The Lotus is in a class by itself. You have to provide a very particular environment of soil covered with a foot of water, know exactly how to grow them, and be patient. But when they do perform, it's unforgettable, and its beauty inspires a sense of awe, the spiritual joy and pleasure one has when hearing a beautiful symphony for the first time. Some have an unusual fragrance, and it's not what you expect. The Alba Grandiflora reminded me of a mix of licorice, mignonette, and freesia.
The Bracha is for fruit trees, but when the Lotus blooms, ליפטר בלא כלום אי אפשר, and I find it kedai to say the bracha without the sheimos.
שלא חיסר בעולמו כלום וברא בו בריות טובות ודשאים נאים להנות בהן בני אדם
The Alba was in my back yard and the Russian Red in my mother's.
Lotus Alba Grandiflora. As you can see from the bumblebee, it's very large.
Russian Red,with my hand for scale.
4 comments:
Beautiful...
Thank you ...
I'm glad you enjoy it. A pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled.
Is the green thumb hereditary?
My wife and I were wondering how you manage the soil covered in a foot of water -- do you have a little pond or something? Does not sound easy!
I really don't want a pond because of the danger to children. So I bought a stock tank- a 150 gallon plastic trough used on farms to water cattle-
http://www.rubbermaidforless.com/rubbermaid-4245-gallon-capacity-stock-watering-tank-product_info-150.html
and I put a twenty gallon plastic pot inside with dirt, in which the lotus goes. The top of the inside pot is covered by plenty of water. Maybe not a foot, but enough. The problem I have is what to do with it come winter. Theoretically, I could wash out the mud, take out the root, cut a piece off, and put it in the refrigerator. In fact, though, I just buy a new root every spring. But you're right- I do have an unusual talent with plants. It's a talent with no practical value, but there it is. I've grown beautiful esrogim and hadassim in the house, a tiny watermelon under fluorescent lights, orchids, and various psychoactive botanicals, none of which I used, just out of curiosity. Some of my grandchildren might be interested. We'll see what develops.
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