Magic of Purple

It was a beautiful calm, warm morning until the the wind picked up. Luckily it wasn't as strong as the other day which was good. All my washing dried beautifully.

This a Sparaxis from the next doors garden. I will have to ask her if I could have one the corns one day as I do like this fantastic purple colour.. really magical. I spent some time in the garden today cutting back some Rhododendrons which had finished flowering along with weeding and removal of plants I didn't want.

About the Sparaxis
Sparaxis tricolour is now the Harlequin flower though in its native South Africa it was known as the Wand flower. It’s sometimes confused with the Corn lilies, Ixias, which are remarkably similar plants from the same Cape region requiring much the same treatment. These both need an autumn through to spring growing period of cool moist culminating in flowering, then a parching dry, long, hot summer during which they go dormant.

In the flesh Sparaxis blooms have an unmatched day-glow intensity of brilliance. You really have to see these with the naked eye to appreciate their luminosity. They are pretty and make excellent cut flowers as they last well.
There corms can eaten.. useful to know in an emergency!
For more information on the Sparaxis

Purple
dark
silk
smooth
rich
like chocolate melting on your tongue
cream caresses down your throat
By Brittney Brannum