picture of Echinacea angustifolia (Narrow-leaf Coneflower)

Proponents of Echinacea believe that doses of the herb can prevent colds or shorten the recovery time from a cold, especially when taken in combination with other herbs. If cold symptoms persist, professional medical attention should be sought, especially if the cold is accompanied by high fever, heavy coughing, or an increasing sense of exhaustion. Echinacea should not be used by people who have auto-immune disorders or degenerative nerve disease.

Echinacea pallida is widely scattered in the prairies and cedar glades of the eastern United States, with the highest concentrations in the Ozark and Ouachita mountain regions of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. This is one of the species of Echinacea that has been used in the medicinal prefession, along with E. angustifolia and E. purpurea; however it is the weakest of the three.

A medical study (Taylor et al. 2003) demonstrated that when echinacea products made from the entire plant (not just the root) were taken after the second cold symptom appeared they provided no measurable beneficial effect for children in treating the severity or duration of symptoms caused by the common cold virus. Studies by the University of Virginia School of Medicine (Turner, 2005) confirmed these results, and added that Echinacea had no clinically significant effects on the common cold even if taken immediately upon infection, or as a prophylaxis starting a week prior to symptoms of infection. However, a University of Maryland review of available studies concluded that Echinacea, when taken at first sign of a cold, reduced cold symptoms or shortened their duration. This conclusion was based on 13 European studies. The University of Maryland study also found that three of four studies concluded that taking Echinacea to prevent a cold was ineffective. Echinacea may, however, be useful when treating Athlete's foot with Econazole, or in cancer treatment.

Leading herbalists claim that many studies do not distinguish between alcohol-based echinacea tinctures, which retain potency for up to seven years after production, and capsules containing the dried herb, which lose their efficacy over time. Proponents of echinacea assert that is not a "one-dose" treatment, and that in order to work effectively, a dose should be taken at the very first sign of a cold symptom. Subsequent doses must be taken every two to four hours after the first dose, including every two to four hours during the overnight sleeping period, until the cold symptoms have disappeared (generally within 24 hours.) The scientific studies stated above appear to disagree with these claims as ad hoc rationalising; if the cold doesn't go away when expected, the patient can always be blamed for not following the strict regimen, and the product is never to blame. This is known as subjective validation.

Not all species of Echinacea are equally effective. A Cochrane review of the published studies has found that there is some evidence of benefit in the treatment (but not prevention) of the common cold by the aerial parts of Echinacea purpura; other formulations of the plant did not show the same effect, and no formulation was effective for prevention.

Echinacea herbals should not be taken by persons with progressive systemic and auto-immune disorders such as tuberculosis, leicosis, connective tissue disorders, collagenosis, and related diseases such as lupus erythematosus, according to the German Kommission E. Its use in AIDS or against opportunistic infections in AIDS patients is controversial: the Kommission E recommend against it. It should not be used with other known hepatotoxic drugs such as anabolic steroids, amiodarone (Pacerone® or Cordarone®), methotrexate, or ketoconazole (Nizoral®).

Echinacea

2007-04-17T18:06:00.000+08:00

Echinacea is a genus consisting of nine species of flowering plants in the Family Asteraceae, all native to eastern North America. There are nine known species of echinacea, all of which are native to the United States and southern Canada. The most commonly used, Echinacea purpurea, is believed to be the most potent.

Common Names: echinacea, purple coneflower, coneflower, American coneflower

Latin Names: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida

Kingdom Plantae
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Order Asterales
Family Asteraceae
Tribe Heliantheae
Genus Echinacea

Echinacea is an herb which is very popular for use in treatment of colds and flu. The genus name is derived from the Greek echino, meaning "spiny", due to the spiny central disk. Also known as American Coneflower, Echinacea was used for centuries by native Americans before the arrival of European explorers. In the 1800s, use of Echinacea took off in the United States and the herb became popular in Europe as well. Echinacea is used in many Western nations because it is believed that the herb promotes immune system health and minimizes some of the symptoms of sickness.

Picture of Echinacea paradoxa (Yellow Coneflower, Bush's Purple Coneflower):
A native of the Ozark mountains of Arkansas and Missouri, this unusual Echinacea has a striking yellow Coneflower sporting a nice, heavy center cone surrounded by delicate, reflexed, lemon-yellow petals. Grows to 2-3 feet. Attracts bees and butterflies.

Echinacea is a perennial plant. They are herbaceous, drought-tolerant perennial plants growing to 1 or 2 m in height. The leaves are lanceolate to elliptic, 10-20 cm long and 1.5-10 cm broad. Like all Asteraceae, the flowers are a composite inflorescence, with purple (rarely yellow or white) florets arranged in a prominent, somewhat cone-shaped head; "cone-shaped" because the petals of the outer ray florets tend to point downward (are reflexed) once the flower head opens, thus forming a cone.

Picture of Echinacea laevigata( Smooth Coneflower, Smooth Purple Coneflower)

Three species of Echinacea are used for medicinal purposes: Echinacea angustifolia (Narrow-leaf Coneflower), Echinacea pallida (Pale Purple Coneflower), and Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower, Eastern Purple Coneflower). Other species includes Echinacea atrorubens (Topeka Purple Coneflower), Echinacea laevigata( Smooth Coneflower, Smooth Purple Coneflower), Echinacea paradoxa (Yellow Coneflower, Bush's Purple Coneflower), Echinacea singuinea (Singuine Purple Coneflower), Echinacea simulata (Wavyleaf Purple Coneflower), Echinacea tennesseensis (Tennessee Coneflower)

Picture of Echinacea tennesseensis (Tennessee Coneflower)

Perennials

2007-03-25T17:31:00.000+08:00

Perennials live for a variable number of years, unlike annuals and biennials, so they flower and produce seeds a number of times during their life span.

A perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. Perennial plants are divided into two large groups, those that are woody and those that are herbaceous. All woody plants are perennials since they form woody tissue that persists from one year to the next. Woody perennials develop a woody base or root system from which the foliage and flower stems grow year after year while the plant is alive. In common usage the term perennial generally describes herbaceous perennials. Since herbaceous plants as a group include all non woody plants, they can be annuals, biannual and/or perennials. Perennial plants are a diverse group, they can be short lived, living for only a few years or they can be long lived persisting for 20 or more years with some woody plants living for over 1,000 years. Perennial plants can vary in size from only a few millimeters in size to over 100 meters tall. They include a wide assortment of plant groups from ferns and liverworts to the highly diverse flowering plants like Orchids and Grasses.

People grow perennial flowers because they are such easy-care, dependable performers, and because they offer an enormous variety of color, texture and form.

Usually, only their underground parts with buds in readiness for the next growing season survive uncongenital periods. In some species, however, particularly those of cushion-like habit, the green aerial parts also live over from season to season. The underground organs, which may be roots, rhizomes, tubers or bulbs, are often organs of storage not only of food but also of water. The uncongenital conditions a plant must survive need not be only periods of insufficient warmth(winter), but may also include periods of drought (summer in continental regions) and periods of an insufficient supply of light(as for instance, may be the case in a broadleaved forest when it is in full leaf).

Astilbe

Perennials provide year-round color and interest; with endless variations in colors, sizes, habits and time of bloom. Although some perennials flower for only a few weeks, the ever-changing color display forms much of the excitement of a perennial garden.

The lifespan, bloom time, culture and form of perennial plants varies greatly. Some species, such as lupines and delphinium, are so called "short-lived" perennials, with a lifespan of just three or four years. Others may live as long as fifteen years, or even, in the case of peonies, a lifetime. Bloom time may last for only two weeks each year, or may extend over two or three months.

Aquilegia (Columbine)

Some perennials, such as primroses, require deep humusy soil and plenty of shade, while others such as threadleaf coreopsis and cushion spurge wither away unless they grow in well-drained soil and full sun. Some perennials contain themselves in a nice, neat mound, while others, such as gooseneck loosestrife, will take over your entire garden. Some species should be cut back in midsummer, while others, such as hybrid lilies, may die if you remove their foliage.

Most perennials can be planted in the fall or early spring. Fall planting gives the plant more time to become established before the start of active growth in the spring. Fall-planted perennials are usually well-established before hot weather. Fall planting should be finished at least 6 weeks before hard-freezing weather occurs.

Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart)

Early spring is also considered a good time to plant perennials. Planting early, just after killing frosts have passed, is better than later spring planting.

Many perennials can be grown from seed, but most gardeners prefer to start with established plants. Perennials are available grown in containers, field-grown, or shipped bare-root and dormant.

Flowers can brighten up our lives. Sending someone flowers can bring on a smile to your love ones. Flowers are great gifts, especially for women. Show your mum that you love her this coming Mothers' Day by sending her flowers. Shopping for flowers during festive seasons can be costly. Discount coupons and gift coupons are available at Coupon Chief. Get coupons, shop for your plants, grow your own beautiful flowers in your garden. Create a peaceful garden of flowers to surprise your friends and families. Save as you shop when you use Home and Garden Coupons!

Flowers Inspiration

2006-12-10T13:09:00.000+08:00

Flowers add more colours and beauty to our life. They make our place a nicer place to live.

Flowers are just so important in our life. Everyday, we walk along the paths, walk along the parks and roads, we see flowers everywhere around us. Even in TV, in paintings, in books, in photography, we can see flowers. This got to show how important flowers are in our life.

In nature, flowers are important to plants as they ensure survival of the plants in this world. Without flowers to produce fruits, which contains the seeds to produce more offspring, reproduction for the plant is not possible. Without flowers, the humans, animals and insects will not be enable to enjoy their fruits. Without flowers, the bees and butterflies will have no work to do. Bees and butterflies need the existence of flowers to obtain their food. Without them, they would die. When bees and butterflies die, a lot of animals will indirectly be affected, causing the biological ecosystem to be greatly disrupted.

Flowers are important ornamentals. Beauty and flowers cannot be separated.

In our life, flowers have important roles to play too. A lot of people love flowers. The love for flowers have created hobbies for these people, from gardening to flower arrangement specialist. The love of flowers has created a demand for flowers, and this has give rise to more florists in the markets. The love of flowers and plants, have prompted people to build their own gardens, governments to build more parks and upgrade the current parks too. These, in turn has created a lot of jobs opening such as curator, park ranger, and so on.

Flowers come in a varieties of colours. Some are very conspicuous, with bright and big petals, some are very minute, with white or pale colour and you have to be very careful (such as the grass flowers ) in order to see them. No matter what their size are, they always have their unique purposes to serve.

For the sick people, whether they are lying at home or lying in the hospital, bringing flowers to them bring them smile. For the sick, looking at the flowers brings them hope and life. The fragrance from flowers also brings on inspiration for the patient. (Some people are allergic to flowers. They cannot stand the flowers pollen, especially Lilies. So before you sent flowers to sick people, find out whether they are allergic to flowers a not. If so, bringing flowers to them will cause more problems than doing good to them. )

Flowers add sparks and wonders to life. Organizing flower shows helps to draw people of the same interest together, making more friends, learning more things from one another. In this stressful world, flower shows definitely relaxes your mind.

For people with poor mental health, such as people who are depressed, people who feel stress in life, people who find that life is boring, no purposes and so on, cultivating an interest in flowers can be helpful. If you have an open space outside your home, you can start using that piece of land to create your own garden. Gardening is a great hobby. It will cultivate your patience when you take your time to look after the plants carefully. Gardening needs your patience when you need to prune the plants, clean the leaves, pull out weeds which are detrimental to the plants. When you see your garden blossoms, when you see the growth and progress of your garden, it brings on a smiling face on you, and a smile in your heart. You feel a sense of great accomplishments. You would feel even more fulfilling when people like your garden and complimented your garden. Everyday spending some time in the garden, doing what you like, is a healthy way of living. Your mind is occupied with purpose. Gardening keeps you busy with good thoughts and healthy thoughts. Sharing gardening tips and ideas with people around you, meeting up with garden lovers, these will ultimately make your life more purposeful and meaningful. You will feel happier eventually.

In Singapore where land is scarce, and many people are living in flats, apartments and condominiums, to own a piece of land for gardening is almost impossible. Very often these people have to resort to container gardening, box gardening or balconies gardening. Being indoor, there is restrictions on what kind of plants or flowers you can have. Luckily it is not impossible.

You have to wait until the appropriate time for a plant to have flowers (when it is mature enough). When they flower, the flowers are very short-lived. It takes time for the flowers to open up from a flower bud. When it has opened, it hardly last. Some flowers such as the morning glory, never last for even a day! Such flowers though are short-lived, have had their own contributions. To see the blooms in your garden, is a real satisfaction, a pleasure that you can never buy with how much money you have. It's through your very own effort.

We are just like plants. When we are a baby, we are the seed. When we are small, we are fragile. Just like the plants who face hardships, obstacle, and difficulties at times when there is strong wind, thunderstorm or rain, drought, we too undergo these circumstances. Through these circumstances, the plants develop strong stems and ultimately a stronger trunk and a more well-establish roots in the long run. Similarly, our life will be made stronger if we are constantly faced with hardships. When you reach adulthood, just like the plant which has reach maturity and when the conditions are right (when you have met your love partner), reproduction takes place. Flowers (pregnancy) takes place to ensure survival of the same species on earth. It is a natural process. Flowers give rise to fruits (baby). After giving birth to baby, the flowers die. The plants don't die. Our big 'tummy' will be gone in a matter of time.

Like flowers, we need to be taken care of. After flowering, the plants need pruning. The plants need pruning to feel younger, and to ensure more flowering in future. Similarly, after pregnancy, the mother needs to be well taken care of. A woman is the most feminine when she reaches motherhood. Sending flowers to your women in your life, conveying the message of appreciating her for everything she does for you, not only brightens her day, but it will also strengthens your bond with her. Bring on a smile to your women in your life. Send her flowers, send an online card, or simply surprise her with a note to let her know how much you value her and how much she means to you in your life. Treasure every moment you have. Beauty is never lasting, but the bonds you created is lasting. The stronger the bonds the harder it is to be broken off.

Calystegia

2006-12-04T14:39:00.000+08:00

Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Calystegia

Calystegia (bindweed, false bindweed, or morning glory) is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the bindweed family Convolvulaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate and subtropical regions, but with half of the species endemic to California.

They are annual or herbaceous perennial twining vines growing to 1-5 m tall, with spirally arranged leaves. The flowers are trumpet shaped, 3-10 cm diameter, white or pink, with a sometimes inflated basal calyx.

The genus bears much similarity to a related genus Convolvulus, and is sometimes combined with it; it is distinguished primarily by the pollen being smooth, and in the ovary being unilocular.

Some of the species, notably C. silvatica, are problematic weeds, which can swamp other more valuable plants by climbing over them, but some are also deliberately grown for their attractive flowers.

Calystegia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Small Angle Shades.

The name is derived from two Greek words kalux, "cup", and stegos, "a covering", meaning "a covering cup". The stem is creeping over the ground, not winding or hardly winding. The leaves are darkgreen and reniform. The petioles are ovate or elleptical. The corolla is pink or pale purplish, with 5 white stripes.

Ipomoea

2006-12-03T13:43:00.000+08:00

Common Name
Morning Glory; Heavenly Blue Morning Glory; Tlilitzin; Badoh Negro (seeds)

Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus : Ipomoea
Species : violacea

Ipomoea violacea is a common ornamental vine with heart-shaped leaves and bright white, pink, or purple flowers and small, black seeds that contain LSA. Because of its fast growth and prodigious seed production, many jurisdictions consider it an invasive weed plant. It has a long history of use in Central to Southern Mexico.

The genus Ipomoea, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the family Convolvulaceae. The genus occurs throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, lianas, shrubs and small trees; most of the species are twining climbing plants. Many species are known as morning glory, a name shared with some other related genera.

The genus includes important food crops (sweet potato and water spinach) and I. violacea, source of the Mexican psychedelic drug, tlitliltzin. Species and cultivars of Ipomoea grown as morning glory are popular in gardens for their often stunning flowers.

Sweet Potato - I. Batatas is the botanical name for the Sweet Potato. This vegetable is grown for its edible roots. When cultivated in the U.S., it rarely produces flowers. Sweet Potatoes grow rapidly and form runners and dark green leaves, which are tinted with a purplish-red in some varieties.

Ipomoea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bucculatrix ruficoma, Bucculatrix univoca (which feeds exclusively on Ipomoea aquatica), Double-striped Pug, Hypercompe eridanus, Hypercompe icasia, Schinia simplex (which feeds exclusively on I. leptophylla) and Trichophassus giganteus.

Convolvulus

2006-12-02T14:09:00.000+08:00

Common names: bindweed and morning glory

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Convolvulus

Convolvulus is a genus of about 250 species of flowering plants in the bindweed family Convolvulaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common names include bindweed and morning glory, both names shared with other closely related genera.

They are annual or perennial herbaceous vines and (a few species) woody shrubs, growing to 0.3-3 m tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, and the flowers trumpet-shaped, mostly white or pink, but blue, violet, purple or yellow in some species.

Many of the species are problematic weeds, which can swamp other more valuable plants by climbing over them, but some are also deliberately grown for their attractive flowers.

This species occurs in many temperate regions. They are mostly slender, creeping winding vines. A few are small perennials. They have simple, alternate leaves and wide funnel-shaped flowers.

Convolvulus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the leaf-miner Bucculatrix cantabricella which feeds exclusively on Convolvulus cantabricus.

Morning Glories will grow in regular soil, which is moist to on the dry side, in a sunny position. Those grown in the greenhouse need to be grown in large pots or tubs or in a prepared bed of soil filled with two parts loam, one part peat moss or leaf mold and one part well-decayed manure, with a liberal amount of sand. They need a minimum winter temperature of 45 degrees. Train the shoots to wires or a trellis attached to the wall or roof of the greenhouse. In early spring, the soil is top dressed with rich compost and straggling shoots are cut off to prevent crowding. From April to May, a lot of water should be given and occasional applications of dilute liquid fertilizer. During the winter, the soil is moistened only when dry.

Morning Glory

2006-12-01T12:15:00.000+08:00

Morning glory is a common name for a number of species of flowering plants in the family the Convolvulaceae, belonging to the following genera:

* Calystegia
* Convolvulus
* Ipomoea
* Merremia
* Rivea

Morning glory flowers, which are funnel-shaped, open in the morning, allowing them to be pollinated by hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other daytime insects and birds, as well as Hawkmoth at dusk for longer blooming variants. The flower typically lasts for a single morning and dies in the afternoon. New flowers bloom each day. The flowers usually start to fade a couple of hours before the petals start showing visible curling. They prefer full sun throughout the day, and mesic soils. In cultivation, most are treated as perennial plants in tropical areas, and as annual plants in colder climates, but some species tolerate winter cold.

Morning glory is also called asagao (in Japanese, a compound of 朝 asa "morning" and 顔 kao "face"). A rare brownish-coloured variant known as Danjuro is very popular. It was first known in China for its medicinal uses, due to the laxative properties of its seeds. It was introduced to the Japanese in the 9th century, and they were first to cultivate it as an ornament. During the Edo Period, it became a very popular ornamental flower. Aztec priests in Mexico were also known to use the plant's hallucinogenic properties to commune with their gods.

Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used it to coagulate rubber latex to produce bouncing rubber balls. The sulphur in the Morning Glory vine served to vulcanize the rubber; a process which pre-dates the Charles Goodyear discovery by over 1000 years.

Because of their fast growth, twining habit, attractive flowers, and tolerance for poor, dry soils, some morning glories are excellent vines for creating summer shade on building walls when trellised, thus keeping the building cooler and reducing air condtioning costs.

Purple Morning Glory

2006-11-30T14:42:00.000+08:00

Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Ipomoea
Species: I. purpurea

Ipomoea purpurea, the Purple or Common Morning Glory, is a species in the genus Ipomoea, native to Mexico and Central America. Like all morning glories the plant entwines itself around structures with its viny stems, growing to a height of 2-3 m tall. The leaves are heart-shaped and the stems are covered with brown hairs. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, predominantly blue to purple or white, 3-6 cm diameter.

The habitats of morning glories are landscapes, fences and crops. The plant is predisposed to moist and rich soil, but can be found growing in a wide array of soil types. It is naturalized throughout warm temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Although it is often considered a noxious weed, Ipomoea purpurea is also grown for its beautiful purple and white flowers and has many cultivars. Common cultivars include I. purpurea 'Crimson Rambler' (red-violet blossoms with white throats); 'Grandpa Ott's,' 'Kniola's Black Knight,' and 'Star of Yelta' (blossoms in varying shades of deep purple with white or pale pink throats); and 'Milky Way' (white blossoms with mauve accents).

The seeds of many species of morning glory contain d-lysergic acid amide, ergoline alkaloids better known as LSA. Seeds of I. violacea and R. corymbosa are used as hallucinogens. They are about 5% to 10% as potent as LSD. To discourage morning glory's use as hallucinogenic drugs, some commercial seed producers have started treating seeds with a chemical that will not wash off. This chemical has been known to cause vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. Typically some form of a warning or notice is printed on the package if seeds have been treated.

The triangular seeds have some history of use as a psychedelic; they, like Ipomoea tricolor contain. It must be noted that the seeds contain several toxins, so any use should be done with caution. Effects are reported to be almost identical to LSD.

Peace Is Spirit

2006-11-16T19:05:00.000+08:00

Finding Peace Through Spirit

Our time on Earth is borrowed. God's gift to us is life. When we contemplate that we will eave this world as we have entered it, material possessions and money lose their meaning. We can't take them with us and surely they have no place in Heaven. It is the things of the spirit that really count.

What you are goes beyond the physical, beyond that which you can see. Your spirit is the essence of who you are as a person. It is the light that shines from within that houses your love of life, outlook, attitudes, and sense of well-being. Nourishing this spirit takes commitment and discipline. It's too easy to get down on yourself and those around you. Your ego is constantly trying to inch its way into every waking moment, focusing on all that is not spiritual.

In everyday life, you can lift your spirits and those of others with the little things you do. Wear a smile instead of a frown. Laugh more. Sing out loud. Compliment yourself. Pay a compliment to someone else. Say "I Love You" to someone everyday.

Each time you lift a spirit, you become more open to the positive. It's easier to look on the bright side. And in doing so, your life becomes brighter from the light that shines within.

Peace of mind is yours for the asking. Prayer and positive thinking are the answer.

Peace Is Silence

2006-11-15T18:13:00.000+08:00

Fond as we are of our loved ones, there comes at times during their absence an unexplained peace. ~ Anne Shaw

Finding Peace Through Silence

The noise in your mind and around you can be distracting at best and deafening at worst. Silence is unfamiliar to most of us. In conversations, we feel uncomfortable if we're not talking. At home alone, many of us keep the television on for company. In our cars, we listen to radio. When we open the door to our offices, we hear the phones ringing and people buzzing about. When we open the windows in our home, we probably hear the sounds of kids playing, cars driving by and neighbours working around the house. For most of us, the only time there is complete silence is when we rest.

The soul speaks in silence.

Try sitting or lying in a comfortable place for thirty minutes doing nothing. Turn off the television, radio and telephone and close the door. Turn off the noise in your mind, be silent and feel good about it, to let go of your worries and concerns and let in the open space for peaceful thoughts to flourish. These thirty minutes might feel like an eternity. Afterwards you will feel rested, cleansed, and refreshed in the quiet of your private world.

Listen closely in your silent retreat as the gentle embrace of peace of mind warms your heart and soothes your soul without a whisper.

If a word is worth a coin, silence is worth two. ~ Hebrew Proverb

Peace Is Happiness

2006-11-14T18:13:00.000+08:00

The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness. ~ William Saronyan

Finding Peace Through Happiness

Happiness is found in who you are, not what you do or how much you have. Happiness is a state of mind. Think happy thoughts, be happy. Think unhappy thoughts, be unhappy.

You can find happiness today if you only look. It's right next to you. Look into the eyes of your child. Reach out to hold your husband's hand. Give a friend the hug she needs. Happiness is found in the here and now, in the people who touch your life, and spirit you live with today in all its imperfections and uniqueness. Happiness cannot be seen with the naked eye. During trying times, happiness comes in the form of blessings in disguise -- invisible to the naked eye.

No amount of money, possessions or ego gratification can bring you happiness. There is no such thing as the perfect car, house, job or person to make you happy. Peace of mind comes with the recognition that happiness is totally and unequivocally in your control. Like turning on a light to illuminate a darkened room, feelings of you and bliss are yours when you choose to turn on your inner light, which is forever charged and ready to shine.

Acts Of Happiness

Give yourself to others
Do something for yourself everyday
Make a friend
Be a friend
Smile in sadness
Renew your faith in God and know that you are blessed
Count your blessings
Find the blessings in disguise

Quotations About Happiness And Peace

Peace Is Love

2006-11-13T16:56:00.000+08:00

Finding Peace Through Love

Love heals.

Love enters your life through others once you begin to love yourself.

Self-love waters the soul and forgiveness nourishes the spirit. The values and morals you live by are the foundation for self-acceptance through which love grows. You then can begin to selflessly give and be other-directed.

To give without return. This is the stuff love is made of.

Love and anger don't mix. To bring love into your life, you need to come to terms with any anger you are harbouring. Ask forgiveness from those whom you may have hurt, intentionally or not. Forgive yourself for the deeds you aren't proud of and that fanned the flames of anger. Forgive those who have hurt you, intentionally or not. Love enters when anger departs. Forgiveness opens the door.

Love dares not judge. Love accepts.
Love dares not lash out. Love caresses.
Love dares not give with conditions. Love is unconditional.

As you gain wisdom with years, you come to understand that love is not something given to you. Rather, you give love to yourself when you let it in and open your heart to embrace the essence of life. The reason you are here is to love and to be loved in return. Remember to always follow your heart. You'll only regret the times you didn't.

Acts Of Love

Seek to understand and don't worry about being understood
Give without return
Say "How Can I help?" more often
Forgive yourself for being imperfect
Pray for the ones who have hurt you in the past and wish them good
Remind yourself that God loves you
Be a friend to someone in need
Make a list of all your wonderful talents and attributes
Find ways to complete yourself by exploring your dreams and fears
Look at the inside of people you meet -- the light that shines from within -- instead of outward appearances
Follow your heart. You will never go wrong.

Inspirational Quotes about Love

Peace Is Serenity

2006-11-12T17:35:00.000+08:00

If you do not find peace in yourself, you will never find it anywhere else. ~ Paula A. Bendry

Finding Peace through Serenity

Serenity is a state of mind.

It is the calm, clear way in which we live, think and breathe. Serenity takes place in stillness. Quiet the noise in your mind to let serenity take its place in your heart.

In their desire to find serenity, some pray, meditate, chant or practice other rituals. The goal is to relax the mind, still the noise, and remove the clutter. Everyone is unique, different in lifestyle, tastes and desires. Find what is comfortable for you, what feels easy and natural.

Serenity is effortless. The more you try to find it, the more it eludes you. In your quest to find serenity and peace of mind, try taking some moments out of your busy schedule to be still, reflect, and be at one with nature and all that is the world around you. Give yourself the free space and time to discover how to relax your mind and ease your worries.

Remember that, at its core, serenity is a product of faith. Renew your faith in God and pray. Ask for help. Pray for guidance. Seek to live your life with a sense of balance in which you spend your energy on the important things. In so doing, you keep a steady pace and prevent one aspect of life from controlling the others. The language of serenity is prayer. As the Bible says,"Seek and you shall find."

Acts Of Serenity

Do nothing
Allow enriching, affirming thoughts into your life
Pray
Ask God fo rguidance
Have faith that all things happen for a reason
Reach out to others to find your own personal peace
Slow down
Be still
Focus on what is in the here and now
Practice forgiveness, of both yourself and others
Simplify -- do more with less
Seek balance -- don't let one aspect of life take over at the expense of all the other things you hold dear

Peace Is Satisfaction

2006-11-11T16:17:00.000+08:00

Finding Peace Through Self-Satisfaction

Do you focus on what you want or what you need?

In your constant need to attain, grow, acquire more, and become all that you can be, you may often find yourself dissatisfied with your life and those around you. On the other hand, it is all right to be dissatisfied when you turn this emotion into productive, constructive action. Being dissatisfied can be a motivator to try harder, do better, and be your best. However, being dissatisfied and simply complaining or bemoaning your fate and doing nothing about changing yourself and your life's circumstances is not alright. Doing nothing is dangerous, and it's an easy trap to fall into.

Seeking satisfaction in all that you are allows you to become all that you can be. Seeking satisfaction takes energy. Being dissatisfied doesn't. If you strive to accept yourself and find pleasure in your life, you walk in life with strength and empowerment. Victims see the world in terms of things being done to them. The strong see the world in terms of the things they can do.

Satisfaction -- feeling deeply and fully satisfied with yourself and the life you are building -- is built on the smallest of things, the little moments in time that build relationships and create memories. It's when you did what you thought you could not or gave what you thought you did not have. It's the smile you gave to another. It's the sense of self you created by facing your fears. It's about looking forward, not backwards.

Acts Of Satisfaction

Give thanks for all that you are and all that you have
Appreciate the little things in life
Love the wrinkles and laugh lines that mark th eexperiences that make you who you are today
Love the gifts you've been given
Love your body
Respect yourself
Love others
Lend your time and energy to a cause greater than your own
Focus on the little things that give great joy
Make your self-talk empowering
Reflect on those in your past and remind yourself that they, too, did the best with what they had at the time and forgive.

Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory. ~ Gandhi

More quotes about Satisfaction

Halloween Flowers

2006-10-17T16:03:00.000+08:00

Halloween has become the second most popular occasion for decorating, right behind the winter holidays. Here are some ideas decorating with plants for Halloween.

Pansies are one of the most popular Halloween plants, as some varieties can withstand lower temperatures, and they come in a variety of colors. They can be found in shades of purple, black and orange.

Chrysanthemums are another ideal Halloween flower, as they are quite hardy, and also come in a variety of colors. Having mums of oranges, yellows, bronze, and cream are perfect for evoking cozy autumn feelings.

Calla lilies, and other assorted flowers which are often associated with funerals, are another option.

Calla Lilies can be used in beds, low borders, patio pots or planters. Also they can be used as indoor house plants. The foliage is attractive rich green and upright with sturdy, broad sword-like leaves. The bulb-plants enjoy rich garden soil. Hardy in zones 9-11; elsewhere lift bulbs in the fall for winter storage or grow indoors. Plant them 1.5 - 2 inches deep and 12 inches apart. They prefer a morning sun and afternoon shade location. They are available January - March in bu lbs and later in the spring and early summer in containers.

Pumpkins are an obvious good selection for Halloween. They come in a variety of sizes, and can be used in many different ways. A good alternative are gourds, which are in the same family as pumpkins. Many gourds are twisted and have warts, creating a “scary” appearance. They can be placed in gardens or trees, and on tables and porches.

To add some Halloween flair to your plants, try placing them in a hollowed out pumpkin, or a cauldron shaped pot.

Berries, spiky plants, and dark foliage can be used as accent pieces.
Do you have a few plants around that are looking sickly? Now is the time to display them! Adding fake spider webs or placing them near a black light can create quite a spooky appearance.

Facts About Pansies

2006-10-16T02:01:00.000+08:00

Pansies rank way up there in my top five favorite list of annual plants. In the deep south, they can be planted in September for nearly continuous color all the way until the next May or June, which makes them a very popular fall and winter flower. In the harsher winter climates, there are pansies that will survive in temperatures as low as 15 degrees if mulched adequately. They may fade briefly during very cold weather, but as soon as a warm spell comes along they will cheerfully start blooming profusely again.

Pansies are the largest members of the Viola family, which includes Violas, Violets, and Johnny-Jump-Ups. They an be found in many colors, including yellow white, rose, blue, purple, white, and wine. They provide low color throughout the winter months and are perfect for adding cheer to walkways, containers, and borders when not much else will bloom there. They make excellent companions for many of the spring bulbs, such as tulips, iris, and daffodils, and are good rock garden plants.

Pansies appear in a wide variety of colors, including purple, blue, maroon, yellow, red, orange, and white, with bicolor and tricolor varieties as well.

Pansies are available all year long, but peak in early spring months.

Pansies can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or division. When taking cuttings, do it in late summer or fall and cut just below the stem joint. Plant in fertile soil and keep moist. Division should be done in spring or fall. Choose a sturdy plant, and divide into several pieces, being sure to leave some root attached to each one.

Pansies prefer rich, moist, well drained soil and full sun. They will start to get leggy when the weather warms, and they can be moved to a shady, cool location for the duration if you want to save them for re-planting in the fall. They self seed rather readily, and some cultivars emit a light fragrance when brushed.

The uses for Pansies are varied. They make excellent cut flowers when used in a short vase.

The flowers of Pansies are edible, and have a minty taste. They can be candied and used on cakes and other confections, and are also increasing in popularity as colorful additions to green salads. The flowers can be floated in a punch bowl for a decorative touch, and used to scent a sugar bowl. They will also color and flavor vinegars and add flavor to custards.

Beautiful Pictures Of Pansies

2006-10-15T00:09:00.000+08:00

The Pansy is one of the most alluring of all garden flowers. Its little faces make most of us laugh when we look at them. The English have given the Pansy many nicknames, such as Call-me-to-you, Love-true, Three-faces-under-a-hood, Pink-eyed-John, Tickle-my-fancy, Bird's-eye, Jump-up-and-kiss-me, God-father, Godmother, Love-in-idleness, Kiss-me-in-the-buttery, Rob-run-the-street, and Heartsease. With such names, it is not strange that the French call it pensee, for this word means thoughts. Yet with all the Pansies' charms, there are some persons who do not grow them.

Pansies grow and flower best in cool conditions when temperatures are below 75 °F. Weather that is too hot will cause pansies to fade and die out. Plant pansies in the cool conditions of fall or early spring, and prolong blooming by pinching off the older flowers (deadheading). This prevents the plant from making seeds and encourages more flowers to form. Cutting back the plants by one third will also stimulate new growth and extend the blooming period.

Pansies will produce lanky growth when light levels are too low. They require strong filtered light, and flower best in full sun during cool weather.

Pansy stems and flower stalks may be covered with small, wart-like bumps. This condition is caused by too much water inside of the plant and not by an insect or disease. When a plant gets too much water, the pressure inside the plant builds up, and water ruptures from the stems and leaves. This condition is called oedema. Wet soil combined with cool, cloudy conditions are ideal for this to occur. Prevent this problem by allowing the soil to dry between each watering, and always plant in well-drained soil. Promote drying of the soil by not applying too much mulch around plants, and not setting plants to close together.

Though a biennial pansy is grown as an annual, when plants begin to fade, discard and get ready for new plants or other annuals. Do not plant pansies in the same location for any more than three consecutive years.

Pansies in the arts and culture

2006-10-14T01:29:00.000+08:00

In 1827, Pierre-Joseph Redouté painted "Bouquet of Pansies".

In 1926, Georgia O'Keeffe created a famous painting of a black pansy called simply, "Pansy". She followed with "White Pansy" in 1927

D. H. Lawrence wrote a book of poetry entitled Pansies: Poems by D. H. Lawrence.

In William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" the juice of pansy blossom ("before, milk-white, now purple with love's wound, And maidens call it love-in-idleness") is a love potion : "the juice of it, on sleeping eyelids laid, will make or man or woman madly dote upon the next live creature that it sees." (Act II, Scene I see also: Oberon at II, i).

Since the cultivated pansy had not yet been developed, "pansy" here means the wild Heartsease, and the idea of using it as a love potion was no doubt suggested by that name. The folkloric "language of flowers" is more traditional than scientific, with conventional interpretations, similar to the clichés about animals such as the "clever fox" or "wise owl". Ophelia's oft-quoted line, "There's pansies, that's for thoughts", in Hamlet (Act IV, Scene V) comes from this tradition: if a maiden found a honeyflower and a pansy left for her by an admirer, it would mean "I am thinking of our forbidden love" in symbol rather than in writing.

There is a queercore musical band called Pansy Di vision, drawing on the fact that Pansy has indicated an effeminate male since Elizabethan times. The word "ponce" derives from it, and did not originally have its current meaning of a prostitute's controller; "poncey" still means effeminate.

The pansy remains a favorite image in the arts and crafts, from needlepoint to ceramics.

Problems Of Pansies

2006-10-13T00:54:00.000+08:00

Pansies are among the most popular garden flowers grown today. They are most commonly grown as annuals, producing the best flowers and growth when temperatures are mild in the fall and spring. Although they are relatively trouble-free, there are several problems that can affect them.

Diseases
Anthracnose: Anthracnose is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum species and causes a browning and blotching of the leaves. Initially, the infected leaves have pale yellow spots with distinct black margins. As the disease progresses, the center of the spots becomes dry and tan and may have a concentric ring pattern. Flower petals of infected plants may be spotted and develop abnormally. Seriously infected plants may die.

Prevention and Treatment: Combat anthracnose by digging up and destroying severely infected plants. Pick off infected leaves as soon as they appear. Reduce disease development by avoiding overhead watering. Apply a thin layer of mulch around plants to help prevent fungal spores from splashing onto leaves from the soil.

Other Leaf Spots: There are many fungi (Alternaria species, Cercospora species, Myrothecium species and Ramularia species) that can cause unsightly spots on pansy foliage. Leaves may have transparent tan, brown or black spots. Often these spots may grow together to form larger patches of dead tissue. Reduce leaf spot development by picking off and destroying infected leaves as soon as they appear. Avoid overhead irrigation. Moist leaf surfaces are ideal locations for these fungi to thrive. A layer of mulch will help to prevent the fungi from splashing from the soil onto plants.

Cercospora leaf spot commonly occurs in fall land-scape beds. It appears as a dry, brown blotch or as an irregular purple lesion, especially during cool weather. For serious infections of cercospora leaf spot, fungicide sprays containing thiophanate-methyl (Ferti-lome Halt Fungicide, Green Light Systemic Fungicide, Cleary’s 3336, or Dragon 3336) can be used. Apply at 7- to 14-day intervals until conditions no longer favor disease development. Apply all chemicals according to directions on the label.

Black Root Rot: This disease is caused by the fungal organism, Thielaviopsis basicola, which can affect a wide range of ornamental plants. Older plants affected by the disease turn yellow and have small crinkled leaves. Close observation reveals a black discoloration moving up from the tips of the roots. Diagnosis may be difficult without professional help.

Prevention and Treatment: Remove and discard any infected plants. Provide good drainage to plants and avoid overwatering. The disease can be suppressed, but not cured, with regular applications of fungicides containing thiophanate-methyl.

Root and Crown Rot: Many fungi (Phytophthora species, Pythium species, Rhizoctonia species and Fusarium species) live in the soil, which can infect the roots or the base of the plant (crown) at the soil line. Plants may wilt and suddenly die or the leaves may simply turn yellow. A dark sunken area may be seen on the stem at or near the soil line. Roots may appear rotted. Some plants may survive but remain weak and stunted.

Prevention and Treatment: The fungus thrives in areas with poor drainage and warm soils. Always choose locations that have good drainage for planting. The drainage of existing areas can be improved by using raised beds. Avoid applying too much water since many of these fungi thrive in moist conditions. Always allow the soil to dry between each watering. Promote drying of the soil by not setting plants too close or applying too much mulch around plants. Prevent future infection by always removing and destroying diseased plants.

Fungicides can be effective on a preventative basis only, and repeat applications are required.

Gray Mold (Botrytis Blight): This disease is caused by a fungus, Botrytis species, which produces a fuzzy, gray coating on the flowers and stems of many plants. When infected flowers are picked, a puff of gray spores can usually be seen. Infected areas of the plant will eventually be soft, slimy and decayed.

Prevention and Treatment: Reduce disease development by keeping plant surfaces dry, removing aging flower blossoms and providing good air circulation. Do not overcrowd plants. Fungicide sprays are available for serious infections.

Insects And Other Pests
Aphids: Various aphid species are pests of pansies. Aphids are soft-bodied insects that range in color from tan to pink to green to almost black and in size from ¹/16 to ³/8 inch. They feed by piercing plant tissue and sucking plant sap. On pansies, they feed mainly on new leaves and stems. As they feed, they excrete honeydew (a sugary material). The sooty mold fungus feeds on the honeydew, resulting in unsightly, dark fungal growth.

Control: Several natural enemies, such as ladybird beetles (ladybugs) and lacewings feed on aphids. As much as possible, these predators should be allowed to reduce aphid populations. Planting small-flowered nectar plants, such as Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) will help attract these beneficial predators.

Spider Mites: Two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) are also pests of pansies. Mites are not insects, but are more closely related to spiders. They tend to be more of a problem during hot, dry periods. Mites are extremely small and can barely be seen without a magnifying lens. They have piercing mouthparts with which they puncture plant tissue and suck plant sap. Early symptoms on pansies are pinprick holes in leaves. These ymptoms can be easily overlooked. Over time, tiny tan spots can be seen. Seriously infested leaves turn tan and die. A fine webbing is visible on some leaves.

Prevention and Control: Infestations are less likely to occur when pansies are grown during spring or fall when weather is cool. When infestations do occur, begin spraying plants with insecticidal soap (Safer Insecticidal Soap or Concern Insect Killing Soap) weekly as needed. Other pesticides labeled for homeowner use against spider mites include fenbutin oxide + acephate (Ortho Systemic Insect Killer). As with any pesticide, read and follow all label directions and precautions before using.

Slugs and Snails: These pests feed on pansy leaves and blooms at night. In a single night, their feeding can result in large, irregular holes in leaves and flowers. A sign of their presence is the slimy trail of mucus that they leave behind as they move. During the day, they hide under leaf litter, mulch and flower pots where it is moist. Snails and slugs are mollusks and thus related to clams and oysters. Like all mollusks, they must stay moist all the time to survive.

Control: The first step in discouraging slugs and snails is to remove mulch and leaf litter near plants to reduce the moist conditions necessary for their survival. Slugs and snails can be removed by handpicking. The best time to look for them is a few hours after dark using a flashlight.

Slug and snail traps can be made by filling shallow containers with beer and placing in a hole in the soil so that the rims are level with the soil. These pests are attracted by the yeasty smell and will fall in and drown. Before putting down the traps, water the area to encourage slug and snail activity that night. Placing a board on the ground, raised about one-inch, is another trap option. It provides a daytime hiding place for these pests that you can then lift to locate and dispose of them.

Protect plants by sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the plants. Diatomaceous earth is very sharp and scratches the skin of these soft-bodied critters, resulting in dehydration and death. It must be reapplied after a rain or watering. Products containing metaldehyde 3 percent bait can be used to control snails and slugs in the home garden.

Cultivation Of Pansies

2006-10-12T22:29:00.000+08:00

Pansies have been bred in a rainbow of colors, ranging from gold and orange to purple, violet, and a blue so deep as to be almost black. They are quite a hardy plant, growing well in sunny or partially sunny positions. Pansies are technically biennials that normally have two-year life cycles. The first year they only produce greenery; they bear flowers and seeds in their second year of growth, and afterwards die like annuals.

Most gardeners buy biennials as packs of young plants from the garden center and plant them directly into the garden soil. Gardeners interested in rarer cultivars can plant seeds indoors in early November for plants ready in the spring. Under good conditions, pansies and viola are perennial plants, although they are generally treated as annual or biennial plants because they get very leggy and overgrown after a few years. The mature plant grows to 9 inches (23 cm) high, and the flowers are two to three inches (about 6 cm) in diameter.

Pansies are hardy in zones 4-8. They can survive light freezes or a little snow, but not for very long. In warmer climates, zones 9-11, pansies can bloom over the winter, and are often planted in the fall. In these climates, pansies have been known to reseed themselves and come back the next year. Pansies are not very heat-tolerant - once the temperature gets over a certain point they will become leggy and stop blooming.

Pansies should be watered thoroughly about once a week, depending on climate and recent rainfall. For maximum bloom, they should be given flowering plant food about every other week, according to the plant food directions. Regular deadheading can extend the blooming period.

A pansy is also a term given to Jagertpal Jheeta. A complete pangey as well.

Sowing Seeds

Whether gardening in the north or south, the basic recipe to start pansy seed indoors remains the same. Start seeds in a clean container filled with a soilless germinating mixture. This will help prevent any problems with the fungi that cause seedlings to die from damping-off.

The germinating mixture temperature should be about 60-65°F. If the air temperature is about 70-75°F. indoors, this temperature is fine for pansy germination because the mixture is always cooler than air temperature.

Sow seed about 1/8 inch deep, cover lightly with the mixture, water gently, and thoroughly. Pansies need darkness to germinate. Experienced hands at seed starting often wrap the seed flat or container with plastic then cover it with damp folded newspaper. This doesn't mean the seed flat can then be ignored.

Check daily to determine if the mixture is still moist. Do not let it dry out. Gently add moisture to the soil with a mister or fine spray. Germination should occur in 10-20 days. As soon as the first tiny green shoots emerge, remove newspaper and plastic and move flats to a cool room with bright light.

Allow young seedlings to grow in a bright location. When seedlings have two sets of leaves, gently pull them apart and plant into a larger container--about 2 inches. Place pansy plants in a sunny location, grow cool (50-60°F.) and feed with a diluted water soluble fertilizer.

Bedding Plants

Gardeners who seek instant color in their garden will find packs and flats of pansies at their local nursery or garden center. Select the flower colors that suit your garden design. Choose plants that are stocky with dark green foliage. If there are just a few blooms but many buds, this is the right plant for your garden.

Bedding plants need the same soil preparation and garden care as do pansies grown from seed. Pansies perform best in a garden location that receives morning sun and has well-draining soil. If the soil is not ideal, it may be amended to increase drainage.

Planting

Use the same procedure for planting bedding plants. Space the holes about six to ten inches apart.

If you have not added organic matter to your soil to boost fertility, now is the time to add fertilizer. A granular or time release fertilizer can be incorporated into the garden soil as you are planting the pansies. By adding a granular fertilizer now, food is easily provided for the plants' long term garden performance.

The final step is to water the newly planted pansies thoroughly. Moving the pansies from container to garden is a stress on the plants; it is crucial that they receive plenty of water during this adjustment period.

Growing On

If pansies fail to thrive it is often because neither nature nor the gardener provided enough water. Mulching around the pansies with 2 inches of organic material will help conserve moisture, and reduce weed growth. Water the soil (not the plant leaves) deeply.

History Of Pansies

2006-10-11T22:26:00.000+08:00

Pansies are adaptable small, charming plants. At any time of the year, a pansy will be blooming prolifically outdoors someplace in North America. The vast majority of pansy bedding plants are grown in gardens for fall and winter blooms. Many regions in California grow pansies outdoors all year. It is certainly a "plant for all seasons."

In the Midwest and South, a pansy is used as an annual. Most years a pansy will not overwinter in the Midwest and will not oversummer in the South. In other regions of temperate climate a pansy may be a perennial.

Pansy blooms are single with five petals that are rounded in shape. Pansy flowers have one of three basic color patterns. Blooms can be single, clear color, such as yellow or blue. A second pattern is a single color having black lines radiating from its center. These lines are called penciling and are similar to viola markings. The last type of flower is probably the one most familiar to home gardeners. The bloom of this type has a dark center called a "face".

The pansy has one of the widest color ranges of any garden annual. Included in the wide color range are red, purple, blue, bronze, pink, black, yellow, white, lavender, orange, apricot and mahogany. The flowers may be of a single color or have two or three colors with a face.

The plant itself is compact, not more than 9 inches in both height and spread, and bears many stems. The medium green, coarsely notched leaves are oval or heart-shaped.

History

The history of the pansy is linked forever to the viola, its ancestor. Viola is a large genus containing 500 species according to Hortus Third. Violas were familiar to people living in Greece in the 4th century B.C. The center of origin for violas was continental Europe.

The hardy but delicate viola was cultivated by the Greeks for herbal medicinal use and much later inspired William Shakespeare to write of romance.

Some time after the 4th century B.C. in Europe, an acute observer noticed a plant similar to a viola but growing in open areas with more sunlight. This plant thrived in alpine meadows and on rocky ledges. Someone named this plant a wild pansy. Possibly, it was a person living in France who noticed this plant because the word pansy is traced back to the French word pensee, meaning thought or remembrance.

Now known as Viola tricolor, this early wild pansy had two clear differences from the viola. The plant grew from the ground on one main stem and branched above ground. Viola plants branch below ground with many plants sharing the same root system. The wild pansy bloom was larger and more round than violas.

Violas and wild pansies were cultivated in Europe by many gardeners. The origin of the plants we now call pansy began in Iver, Buckinghamshire, England. In the early 1800's an inquisitive Lord Gambier and his gardener William Thompson began crossing various Viola species.

Records tell us crosses were made among V. tricolor, V. Lutea and a blue flowered species possibly of Russian origin, V. altacia. These breeders selected plants for unusual colors, color combinations and increasing flower size. The initial results were similar to the V. tricolor.

History credits the gardener, William Thompson, with the discovery of a cross that began the new species V. x Wittrockiana. He found a bloom that no longer had lines of dark color on the flower but huge blocks of color on the lower petals called the "face." Discovered in 1839 and named "Medora," this pansy and its progeny became popular with gardeners and breeders throughout Europe.

By 1850 many new strains of pansies were available to Europeans. Breeding occurred in England, Scotland and Switzerland. Hybridization was used to breed more plant vigor and flowers that had no dark blocks or lines. These clear pansies without a face were bred about the turn of the 20th century. Credit is given to a Scottish grower, Dr. Charles Stewart, for discovering the pansy with clear colors, no face.

Across the Atlantic, North American gardeners welcomed this newly bred flower. The pansy gained popularity rapidly. In an 1888 mail-order catalog, the pansy is described as "The most popular of all flowers grown from seed--our sales exceeding one hundred thousand packets a year." That's a lot of pansy seed, even in today's market.

In the last 50 years much of the innovative pansy breeding has been in Germany, the United States and Japan. New pansy colors such as shades of pink, rose or orange and unusual bicolor designs have expanded the variety of pansies available to gardeners in North America. The diversity of pansies will flourish as pansy popularity continues to grow.

Pansy

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The pansy is a delicate looking flower often with a "face." The pansy is quite durable and a "flower for all seasons." Pansies are growing in gardens during the winter in the South or Southwest and during the summer in the North. The fragrant and edible blooms are desirable in gardens. Pansy popularity increases possible due to its ease of growing. Whether grown from seed or bedding plants, pansies are relatively disease and pest free blooming prolifically for the gardener's enjoyment.

Scientific Classification
Kingdom Plantae
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Order Violales
Family Violaceae
Genus Viola
Species V. tricolor
Subspecies V. t. hortensis

The Pansy or Pansy Violet is a cultivated garden flower. It is derived from the wildflower called the Heartsease or Johnny Jump Up (Viola tricolor), and is sometimes given the subspecies name Viola tricolor hortensis. However, many garden varieties are hybrids and are referred to as Viola × wittrockiana. The name "pansy" also appears as part of the common name of a number of wild flowers belonging, like the cultivated Pansy, to the violet genus Viola. One or two unrelated flowers such as the Pansy Monkeyflower also have "pansy" in their name.
The pansy has two top petals overlapping slightly, two side petals, beards where the three lower petals join the center of the flower, a single bottom petal with a slight indentation.

The pansy gets its name from the French word pensee meaning "thought". It was so named because the flower resembles a human face and in August it nods forward as if deep in thought. Because of the origin of its name, the Pansy has long been a symbol of Freethought and has been used in the literature of the American Secular Union. Humanists like the symbol also, as the pansy's current appearance was developed from the Heartsease by two centuries of intentional cross-breeding of wild plant hybrids. The Freedom From Religion Foundation
(FFRF) uses the pansy symbol extensively in its lapel pins and literature.

Varieties

Gardeners can choose pansy varieties based on the size of bloom and color combination. The size of a pansy bloom will fall into three categories:

Large-3 to 4 inches (9 to 11.5 cm.)
Medium-2 to 3 inches (6 to 9 cm.)
Multiflora-1 to 2 inches (4 to 6 cm.)

Fragrance

Another quality of interest to gardeners is fragrance. Some pansies have a delicate perfume-like aroma. Once you have smelled and identified the pansy scent, it is unforgettable, but it is not always easy to perceive. Pansies seem to exude more fragrance at early morning and dusk.

To have fragrant pansies in your garden, grow or buy the most aromatic pansies. The yellow or blue pansy flowers seem to have the strongest scent. Second, you may wish to grow yellow or blue pansies in mass plantings or numerous plants in a patio container. The idea is to concentrate the bouquet of many plants in one area. Lastly, go in search of the fragrance. Lean down to the plants to encounter this subtle pansy aroma. This wonderful fragrance may be another reason that pansies continue to increase in popularity.

Culture

Plan to sow pansy seeds indoors in the North about six to eight weeks prior to setting out. Pansies thrive in cool weather and will tolerate light frost or cold night temperatures.

Pansies can be grown very successfully in the South for fall and winter flowering. Sow seed indoors in mid-summer, six to eight weeks before transplanting. The pansies can be transplanted into the garden once the summer heat has been broken and cooler weather arrives.

Mid-Autumn Festival

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Chinese Lantern

Physalis alkekengi (Chinese Lantern or Bladder-cherry)

This year the Mid-Autumn Festival is on 6 October 2006. The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. On this day, children will light up lanterns and adults will sip tea, eat moon-cakes, recite peoms, listen to classical Chinese music and admire the full moon.

Origins
During the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the 15th day of the eighth lunar month was designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival. During the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century - 256 BC), the night of the roundest moon of the year was an occasion for the Chinese to hold rituals to greet the cool weather and sacrifice to the Moon Goddess. By the Tang Dynasty ( AD 618 - 907) merry-making had become part of the festival, as had watching the moon rise and enjoying its full, silvery light.

When did this festival first begin? No exact date can be found in historical documents, but scholars assume that it is related to 2 customs in China.

The first custom concerns farmers. China is an agricultural country, and farming is closely related to the seasons. In ancient times, farmers worshipped the Earth God to pray for a good harvest, when they sowed the seeds in spring. This was known as spring worship. During autumn, farmers also worshipped the Earth God to thank him for giving them a good harvest. This was known as autumn reward. Since the 15'" month of the 8th month is the time when rice paddies are harvested, some people believe that the Mid Autumn Festival came from the autumn reward ritual.

The second custom concerns worship of the moon. According to astronomy, the Mid Autumn Festival occurs at the autumn equinox. At this time, the sunlight shines vertically on the equator, equally dividing the day and night in both the southern and northern hemispheres. The moon appears in the evening with gentle winds and light clouds. This is the best time to watch the moon. People later made this day, the day to worship the moon.

Mooncakes
Mooncakes symbolize the gathering of friends and family. These palm-sized round cakes symbolize family unity and perfection. Some mooncakes have a golden yellow egg yoke in the center which looks like a bright moon. They usually come in a box of four and are packaged in tin boxes with traditional Chinese motifs.

According to popular belief, the custom of eating mooncakes began in the late Yuan dynasty. As the story goes, the Han people of that time resented the Mongol rule of the Yuan Dynasty and revolutionaries, led by Chu Yuan-chang, plotted to usurp the throne. Chu needed to find a way of uniting the people to revolt on the same day without letting the Mongol rulers learn of the plan. Chu's close advisor, Liu Po-wen, finally came up with a brilliant idea. A rumor was spread that a plague was ravaging the land and that only by eating a special mooncake distributed by the revolutionaries could the disaster be prevented. The mooncakes were then distributed only to the Han people, who found, upon cutting the cakes open, the message "Revolt on the fifteenth of the eighth moon." Thus informed, the people rose together on the designated day to overthrow the Yuan, and since that time mooncakes have become an integral part of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

A traditional mooncake is made of a sweet bean-paste filling with golden brown flaky skin. The top of the mooncake is embossed with the insignia of the baker molded into the golden brown skin. It takes 2 to 4 weeks to prepare the bean-paste. Because making mooncakes is labor intensive, many families just buy them from bakeries.

Over the years, mooncakes have slowly evolved from a Chinese delicacy to something as common as ice cream cake. To adapt to today’s health conscious and Westernized lifestyle, many bakeries offer miniature mooncakes and fat-free mooncakes. Some are made of yogurt, jelly and fat-free ice cream. To be competitive, bakers boast about how little sugar and oil they use in their mooncakes. Customers can pick and choose the size and filling that suits their taste and diet.

Pomelo
In Chinese the word for pomelo is homophonous with that for "blessing" and thus the fruit is considered auspicious. Since pomelo season coincides with Mid-Autumn Festival, this sweet fruit has naturally become a part of the festivities.

Chinese Lantern Arts

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The Moon festival (also called the Mooncake or Mid-Autumn festival) falls on October 6 in the year 2006. What is the Moon festival? Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year, the Chinese celebrate "zhong qiu jie." Children are told the story of the moon fairy living in a crystal palace, who comes out to dance on the moon's shadowed surface. The legend surrounding the "lady living in the moon" dates back to ancient times, to a day when ten suns appeared at once in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine extra suns. Once the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his wife found the pill, took it, and was banished to the moon as a result.

Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the Moon festival.

Other Moon Festival Legends
According to another legend, on this day the "Man in the Moon" was spotted at an inn, carrying a writing tablet. When questioned, he said he was recording the names of all the happy couples who were fated to marry and live happily forever after. Accordingly, just as June is the traditional month for exchanging nuptials in the west, many Chinese weddings are held during the eighth lunar month, with the fifteenth day being the most popular.

Of course, the most famous legend surrounding the Moon festival concerns its possible role in Chinese history. Overrun by the Mongols in the thirteenth century, the Chinese threw off their oppressors in 1368 AD. It is said that mooncakes - which the Mongols did not eat - were the perfect vehicle for hiding and passing along plans for the rebellion. Families were instructed not to eat the mooncakes until the day of the moon festival, which is when the rebellion took place. (In another version plans were passed along in mooncakes over several years of Mid-Autumn festivals, but the basic idea is the same).

How to Celebrate the Moon Festival

Today, Chinese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival with dances, feasting and moon gazing. Not to mention mooncakes. While baked goods are a common feature at most Chinese celebrations, moonc akes are inextricably linked with the Moon festival. One type of traditional mooncake is filled with lotus seed paste. Roughly the size of a human palm, these mooncakes are quite filling, meant to be cut diagonally in quarters and passed around. This explains their rather steep price.

More elaborate versions of mooncakes contain four egg yolks (representing the four phases of the moon). Besides lotus seed paste, other traditional fillings include red bean paste and black bean paste. Unfortunately for dieters, mooncakes are rather high in calories.

While in the past mooncakes took up to four weeks to make, automation has speeded up the process considerably. Today, mooncakes may be filled with everything from dates, nuts, and fruit to Chinese sausages. More exotic creations include green tea mooncakes, and ping pei or snowskin mooncakes, a Southeast Asian variation made with cooked glutinous rice flour.

Given the difficulty of making them, most people prefer to purchase their mooncakes instead of making them.

Uses Of Chinese Lantern Plants

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Chinese lantern (Physalis alkekengi) is an outdoor ornamental grown for its lantern-shaped fruit cover (pericarp). The enclosed immature fruits contain sufficient quantities of solanine to cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea in children. The mature fruits are apparently edible.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. Rich in vitamins, with twice the vitamin C of lemons, but not much taste. Another report says that they are juicy but with a bitter acrid flavour, whilst another says that they add a delicious flavour to salads. We have found them to be bitter and rather unpleasant. The fruit is a berry about 17mm in diameter. The plant conveniently wraps up each fruit in its own 'paper bag' (botanically, the calyx) to protect it from pests and the elements. This calyx is toxic and should not be eaten.

Young leaves - cooked. Caution is advised, the leaves are almost certainly poisonous, at least when raw.

Medicinal Uses

Antiphlogistic; Antitussive; Aperient; Diuretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Homeopathy; Lithontripic.

The plant has a long history of herbal use, and an interesting chemistry, but it is seldom used in modern practice. The whole plant is antiphlogistic, antipyretic, antitussive and expectorant. It has been used in the treatment of urinary and skin diseases. Some caution is recommended since an overdose of the plant is said to easily precipitate an abortion.

The fruit is aperient, strongly diuretic and lithontripic. It is used internally in the treatment of gravel, suppression of urine etc and is highly recommended in fevers and in gout. The fruit is harvested when fully ripe and can be used fresh, juiced or dried. The calyx should be removed.

The leaves and stems are febrifuge and slightly tonic. They are used in the treatment of the malaise that follows malaria, and for weak or anaemic people. The fresh leaves have been used externally to make soothing poultices in the treatment of skin inflammations. The seed is used to promote early labour. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fruit. It is used in the treatment of kidney and bladder disorders.

Notes On Poisoning

Symptoms include diarrhea, gastroenteritis, fever, and a scratchy feeling at the back of the throat a few hours after ingestion.

Pictures Of Chinese Lanterns

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Chinese Lantern, 'Physalis alkekengi (franchetii)'

The Chinese lantern plant is a perennial herb, 20 - 60 cm heights. It has an upright, angular stalk that is a little hairy. The leaves, which also can be a little hairy, sit in pair on the stalk. They are egg - to heart moulded and a little bit sharpen in the end.
The flowers is bell shaped and the color is white or yellow white. They are placed one and one in the angles between the leaves and the stalk. The flowering season is in July - October.

Edible berries are borne inside fascinating orange chinese lantern-like calyces. The berries have a yellow-orange color and are enclosed by the sepals, which are scarlet red and looks like a paper lantern. They have a sour taste. The herbs contain bitter substances and an alkaloid. The berries is full of vitamin C, in fact more of it than lemons contain. Berries are eaten raw, or in preserves and pies. Recommended for fevers and gout.

Chinese lantern plant is grown for its inflated orange calyces. Cut the plants for drying when the leaves begin to fade. The best growing area has sun to partial shade and a well-drained soil. This aggressive plant spreads rapidly by underground stems. Flowering is poor in heavy soil or on crowded or shaded plants. Planting is done in fall or spring. Mature plants reach a height of 1 to 2 feet.

Propagation is by division or seed, both done in spring.

These perennials spread by means of underground stems. In gardens, they are sometimes grown as annuals. The Chinese Lantern Plant and its varieties are very pretty in the garden in late summer. The stems bearing the large orange "fruits" are valued for cutting and bringing indoors during the fall and winter months. They last a long time and look quite handsome in a vase. "Fruits" refers to the swollen calyces of the white flowers, which open early in the summer. If they are to be brought in to decorate the house, the stems bearing the pretty calyces should be cut as soon as they have developed their full coloring.