Double Paradise

I wondered if my bird of paradise was even going to bloom this year. Usually it blooms in November or December. There was another bud hiding between the window and a leaf. I spotted it from outside when I looked up at the window.

I have a tropical microclimate at the top of the stairs. The stairwell has a window facing south. This window is in the southeast corner. The downside is the thermostat for the furnace is also at the top of the stairs. So when it's 70 here, it's 62 downstairs. Brrr!

I love the way the orange petals glow when they are backlit. Bird of paradise, hibiscus, and protea are my favorite flowers. Gardenias too, but they don't like our climate here much. Lavender, of course, is for everything else, including accenting the tropicals.

Visit my Flora galleries for more of my favorite blooms, including bird of paradise.