FFF241 - CORAL 'GERANIUM'

We know them as simply 'geraniums'. They are one of the most popular container plants, yet they are not really geraniums at all. Botanically they are Pelargonium. There are true geraniums, the perennial cranesbills, but they look little like the annual plants we commonly call 'geraniums'.

The confusion with the names can be traced back to disagreements between botanists over classification and is of little importance to most gardeners, except for the distinction that perennial cranesbill geraniums will come back each year and zonal geraniums, those now classified as Pelargonium, are topical perennials usually grown as annuals in colder climates. They got the prefix "zonal" because of the markings on their leaves.

Zonal geraniums were discovered in South Africa and if you have a similar, subtropical climate, you can grow them as perennials. This coral pink zonal geranium is Pelargonium x hortorum.  Zonal geraniums are bushy plants, mainly used for containers and bedding. There has been considerable breeding done, particularly for size and abundance and colours of flowers, so there is a good deal of variety. Zonal geraniums start blooming in mid-spring and will repeat bloom until frost. Deadheading the entire flower stalk after the flower fades will encourage more blooms.

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FFF241

1.	LILAC HIBISCUS	16.	Poppies	31.	Ulrika L Sweden	46.	Dawn
2.	BLUE SAGE	17.	Chestnut tree	32.	WoollyMuses	47.	Betty Louise Davenport
3.	GARDEN GATE	18.	Lilium martagon	33.	Anne Seltmann	48.	Nicole/Frau Frieda
4.	JONQUILS	19.	Alexa T.	34.	Peony on the Balkony	49.	veredit
5.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	20.	Ulla Laiho	35.	Ingrid	50.	Ingmarie We/Refugium
6.	Abrianna	21.	Annie (bien tomber)	36.	Sind im Garten l Even its shadow is beautiful	51.	regina
7.	BIRGITTA AHL SWEDEN	22.	Pictografio	37.	Sidewalk Shoes	52.	Lessandra
8.	JULIA | mammilade-blog (peonies & baby's breath)	23.	Cactus	38.	Maribels Garden	53.	Aquariann's Flower Friday
9.	JULIA | mammilade-blog (roses & hydrangea)	24.	orchid(Japan)	39.	hapzydeco	54.	ORANGE ROSES
10.	Jeanna	25.	Dekotraum - Austria	40.	RAINY ROSE	55.	bij jen
11.	Mascha	26.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	41.	Gunilla	56.	Heidrun
12.	Jesh StG	27.	Sara Chapman #2	42.	Bouquet from my garden	57.	ZEPHYRANTHES
13.	Forest Dream Weaver	28.	Sara Chapman #3	43.	Eve
14.	Linda's Lens	29.	fim.works | Germany	44.	bij jen
15.	Kim,USA	30.	STAR ANISE	45.	Rose Garden Malevik

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FFF240 - DOUBLE DELIGHT

Narcissus is a genus of predominantly spring perennial plants in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Various common names including daffodil, daffadowndilly, narcissus, and jonquil are used to describe all or some members of the genus. Narcissus has conspicuous flowers with six petal-like tepals surmounted by a cup- or trumpet-shaped corona. The flowers are generally white or yellow (orange or pink in garden varieties), with either uniform or contrasting coloured tepals and corona.

Narcissus were well known in ancient civilisation, both medicinally and botanically, but formally described by Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum (1753). The genus is generally considered to have about ten sections with approximately 50 species. The number of species has varied, depending on how they are classified, due to similarity between species and hybridisation.

Felicia amelloides, the blue marguerite or blue daisy, is a species of flowering plant of the family Asteraceae, native to South Africa. F. amelloides is synonymous with, and formerly known as, F. aethiopica, Aster amelloides, Aster capensis, and Aster coelestis.

F. amelloides is an evergreen shrublet usually 30–60 cm tall by 50 cm wide, but sometimes up to 1 m tall, with densely branched and frequently dark red stems, and rough, hairy, ovate green leaves. Striking blue composite flowers with prominent yellow centres, about 30 mm in diameter, and borne on naked stalks up to 180 mm long.

This species is much cultivated, and in the temperate world is usually grown as a half-hardy annual in pots, window-boxes, hanging baskets, and other summer bedding schemes for parks and gardens. Drought- and wind-resistant, it requires a sheltered aspect in full sun, and does not tolerate frost.

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FFF240

1.	WATTLES	15.	Loads of PEONIES | JULIA (mammilade-blog)	29.	Anne Seltmann	43.	bij jen
2.	RUE	16.	Ingrid	30.	glückszauber: Garden Flowers	44.	ladyleemanila
3.	JONQUILS	17.	June Garden Blooms!	31.	White Roses in three styles	45.	Jayne
4.	OSTEOSPERMUM	18.	Ched Curtain	32.	lemapi, italy	46.	Eve
5.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	19.	orchid(Japan)	33.	TANACETUM	47.	Betty Louise Davenport
6.	tom the backroads traveller	20.	hapzydeco	34.	Nicole/Frau Frieda	48.	DeniseinVA
7.	Annie (bien tomber)	21.	Suzy Godfrey	35.	floral mosaics	49.	Rose Garden Malevik
8.	BIRGITTA AHL SWEDEN	22.	fotography by felicia	36.	Sidewalk Shoes	50.	Dawn
9.	naehmeise.blogspot.de	23.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	37.	Biggy	51.	Regina
10.	Birgitta B	24.	Dekotraum - Austria	38.	Sind im Garten l Good Bye, England's rose	52.	Maribels Garden
11.	Jesh StG	25.	Ulrika L Sweden	39.	Aletta - nowathome	53.	OXALIS
12.	Landscapes of Mazovia	26.	My favorite weekend flower	40.	Foxgloves	54.	Ela
13.	Kasztanki: Leucojum vernum	27.	Ulla Laiho	41.	Aquariann's Flower Friday	55.	ann
14.	Gunilla	28.	Jutta K. Germayn	42.	fim.works | Germany

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FFF239 - CAMELLIA

Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. The genus was named by Linnaeus after the Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who worked in the Philippines, though he never described a camellia.

This genus is famous throughout East Asia; camellias are known as cháhuā (茶花) in Chinese, "tea flower", an apt designation, as tsubaki (椿) in Japanese, as dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃) in Korean and as hoa trà or hoa chè in Vietnamese. Of economic importance in the Indian subcontinent and Asia, leaves of C. sinensis are processed to create the popular beverage, tea. The ornamental Camellia japonica, Camellia oleifera and Camellia sasanqua and their hybrids are represented in cultivation by a large number of cultivars.

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FFF239

1.	CAPE WATTLE	17.	Pictografio	33.	Roses and Grass	49.	Rose Garden Malevik
2.	LEMON BLOSSOM	18.	Ched Curtain	34.	My favorite weekend flower	50.	Giant Watering Can
3.	ARISARUM	19.	WoollyMuses	35.	a spirit of simplicity	51.	Aquariann's Flower Friday
4.	PINK ROSE	20.	orchid(Japan)	36.	Malva	52.	Nicole/Frau Frieda
5.	JULIA | mammilade-blog (Peonies & Lavender)	21.	Andrea, POG	37.	Lois, Tallahassee	53.	Regina
6.	JULIA | mammilade-blog (Poppy Flower)	22.	Ulrika L Sweden	38.	Ulla Laiho	54.	Ela
7.	joanna	23.	Dekotraum - Austria	39.	Wildflowers of the West	55.	Annie (bien tomber)
8.	Chestnut blossom	24.	Gunilla	40.	bij jen	56.	Biggy
9.	Red poppy	25.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	41.	Eva	57.	Linda's Lens
10.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	26.	Sara Chapman #2	42.	DeniseinVA	58.	Lenas Trädgårdsrum
11.	BIRGITTA AHL SWEDEN	27.	Anne Seltmann	43.	Sind im Garten l Wildrose in Bleikristall	59.	Alexa T.
12.	White Lily Tiime	28.	BALLOON FLOWER	44.	Dawn	60.	Zauberpalme Hibiscus Madrid
13.	Abrianna	29.	fim.works | Germany	45.	Betty Louise Davenport	61.	bij jen
14.	Jesh StG	30.	LOVAGE	46.	Angie The Freckled Rose	62.	Midsummers Dream
15.	Jutta K. Germany	31.	Flower Decoration in Black and White	47.	Vilt og vakkert
16.	NatureFootstep Photo	32.	Blumenfrau Germany	48.	Stockport DP

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FFF238 - FORGET-ME-NOT

Myosotis (from the Greek: "mouse's ear", after the leaf) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. In the northern hemisphere they are commonly called forget-me-nots or scorpion grasses. The common name "forget-me-not" was calqued from German, Vergissmeinnicht and first used in English in AD 1398 through King Henry IV.  Similar names and variations are found in many languages. Myosotis alpestris is the state flower of Alaska. Plants of this genus are commonly confused with Chatham Islands forget-me-nots which belong to a related genus, Myosotidium.

Myosotis have pentamerous actinomorphic flowers with 5 sepals and petals. Flowers are typically 1 cm diameter (or less), flat, and blue, pink, white or yellow with yellow centres, growing on scorpioid cymes. They may be annual or perennial with alternate leaves. They typically flower in spring or soon after snow-melt in alpine eco-systems. Their root systems are generally diffuse. Their seeds are found in small, tulip-shaped pods along the stem to the flower. The pods attach to clothing when brushed against and eventually fall off, leaving the small seed within the pod to germinate elsewhere. Seeds can be collected by putting a piece of paper under the stems and shaking the seed pods and some seeds will fall out. Myosotis scorpioides is also known as scorpion grass due to the spiralling curve of its inflorescence.

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FFF238

1.	SPANISH BROOM	17.	Katarina - Sweden	33.	june-uk	49.	Hyde Xtra
2.	CAMELLIA	18.	My favorite weekend flower	34.	Lois, Tallahassee	50.	Alexa T.
3.	AFRICAN BUSH DAISY	19.	WoollyMuses	35.	Carol	51.	Rose Garden Malevik
4.	HIBISCUS	20.	Jesh StG	36.	Ulrika L Sweden	52.	Heidi, Germany
5.	JULIA | mammilade-blog (PEONY)	21.	Simone, Germany	37.	ROSEMARY	53.	Dawn
6.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	22.	Dekotraum - Austria	38.	orchid(Japan)	54.	islandrambles
7.	Reed flower	23.	Nicole/Frau Frieda	39.	bij jen	55.	DeniseinVA
8.	Landscapes of Mazovia: Apple blossom	24.	Suzy	40.	Aquariann's Flower Friday	56.	Regina
9.	Photo(Geo)grapher: Mountian meadows	25.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	41.	What's Blooming in My Garden This Week	57.	Al, New York
10.	BIRGITTA AHL SWEDEN	26.	Sara Chapman #2	42.	Marleen, NL	58.	Ingmarie We/Refugium
11.	Blue blue ...	27.	ladyleemanila	43.	Catherine, Russia	59.	hapzydeco
12.	Jutta K.Germany	28.	fim.works | Germany	44.	Biggy	60.	andrea, lemapi
13.	Gunilla	29.	Lily of the valley	45.	Lenas Trädgårdsrum	61.	denise
14.	Nasturtiums	30.	Anne Seltmann	46.	Jutta K. Germany	62.	andrea, italy
15.	WILDFLOWERS	31.	Wildlife Watching with FAB	47.	NatureFootstep Photo
16.	Ulla Laiho	32.	Zauberpalme	48.	Betty Louise Davenport

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FFF237 - BILLBERGIA

Billbergia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus, named for the Swedish botanist, zoologist, and anatomist Gustaf Johan Billberg, is divided into two subgenera: Billbergia and Helicodea. They are native to forest and scrub, up to an altitude of 1,700 m, in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central America and South America, with many species endemic to Brazil. They are rosette-forming, evergreen perennials, usually epiphytic in habit, often with brilliantly coloured flowers.

The cultivar shown here is Billbergia 'Muriel Waterman' that was hybridised by the great American collector and enthusiast, Mulfor Foster, and introduced in 1946. The stout tubular rosette, is about 7.5 cm in diameter, opens out to a funnel at the top of some six to eight leaves. These are rose-maroon with transverse silver bands, making it one of the most colourful foliage billbergias. The showy flower spike consists of long pink bracts and striking blue flowers.

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FFF237

1.	CHOISYA	20.	Katarina - Sweden	39.	Andrea, POG	58.	Rose Garden Malevik
2.	PENSTEMON	21.	Alexa T.	40.	Iris	59.	Ulrika L Sweden
3.	OXALIS	22.	Angie Rose	41.	Sind im Garten	60.	Life-n-Reflection
4.	CALENDULA	23.	Woollymuses	42.	Pictografio	61.	islandrambles
5.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	24.	Romi	43.	Biggy	62.	Linda's Lens
6.	CALLA LILY	25.	Lenas Trädgårdsrum	44.	Ulla Laiho	63.	Anne Seltmann
7.	NatureFootstep Photo	26.	Chasing the Blooms	45.	bij jen	64.	Regina
8.	naehmeise.blogspot.de	27.	fotography by felicia	46.	Aquariann's Flower Friday	65.	The Earth Laughs in Flowers Comfort Spring
9.	JULIA | mammilade-blog (Tulip, Ranunculus & Peony)	28.	JBigg	47.	Floral Soup	66.	Ela
10.	ann	29.	orchid(Japan)	48.	Simone, Germany	67.	annies home
11.	Annie (bien tomber)	30.	Dekotraum - Austria	49.	Dawn	68.	Ingrid
12.	Landscapes of Mazovia: Spring Meadow	31.	CLEMATIS	50.	Gunilla	69.	Laura Hegfield
13.	Photo(Geo)grapher: Pelargonium	32.	Aletta - nowathome	51.	Sarah Bettey Photography OR-USA	70.	ladyleemanila
14.	Kasztanowiec	33.	fim.works | Germany	52.	Orchids	71.	Zauberpalme Orange Poppy
15.	Jesh StG	34.	too much	53.	DeniseinVA	72.	Vilt og vakkert
16.	my favorite weekend flower	35.	andrea, italy	54.	Jutta K. Germany	73.	VIOLET
17.	BIRGITTA AHL SWEDEN	36.	Lea's Menagerie	55.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	74.	andrea, italy
18.	Forest Dream Weaver	37.	moni - reflexionblog	56.	Nicole/Frau Frieda
19.	Heidrun - Chestnut Blossom	38.	Villroses hage	57.	Betty Louise Davenport

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