Saturday morning I spent some time in my garden, watering and deadheading the spent flowers. My neighbor, Eric P., has an incredible stand of brilliant red crocosmia, and when I was done with my work I stood and sketched these exotic flowers. It seems a little weird to focus on the form of something when its color is such a standout, but of course when you take away the color, it makes you really look at the form -- which for these flowers turns out to be very cool. They open in order down the stem, with each successive bud slightly larger and more elongated, until the ones in the back start to unfold. The form is like a set of triangles: the triangle of the entire flowerhead is mirrored by the two triangles of each side, both when seen from the top down or from the side; the bloom is always held above the plane of the stem.
What makes each flower cluster so beautiful, I think, is that they twist gently in different directions, none the same as its neighbor, and all are in different stages of opening. The busyness of the flowers is contrasted with the simple spear-like leaves, in this case in a clump taller than me. They remind me of delicate, fluttery, show-off tropical birds in a green tree: a big clump of Crocosmia is pretty impressive, especially in a northern garden.
I've never tried to grow crocosmia but I feel lucky to be able to enjoy Eric's! Some of you who live in tropical climates must know this plant well. I think it comes in yellow too, but the red is a knockout punch. One of these days it will make its way into a painting: it's too fabulous to portray only in black-and-white.
Love your drawings, Beth!
I have this in our garden, a favourite of mine and much loved by the hummingbirds. There is also a much shorter (and rather invasive) orange one that came with this garden.
Posted by: Marja-Leena | July 27, 2014 at 03:58 PM
(o)
Posted by: Dale Favier | July 27, 2014 at 06:43 PM
So •that's• what they are! Your drawings capture the dancing delicacy. Yes, he does have an exceptional stand.
Posted by: Duchesse | July 28, 2014 at 09:31 AM
That's Lucifer! I wrote a blog posting about it (Lucifer and Friends) last year. The colour is amazingly vibrant, and, as you say, the structure is wonderful too.
Posted by: Relatively Retiring | July 28, 2014 at 09:37 AM
Your drawing really captures the beauty of the flowers.
I like to dedicate few lines from my poem
I would call you a liar if you say vanity’s not your sin
Is beauty a matter of opinion or observation?
What lies in the eyes of the beholder?
An illusion, conviction or perhaps just a momentary fascination
please read the full poem and share your opinion
Blindfold
Posted by: Priyanshi Dass | July 29, 2014 at 05:17 AM
Lovely. I'm going crazy over the flower gardens on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
Posted by: hattie | July 29, 2014 at 10:43 AM
I brought out Firecracker bulbs from UK when we first moved out to Turkey in 2004 but sadly they died after a couple of years, no doubt the summer heat was too much. However, the orange flowered common form of crocosmia continues to thrive and make me happy. And the heat would seem to be preventing its invasive tendencies.
Posted by: Pat Temiz | July 31, 2014 at 10:51 PM