show pet

We’ve long admired the powerful Banksia. Strong, resilient and bold, this spiny protea is far from a delicate flower—and yet when it blooms, it blooms with the best of them. From long, distinctive cylinder-like flowers to petite round blooms, there’s over 75 diverse species to choose from. And unlike many of the Australian Proteaceae, the main flush of Banksia come not in spring but in summer and autumn. Like clockwork… just before the summer solstice, we’re seeing Banksia Baxteri in full bloom with their lengthy stems reaching high up into the sky. The squat, lime-green buds have fully opened to form globe-shaped flowers surrounded by unique, deeply serrated foliage. Baxteri is also referred to as Bird’s-Nest Banksia, Baxter’s Banksia or in Hawaii, where it is fittingly known as ‘Summer Lime’. A refreshing and revitalizing hue indeed… zesty yellow-green reminding us of Greenery, this year’s Pantone Color of the Year. These nest-shaped blooms offer a whimsical flair to bouquets a...

The Pantone Color Institute has announced its Color of the Year for 2017 — and we’re back to just one color this year! It’s called “Greenery” or Pantone 15-0343 – a gorgeous shade of green. The color is said to be symbolic of “new beginnings” — the reconnection we seek with nature and one another. Greenery is described by the institute as a “fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew.” This annual color award is supposed to serve as an icon of what’s taking place in the world, an expression of the mood and attitude. And this year that mood and attitude is a yearning for a fresh New Year, healthier food choices, flowers, greens, and the outdoors — in one word, environment. “There’s a growing desire to reconnect with Nature and what is real, and find ways to disconnect from technology. We need a break. We need to stop and breathe,” states Laurie Pressman, the Pantone Color Institute’s vice president. So, in 2017...