Falling Garden is a world in which botanical curios are suspended from the ceiling of a 17th-century church in Venice.

Falling Garden is a world in which botanical curios are suspended from the ceiling of a 17th-century church in Venice.
The artists installed "Falling Garden" inside San Staë church, on the Grand Canal, at the 50th Venice Biennial. According to the artists, the church was built as a mausoleum for a 17th-century doge (duke), who was entombed in the center, under an arrangement of skeletons and a grinning skull.
To view the installation, visitors lie on the floor, or, as the artists suggest, on the gravestone's bed. It's the best seat in the house, a house of cascading flowers and cherub carvings. Having thus submitted, the visitor's thoughts are free to drift, as "the garden thinks for them."
All images courtesy of the artists Gerda Steiner & Jorg Lenzlinger.

Floralscapes an art form with flowers

Netherlands-based artist Anne ten Donkelaar designs shadow-boxed collages of intricate floralscapes with roots that dangle and succulents that grow upside down. Layering natural objects and paper bits—magazine cutouts, dried flowers and leaves, pressed paper, and illustrations—she builds landscapes that float like a surrealist's garden. 
Donkelaar describes her foraging process: "A damaged butterfly, a broken twig, a bumblebee, some strangely grown weeds: I find all these unique discoveries in my path and then take them home to my studio." Her flora are both familiar—a photograph of an opuntia cactus and a passionflower—and foreign—a branch with butterfly wing leaves and a flower with feather petals. Playing with scale, texture, and color saturation, she creates contrasts that clarify each detail in the landscape.

Such a beautiful art form with flowers. Mumbai has pretty wild flowers on the buildings and sidewalks and these can be used effectively for floral spaces like this one.

For great flowers and good delivery send flowers to Mumbai from www.spring-blossoms.com

Flower Meditation

Just stare into the center of this urn.
Its therapeutic, your mind will slowly centralize and re align itself.

Keep concentrating and you will find yourself  mesmerized by the twirling leaves, your mind reaching deep within itself.

Loose yourself and let go . . . .

This is real flower art. . .

A florist in mumbai explains how naturally calming flowers can be, how flowers and flower art can soothe your mind, refresh your mind and delight your mind.

Flower Shadow

I don't always have to arrange my flowers in glamorous designs says Laxmi Lobo a  local florist in Mumbai.

Can have fun with flowers too.....

For great ideas to deliver flowers visit my website www.spring-blossoms.com

City of Flowers

Zundert is a city in Netherlands which hosts since 1936 a Flower Parade which is held every year on the first Sunday in September. 

On this occasion, a parade of floats and sculptures flowers of all colors is organized, allowing artists to create beautiful towering sculptures.

I wish India was evolved enough to have such massive yet artistic structures of Flowers, laments a florist in Mumbai, India.

We do massive elaborate and fabulous wedding decorations with flowers in India but to have state sponsored events like the one above is yet a long way off, says Laxmi Lobo.

For great flower deliveries do visit www.spring-blossoms.com

Wrap your flowers

A great gift idea.

Just wrap those flowers, choose any, roses, carnations even crysanthemums.

A floral sponge from your local florist, and flowers from the florist.

Mumbai florist says its easy, wrap a contrasting ribbon and viola, you have a real gift.

For ideas and flower deliveries Go to www.spring-blossoms.com

XXXL Bouquet of Flowers

A stunning centerpiece for a wedding lawn.

The Nelson Mandela Orchid

Orchids are very often named after famous people.

This is a tradition that started in the 1940 s in the United States.

It is a trend now to honor VIP s by naming a hybrid orchid after them.

In fact Singapore Botanic Gardens has a " VIP Orchid Garden"

For more celebrity orchids read here..

There's so much information on my blog says Laxmi Lobo, a flower lover. 

If your as passionate about flowers as I am and want to send stunning displays of flowers in Mumbai 

go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Flower Salad

Here is a Bell Pepper Salad!
Use three coloured peppers and add flowers of your choice..Its a great idea for a centerpiece.

Ideas with flowers is very easy says this florist Laxmi Lobo from Mumbai.

A little imagination and easily available ingredients from your local florist and you kitchen calls for an unforgettable floral recipe.

For super duper flower deliveries go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Hand Made Lantern for Diwali

A traditional Hand Made Lantern of coloured paper to hang in a Balcony to bring in colour and light into our lives... this Diwali.
HAPPY DIWALI EVERYONE.

Happy Diwali

Meaning of a Rose

The term floriography refers to the practice of giving symbolic meanings to flowers, which is popular in Western culture. 

All roses have the symbolic meaning of "I love you", but the different colors also have a meaning all of their own. 

For example, yellow roses mean "joy"; red roses mean "passion", burgundy roses mean "unconscious beauty"; orange/coral roses mean "desire"; pink roses mean "grace and gentility"; red and white roses together mean "unity"; white roses mean "worthiness

To send roses across India go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Flower Rangoli for Diwali

Here is a beautiful pattern of Rangoli, that design we make in India especially for festive occasions like Diwali.

This designer has used the petals of "Aster" flowers, purple and pink and white. Bright orange marigold petals and the eternal red rose petals.

What I like is the free flow of this design, its contemporary.

Work with Flowers

Isn't it nice to work with flowers? Every time I go to work I smile, its great to work as a florist and be surrounded by flowers.
Its lovely to warm people's hearts when you send flowers to Mumbai, or send flowers across India.
Surround yourself with flowers, its the most beautiful way to live says Laxmi Lobo a designer florist in Mumbai.
Go to www.spring-blossoms.com for great flower delivery.

Designer Flowers for Diwali

As a designer Florist I would say "bangle it" this Diwali. A special festival in India, it about bright lights and lots of colour.
So as a florist how would you dress your flowers this Diwali?
Just get a nice hand bouquet of mixed flowers from your local florist, be in Mumbai or any city in India.
Personalize it...buy those gorgeous Bangles or "Kangan" as we refer to the be-jeweled stuff we wear through Diwali and slip it onto your bouquet of flowers.
Simple? Wrap a brightly coloured ribbon below and you have a "Designer Flower Bouquet" for this Diwali.

Flower Girl Hanoi

A city that loves flowers, loves its people.

This flower girl in Hanoi Vietnam sure looks content as she pedals her ware literally through the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam.

Black and White

Here's another gorgeous idea.

Have a party or a theme.

Florist ideas are always with an edge.

For super duper deliveries go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Outdoor Wedding

A great idea for an outdoor wedding.

Its cool its November in Mumbai and the hill stations around Mumbai. Also in India, this is the best time for an outdoor wedding.

Are you fed up of the standard elaborate wedding decor?

Just use simple ideas for a refreshing look says a Mumbai florist.

For best flower deliveries go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Sugared Rose

Flowers add beauty to foods too. The beauty of a white rose is transferred to this delectable sugared Rose frosting on a cup of specially infused tea.

Keep looking at the beauty of this rose as a florist, or an admirer of flowers or just put it on your tongue and let it melt your heart.

For delightful flower arrangements to deliver in Mumbai go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Bag full of Flowers

A chic Assam cane bag filled with Cymbidium.

In India there is a custom, we don't give an empty purse as a gift.

As a florist in Mumbai I came up with one better :) why not give a flower filled bag?

Its a fresh idea and one that will be appreciated and more importanlty remebered forever says this florist in Mumabi.

For great ideas to gift flowers to your sweetheart go to my website www.spring-blossoms.com

Art of Flowers

Flowers can be turned into an art.

For great ideas on floral art delivered to your doorstep in Mumbai do visit my website 

www.spring-blossoms.com

Floating Flowers

A creative photoshop display...but I get attracted whenever there's flowers :)


For great ideas on flowers to send in Mumbai go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Diamante Flowers

Here's a great idea.

Use a single stalk of bright pink cymbidium Orchid. In Mumbai you get this orchid imported from November to February.

But small or large diamante and stick them on a pinhead.

You can push these individually onto the large cymbidium flowers, about 8 to 10 flowers on a stalk.

make a bunch and push them into a small cylindrical vase.

Wrap a diamante bracelet around the vase and you have a stunning piece.

For geart flowers ideas to send as gifts in Mumbai go to www.spring-blossoms.com

This is a brilliant idea for keeping water plants at home.

Water plants need care in a tropical setting since there is the fear of mosquitoes, this can be overcome in a city like Mumbai by merel changing the water regularly.
Obviously if you keep flowers in Mumbai you know that frequent change of water is a must.
When you keep water plants in a large container its not as easy to keep changing the water.
So a large transparent cup can show off your water plants in Mumbai without the fear of mosquitoes.

Another problem with water plants is that their roots muddy the water.
This is easily resolved by the addition of mud to make the appearance of a dark coffee.... isn't that a brilliant idea? Asks a florist in Mumbai.

So go on, indulge you green thumb in a tiny city dwelling.

Fo great ideas on flowers go to www.spring-blossoms.com

He is cute!

"I wuw you" says this adorable doggie.

A dog with flowers, belongs to a florist :) can't be anybody else.
I love dogs too, in fact my dog a beautiful weimereinar comes to my flower shop in mumbai daily.
When we send flowers in mumbai, she sniffs her approval.

A dog in partnership with a mumbai florist? That I love.

For great ideas to send flowers do visit www.spring-blossoms.com

Artistry at home

This is a simple concept very do-able at home.
Turn your local flowers into an artistic composition.

Simple ideas are great tricks for make your flowers the talk of the office of the party in Mumbai.
Its easy says a florist in Mumbai.

For flowers go to www.spring-blossoms.com

A Dramatic Background enhances Flowers

A simple Wild Flower can be so dramatically enhanced simply by changing the background!!

• Take a piece of thermacol about 2feet by 2feet.
• Place sticky tape on the thermacol board in a cross shape as shown in the picture to create the dividing "white line"

• Cut out cardboard squares of four varying sizes as shown in the picture and place on the thermacol board.

• Remove one cardboard at a time and paint the thermacol to get perfect shapes as shown.
• When you have finished painting all the squares, place the wild flower ( you can choose any flower and any long foliage or grass) in dramatically opposite line of the "white line"
• YOU HAVE JUST CREATED DRAMA WITH A SPRIG!!

You can learn many such simple tricks and tips by following my blog, says Laxmi Lobo a florist in Mumbai.

When you want to send flowers in mumbai for any occasion go to a website that is a florist website for local flowers.

When a local florist sends flowers, you will get the same arrangement as shown in a picture.

To send flowers to mumbai you can't beat my website www.spring-blossoms.com

Evoke the Five Senses

A Florist's job is to create a rush of feelings for your beloved, by evoking the five senses when the flowers are received. Be it flowers for a birthday or flowers for an Anniversary.
Words are never enough to express your feelings to your beloved. Flowers do more than just expressing your feelings to the receiver.
Flowers arranged professionally and fresh flowers sent by a florist will also enhance the five senses of the receiver, your beloved.
The delicate fragrance of the Rose, or the stronger fragrance of the Lily, both make your sense of smell come alive.
People identify happy feelings with their senses, here the "power of the sniff" is heightened when she receives the roses bouquet or the lily bouquet.
The visual delight of floristry  goes with the bouquet of flowers to delight the receiver once again. The colour of the flowers, the design of the florist arrangement and the beautiful look of natural greens with the flower bouquet heightens the "visual" senses, the eyes feel happy as they sense the riot of colours within a flower bouquet.
The soft touch of the petals of the flowers in a bouquet, as she hugs that gorgeous bouquet of roses will make her feel near to you.
The softly caressing petals of the roses and lilies and other flowers in a bouquet make the sense of touch the third sense come alive with the receiver of the bouquet.
Those words that you express, even just your name, will begin to sound like music to her ears. Literally, when your beloved sees, smells and feels that bouquet of roses, its music to her ears.
That is four senses evoked!
The fifth sense of taste,  is the lip-smacking good feel that your beloved will feel. It is a fact that the mouth waters with anticipation when you see and smell a delightful meal, its the same with a bouquet of flowers, there is anticipation.
It is precisely this anticipation that causes our fifth sense of taste to become active when someone receives a bouquet of flowers. It might be the anticipation of a date, a phone call or just bringing back a memory which can be re-lived but this sense of anticipation makes the mouth water in anticipation and that is the fifth sense evoked!
Flowers truly evoke the five senses. That is why there is such a unique feeling every time your beloved receives flowers. After all no one ever forgets the last time they received flowers!!

To send flowers go to : www.spring-blossoms.com

Rainbow Rose

The Rainbow Roses !! It's Awesome......
The Rainbow roses were created by Dutch flower company owner Peter VanDe Werken, who produced them by developing a technique for injecting natural pigments into their stems while they are growing to create a striking multicolored petal effects. The dye
are produced from natural plant extracts and absorbed by the flowers as they grow. A special process then controls how much color reaches each petal- with spectacular results. By treating the stalk with natural pigments, Van De Werken has manage to make each petal a different color. The pigment is absorbed and travels to the petals where it changes their hue.

How to select an Online Florist

Why would you choose an online florist instead of choosing a florist local to your recipient? 

Being local to an area doesn’t guarantee that your arrangement will be of value or fresh for that matter. 

If that shop doesn’t have a big following, chances are they don’t have much in inventory, and don’t diligently rotate for freshness. 

Experienced online florists deal with Professional Florists that they have built relationships with over many years. 

When you call a local florist shop to send flowers, they know you’re in another state and most likely won’t see the flowers. 

Does being local guarantee that they are nice? Of course not.

• An experienced online florist will have developed what is called the Golden Preferred Florist List - florists that have been used repeatedly that they know have the highest of quality standards and professional timely delivery service.

• It’s important that the online florist website be operated by a real florist.  Who can first guide you to the perfect arrangement within your budget. They know which flowers goes with which, how much it should be and what’s in season. And most of all - what particular florist in your recipients city will give your emotional floral message the professional attention it deserves. This is something you can’t get choosing a florist from an internet yellow pages or 'online floral directory'.

• Aside from creativity, a good florist also knows how to establish rapport with the customer. They must be very good at customer relations because this is an important component of the floristry business. They must able to answer customer questions well and be able to provide customer with the same proper care and attention that he does to his flowers.

• A good florist should also remember the types of bouquets or arrangements you prefer, he must be able to keep track of your occasions and send you reminders about them. This happens with the use of modern floral technology. A good florist will also ask questions so they will know exactly what your needs are.

• A vital part of the business is the service. The florist must have his establishment at a place that is clean and easily accessible and he must be open at convenient hours. A florist should also have a professional opinion ready, just in case customers have a hard time deciding what he wants. In addition to having quality flowers, a good florist will also have other complimentary products available, such as nice, decorative vases, floral food, and other gifts such as teddy bears, balloons, cards, etc.

• A great florist will have years of experience and many returning happy customers. It’s really great to find exceptional florist that you can always come back to whenever the occasion calls for it.

For my website go to www.spring-blossoms.com

Birthdays and Flowers

With families chasing their careers all over the country and beyond, it’s often difficult to get to know the people we share most of our genes with. All of a sudden a birthday is around the corner,  a present needs to be found.  

You are in another corner of the town or in another part of the world.What now?

Birthdays might well come but once a year, but as far as celebrating interests  are concerned, you can safely say that about one evening a year is dedicated to it – And how do we choose to spend this day of our calendar year? Shopping, fretting, making unfeasible family dinner  arrangements and getting grumpy about the ridiculousness of it all. Then someone forgets us!!

It’s probably one of the few times of year when family get to meet and catch up – especially now families are scattered all over the country. Any friction comes from the delicacies of fitting one evening a year for your close friend or family. And you know you cannot make it there to celebrate with them or him.

And therein lies the problem. We spend so little time with our immediate families and so called close friends –that we might sometimes feel like we don’t know them well enough to select an appropriate Birthday gift.

So when it comes to actually remembering the birthday what happens? We call up, perhaps send an sms and hum and haw abut why its not possible to attend the birthday dinner. Its not exactly the most fitting way to show your deep regard for someone who has just sent you invited you even if it is out of the blue .

Become personable – get personal

Fortunately there’s a great way to send true wishes and yet not be there in person.  It’s the personalized gift  of flowers delivered. A gorgeous bouquet of exotic florals– and if you’ve got an internet connection you can do it in a jiffy.

Browsing floral websites such as http://www.spring-blossoms.com  isn’t just a way of satisfying the awkward sms you have to send. It’s a wealth of ideas that you can freely claim as your own, even though it’s the result of the company’s vivid imagination of exotic designs with flowers. The types of things that you never even knew existed and certainly can’t be found in the shopping mall are right there in front of you, waiting to be snapped up by You!!

And after a few minutes on the site you’ll start to realise that you could actually satisfy someone close to you with Floral gifts you just know they’d love: a cup of exotic flowers ;an orange water experience; … anything, in fact, to have them feel you care so much and your lack of attendance at that birthday dinner is an experience you have truly regretted not attending.

Flower in a Soup

Below is my idea of creating a different look to this Ginger flower.

Take a couple of its large petals, find a matching soup bowl and saucer.

You can also use the whole flower.

And make a display of one single flower!!

Add a Drecena coloured leaf for effect as a soup spoon.

This is the Torch Ginger. Its a tropical flower, rather large and can also be used as a single flowers to liven up any space.

For lots of creative flower arrangements to send across Mumbai, India go to:  Spring Blossoms

Lime N Lemon Creative ideas

A simple change to your kitchen table.....the bowl of fruit.....is passe!!

• Take a small glass bowl, add a block of "floral sponge" soaked with water. ( you can get floral sponge from your local Florist)
• I have added green orchids, but you can add any flowers to the sponge, even lovely greens from your garden or herbs from your kitchen window; anything that suits your colour scheme.
• Take wooden toothpicks and thrust them into Lime (green) and Lemons (yellow) at the base.
• Push the other end of the toothpick into the floral sponge exactly where you want to place the lemon or lime.
• Work the glass container all around with flowers // foliage // lime // lemon.

THIS ARRANGEMENT LOOKS GOOD AND HAS THE ADDED FRAGRANCE OF THE SUBTLE AROMA OF LIME AND LEMON.

Order flowers from www.spring-blossoms.com

Romance without Candles....Indulge....

Can you imagine the impact this would have on that special person in your life?

Leave the candles alone, have a DAYTIME treat or make it an INDULGENCE DESSERT!

Its very easy to do this, if you are a good cook, then the chocolate icing is simple 'royal icing' recipe....
I'll tell you how to make the flowers...

Take a small side plate, slice an "oasis floral sponge" into a square of 4inches by 4inches.

Start with the centre, 3 roses will make the centre, then build slowly around giving the arrangement a round shape.

Do not use wispy greens to cover the floral sponge as little bits of green will drop onto the chocolate icing.

Use solid green leaves, small ones, that might be sitting on your window ledge or garden.

The contrast of the dark pink and the dark chocolate is enough to mesmerize.....don't forget the fragrance of pink roses mingling with aphrodisiac chocolate is simply mind blowing!!

Order flowers from www.spring-blossoms.com

The Melon Dip

Here's what you need:

1. Three musk melons. Not very large.
2. Six long purple orchid stalks.
3. A sharp carver knife.
4. Small 2 inch bits of firm aluminum wire, or wrapping thread (not ribbon)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Slice off the top a bit so that the soft peach flesh is exposed.
2. Cut the 6 stalks of orchids diagonally so that each has a sharp edge.
3. Wrap thin, flat cotton soaked with water around the stem edge.
4. Wrap a piece of transparent plastic around the cotton and then wrap firm wire around the plastic to hold. Or use the thread to tighten the plastic around the cotton.
5. Now your stalk of orchid is strong and firm enough to push into the soft flesh of the exposed melon. Push the orchid stalks in on a slant; this will give a wind swept look to the display.
The contrasting texture of the skin of the melon and the peachy pink flesh used as a natural container, against the contrast with bright purple orchid stalks and you have a masterpiece.
VARIANT:

String faux pearls around the musk melon and decorate
( pic above)

Some candles could be added too. Use the wire to wrap 3 toothpicks onto the candle base and you have a candle stand! This can then be inserted into the melon.

Use two orchids to a melon if the melons are small or more stalks to make a delightfully unique floral display.

For Unique arrangements go to SPRING BLOSSOMS

Weeks of Pleasure with Fresh Flowers

HOW TO KEEP YOUR FLOWERS FRESHER LONGER

Use clean vases of clean water.
Flowers need water - lots of it.  Choose a clean appropriate sized vase that allows the stems a deep well of water.
Cut each stem and arrange in the vase using a commercial floral preservative. If you do not have preservative, plain water is better than any home remedies.
Recut stems and change water often.
You can cut and rearrange your flowers every day to few days - whatever is your pleasure.
I feel that recutting the stems and changing the water frequently is more important than using preservatives.

You may opt to separate your flowers into different groupings and move them into different rooms of your home as the stems get shorter the vase should get smaller.
Finally, when they are coming to the end of their lifecycle, cut the stems 1/2" from the blooms and float them in a bowl of water.
I have often laid blooms and petals on a plate with some candles or in a bed of potpouri to let them dry naturally. Rose petals are especially suitable for this.

Weeks of pleasure.
Using this process I have enjoyed all kinds of flowers for two weeks or longer.

Go to Spring Blossoms to order your flowers now!

National Flower of India

Lotus scientifically known as Nelumbo Nucifera is the National Flower of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancientIndia and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial. 

The Lotus symbolises divinity, fertility, wealth, knowledge and not to forget enlightenment. 

Lending to its uniqueness, the flower grows in murky waters and rises on a long stalk above the surface to bloom glorious. It is also a symbol of triumph, since the lotus is rooted in the mud and can survive to regerminate for thousands of years. 

It represents long life, honor, and good fortune.

Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolises the purity of heart and mind. 

Human beings are instructed by Indian scripture to live a life of non-attachment, which is very hard. 

The lotus holds additional significance for Hindus, as it is a symbol of God and used often in religious practices. 

In Indian thought, there is the last and final lotus - Charan Kamal or lotus feet of the Almighty. It was this depth of thought that made the founding fathers of modernIndia enshrine the lotus in the Constitution as the National Flower.

For great flowers go to Spring Blossoms

Flower Gifts

Our favorite gifts are the ones that allow us to express emotions and make us feel special.
They are personal expressions of our feelings for each other.

As a woman I always wonder if men hesitate before sending flowers to the women in their lives.
As I florist I know!

Most men are unsure as to what impact the flowers will have and how much of their emotions they want to reveal.
Actually flowers say it best. The trick is in knowing what to send and not leaving it to the secretary.

Flowers need not be sent only to the significant “other” in your life.
Flowers speak all emotions even when sent to your sister, your mother and also women colleagues.

You might just want to appreciate work well done. You might want to say sorry after unfairly ticking off someone.
It doesn’t matter as long as the flowers you send are appropriate.

Go to SPRING BLOSSOMS for Great Ideas.

Lord Krishna's Birthday

Today in India we all celebrate the birth of our favourite Lord Krishna.
The God who gave us the Gita.
The Gita gives us the true meaning of life.
These beautiful Striped Lilies below remind me of Lord Krishna's colours.
He wears a 'pitamber' or a yellow orche garment and always wears a peacock feather in his crown.

Most of you are already very familiar with flowers and also designs.

But flower arranging is a different art medium.

When we paint, when we write…. we begin with elements that do not have inherent beauty lying in them.

Paints struggling out of a tube do not look beautiful; it needs handling to create it into a master piece.

Alphabets which form words and then bring more meaning and later bring out the beauty of these words through poetry and prose.

But flowers….

They are a beautiful medium themselves!!

Add a fruity Fragrance to your Bouquets

Add the seasonal fruit of the day to your flower bouquet.
The fruit adds color to the floral bouquet.
The fruit addition makes the flowers bouquet look like a designer Florist bouquet.
Use a toothpick on one end of the flower and fix it in between the foliage and flowers on the bouquet.

The Black Rose

For those who enjoy the colour black.
Here is an "Onyx Odyssey"
A Hellebourous. Enjoy.



Great flower ideas at www.spring-blossoms.com

From a Bouquet to a cake

A beautiful bouquet of flowers was translated into a lovely cake with fondant and sugared flowers.
ENJOY!

Air Plants

Most Plants generally send their roots into the ground to absorb food and water. An air plant is different. It uses its roots to anchor itself to a tree. However, it is not a parasitic plant that steals nutrients and moisture from the host plant. Instead, an air plant manufactures its own food, relying on its host to serve only as a base of operation. In fact, the many thousands of varieties of air plants – that include lichens, mosses, liverworts, Spanish moss, and some ferns, orchids, and cacti – may also grow on rocks, buildings, timbers, and telephone wires.

Bromeliads are also air plants. The largest and most colourful of the bromeliads grow in the rain forests and jungles of Central America and South America. The pineapple, probably the most familiar edible air plant, is the bromeliad that grows on the ground.

The leaves of the world’s 2,000 kinds of bromeliads are typically long and narrow, providing lots of surface area of specialised scales, called trichomes. Trichomes serve two important purposes. First, they absorb food and moisture from the rain and fog of tropical forests. Second, they reflect sunlight, preventing the bromeliads growing high in trees from getting sunburned.

The leaf-base of many bromeliads forms a cup that collects water, while the leaves make a protected nestlike structure. Mosquito larvae, tree frogs, and spiders have their homes in the miniature ponds of these plants. When rain is scarce, the bromeliad uses the stored water and food (the latter in the form of dead insects) to stay alive until the next rainfall.