Trees

I have been thinking a lot about trees.

Wikipedia says, "In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, supporting leaves or branches."

The biggest trees I've ever seen were in Muir Woods in California. I visited there with my family on a summer vacation to San Fransisco when I was 19. Those ancient redwoods range in age from 400 to 800 years old, and grow up to 250 feet tall. I still remember the feeling of awe and reverence I felt in that majestic place.

Sometimes when I face challenges or trials, a favorite saying comes to mind and gives me hope:

"The strength of a tree lies in its ability to bend."

That has been very applicable for me in the last year as I have dealt with the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer. Though scary and difficult at times, it has also been a time of great learning and I have bent in the winds of change. It has helped me recognize what is really important, both spiritually and physically.

I am more dedicated to exercise and eating right... and not for my outward appearance, but for my inward health. This larger, overarching view has given me greater determination and deeper motivation. 


I recently finished reading Alison's book (referred to in the last post) about creating lasting health, and I have so many new insights and ideas to implement. I love how on the last page she says, "Remember the old saying: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is today." When it comes to making positive changes, now is the time!

The First Presidency message in the Ensign this month, The Best Time to Plant a Tree, uses the very same old proverb, relating it to becoming your best self, starting now. President Uchdorf says, "There is something wonderful and hopeful about starting now. There is something empowering about the fact that if we choose to decide now, we can move forward at this very moment. Now is the best time to start becoming the person we want to be--not only 20 years from now but for all eternity."

On a spiritual note, I heard a youth talk in church a few weeks ago that has stuck with me. The young woman related having a testimony of the gospel to a tree, saying the large main branches represent our testimony of the basic doctrines of the gospel, such as the life and mission of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, the First Vision, and so on. Everything else branches off from those basic principles.

I can't believe I had never thought of it that way before, with my love of all things horticultural. Now I recognize that indeed, my testimony of every little thing about the gospel--from tithing to visiting teaching to family history--depends on nourishment from the bigger branches. And in turn, the strength of the big branches comes from the trunk, which I think of as my soul, getting nourishment from my roots of personal worship such as prayer, scripture study, obedience, and service.

The banyan trees I saw in Hawaii are certainly an exception to the rule.... they root from the branches as well as the trunk! 

Speaking of family history, this is another tree I am exploring... my family tree. Mike's and my love for family history work is growing as we discover more about those who have come before us. It reminds me a little bit of chocolate cake... one bite leaves you wanting for more!

We both recently received histories from family members, and that is where the true gems are-- in the stories. It's funny when we are both devouring new information and trading it with each other... "Did you know my great great great grandpa came from Switzerland and married his first wife on the ship in her nightgown? ... and later he was the president of the Swiss German mission twice? ...and he was the mayor of Paris, Idaho? "

Mike would respond, "Did you know my grandpa was really good at gymnastics? ...and he chauffeured prophets and apostles while on his mission?"

Then me again, "My great great great grandma came from Wales, where her ancestors once owned Dunraven Castle!" My girls especially loved that story, claiming their right to be real princesses.

The most rewarding moments of all are when we can go to the temple and do work for our family members, connecting them together in bonds that will last for eternity.

Another quote comes to mind... "Climb a tree--it gets you closer to heaven." -Anonymous 
 

Garden Wedding

Over Labor Day I was able to attend the wedding of my little sister's best friend at the Idaho Botanical Gardens. It was like a beautiful dream.

The happy couple had their ceremony in the English Gardens. Besides being very hot, it was a touching thing to witness.

Noelle made a beautiful Maid of Honor.

The following are photos I took as we toured the gardens, in between the ceremony and reception.

The covered pergolas were impressive. I would love to see them when all the climbing wisteria vines are in bloom!

 This was called the Rose Garden.

 

I loved these purple penstemon type flowers.I have only seen them in red.

The bridges, arbors, and gazebos added to the ambiance.

The big shady trees in this area made for lush shade plantings of hostas and heucheras.

We found the wedding party taking photos and went over to watch and hug the bride.

Loved the style of the photos with the suspenders and sunglasses!
 

 

It was a treat to be with all my sisters, and the bride may as well have been a sister, she was with our family so much! They met in kindergarten and would still call each other best friends. 

We may have taken a silly one of our own.

Then on to the reception! The colors were blue and coral, so pretty together!

The centerpieces were terrariums, and the doilies were actually my grandmother's!

Noelle made the darling backdrop for the gift table with strips of fabric and lace.

The bridal flowers... ahhh, the bridal flowers. They were amazing. I absolutely loved the succulents mixed in with the peach and coral flowers. The different textures made them look so romantic. 

The lace around the bride's bouquet was actually a section of the mother-of-the-bride's wedding dress!

We thoroughly enjoyed the night eating, dancing, and watching the festivities (while the other three dad's watched all the kids!!!). If I could do it all over again I may have chosen the Idaho Botanical Garden for my reception... Gorgeous!

Hawaiian Flora

Hawaii is the lushest, most verdant place I have ever seen. It's what I picture when I think of the Garden of Eden; a spectacular display of all of God's creations. I am utterly amazed by the composition and colors of so many plants and flowers, and to me they speak of the great love of our creator.

Most of the time on our trip I had the camera wrapped around my wrist, ready to turn on and snap at any moment. I didn't want to forget anything I saw, and I have this weird desire to know what everything is called. To aid me in my pursuits my mom picked up a book at the BYU-Hawaii bookstore for me:
It was fun to look things up as I saw them and be able to point them out to others, and much of the information I will share is from it. So while I am listing and naming these plants mostly for my own exercise, I think you will enjoy the show!

Hibiscus is the flower that most people first associate with Hawaii. It's the one all the hula girls wear behind their ear, and the one that gets printed on Hawaiian shirts and swim shorts. For good reason too, because you do see them everywhere you go.

They come in many varieties and colors, like this striking red double-petaled one.

This hedge was seen at the Laie Hawaii Temple grounds.

You may be surprised to know that hibiscus can be grown here (in Utah). My neighbor Doris has a few hibiscus blooming in her backyard all summer.

Another very popular flower is called Plumeria, also often worn in the hair. I didn't get a close up of these beauties because they grow on the tips of bare tree branches. I am still a little mystified about that... most of the plumeria trees I saw had very few leaves.

Something I noticed as soon as we stepped off the plane was that most of the houseplants I am familiar with grow unaided in Hawaii! What I am used to seeing in little pots and containers grow there in thick mats or as tall woody trees. Above is a plant called Pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum), and I have a mini one growing above my kitchen cabinets.

Unfortunately there are a few plants I have yet to identify. I can usually group it into a family though, and this looks much like a lily or agapanthus.

I don't know this purple flowering tree either, but it sure set off the tabernacle steeple beautifully!

My sister spotted this awesome Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) tree. It is amazing how the roots connect from the branches to the ground!

I looked it up on Wikipedia and learned some interesting things: It is the national tree of India, and it looks the way it does because its seeds germinate and send roots to the ground, which have a tendency to strangle existing roots and even structures. Thus a casual name for it is "strangler tree."

I was excited to recognize this Lantana flower because I grew it in my front yard as an annual last year. It can also be found in pinks and oranges.

The Ti plant (Cordyline) is very common in Hawaii and can be found in many shades of green and red (below).


Of course there are tons of palms on the islands! Besides the coconut tree, one I am familiar with is called King Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae).


Another very common tree is this Moluccan albizia (Paraserianthes falcataria). I love how it forms a flat canopy.

That one was deciduous, but I was surprised to see lots of conifers everywhere we went. Actually, my book says despite its similar appearance to pines, Ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia) is not related, even though it has cones and needles.

This columnar auraucaria or Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris) is very dramatic in the landscape. Everyone kept asking me what it was called. Interestingly it is commonly incorrectly known as the Norfolk Island pine.

Here's a couple more beautiful flowers I can't ID!

This almost looks like an orchid, but it grows like a lily. Beautiful at any rate!



I'm pretty sure this tree is called Dracaena, but I've never seen one that big!

This is a very cool tree that had my mom and I stumped for awhile, but I just came across it in my book! It's called tropical almond or false kamani (Terminalia catappa) and is known for its mix of red and green leaves.

I think my favorite tree is this African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata). It is everywhere on the sides of the freeways, in neighborhoods, and in ravines.


The trees really look like they are covered with red tulips!

On our tour of the Dole pineapple plantation, we saw many other species of plants being grown. Here are rows of Heleconia, a flower I am am most familiar with in floral design.

There were also big rows of sugarcane (the tall grass plants) and cocoa.


When I walked by this tree I stopped in my tracks, dumbfounded. Have you ever seen such cool bark? It's called Bagras eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta), often known as rainbow eucaluptus. I can see why.


The most horticulturally interesting place we visited is called Waimea Valley, home of the beautiful Waimea Falls. It includes just under 2,000 acres of native and cultivated species and is a real Hawaiian treasure. If you have time, read more about it here. We hiked the paved path to the waterfalls and viewed much of their botanic collection. I could have spent a week there, but alas, we only had one afternoon, and kidlets to keep happy.

I spotted this impressive Bamboo (Bambuso vulgaris) in the parking lot.

Also near the entrance was this stunning Monkeypod Rain tree (Samanea saman). Just look at how massive the canopy was (see my dad at the bottom right?). It is favored as a shade tree and also known for it's light and dark wood.

Schefflera is another plant I am familiar with as a houseplant. Above is a variegated version and below is a hedge.


Monstera deliciosa is one of my favorite tropical plants. I never forgot this name from my greenhouse class in college because the leaves truly are monstrous. The common name is Swiss cheese plant, which is equally as fitting, don't you think?


Other large-leaved plants include this Alocasia or Elephant ear. We used these a lot in the Tahitian Noni gardens in the annual displays.

A close relative to Alocasia is Colocasia or Taro. They are known for their heart-shaped leaves and were a staple in the ancient Hawaiian diet.

I didn't catch the name of this vine but just look at how it has grown over that tree! There were pathways in and through it like it was a curtain.

I was taken by the pretty low growing shrub called Clerodendum manificum. The purple and pink shades were just so pretty together.

Odontonema cocoineum is another shrub with showy flowers.

I didn't catch the name on this one but loved the interesting flower and brightly veined leaves.

Speaking of leaves, look at the colorful foliage on this Caricature plant (Graptophyllum pictum)

and this purple Persian Sheild (Strobilanthes dyerianus).

I love the flaming color of these Ruellia chartacea flowers.

It was fun to find this familiar face... I have grown lots of Back eyed Susan (Thunbergia) vines as annuals.

Calliandra emarginata, also known as Pink Powder Puff, was probably the showiest flower we saw. So cool!


I was excited to spot this familiar plant: Morinda citrifolia or Noni. You already know I worked at the Noni gardens, but we were always asked if we grew any Noni fruit. Unfortunately the only Noni tree we had was fake because it doesn't grow in our climate!

The fruit is ugly and it tastes like bile, but they have successfully sold millions of bottles of the drink!

It was fun to show my kids how bananas grow on trees.

Cannas (above) and Gingers (below) are in the same family.



I'll end with a shot of my very own pretty flower in front of Waimea Falls. We actually got a lot of complements on the dollar store flowers we put in the girls' hair. Ha.


While this has been a long post, it has only scratched the surface of the plants growing in Hawaii. I'm grateful (to my parents!) for the opportunity to see this tropical paradise for myself. It was quite literally a dream.