Flower of the Day - Blue Star Water Lily

Water Lilies, the blue-flowered Nymphaea nouchali form part of a beautiful water feature 

outside the Singapore Art Science Museum at Marina Bay

Fragrant Flowers - Rosemary

 This week features fragrant flowers and plants on Flower of the Day.  This Rosemary growing in my garden smells divine!

Flower of the Day - Blue Agapanthus Flowers

Blue Agapanthus flowers, with some white Agapanthus in the left hand corner.  More white Agapanthus will feature next week on Flower of the Day.

Flower of the Day - Agapanthus bud

Another Agapanthus, with the buds further developed.

Flower of the Day - Agapanthus bud

A blue/purple agapanthus bud viewed from above.

Flower of the Day - Blue and mauve Hydrangeas

Macro shot of a blue and mauve tinged hydrangea

Flower of the Day - Blue Hydrangea

Flower of the Day - Blue Hydrangeas

Flower of the Week - Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Hydrangeas are originally native to China, though they have become much hybridised and are now grown throughout the world. In Sydney they flower just before Christmas. The flowers, in clusters (corymbs) may be blue, mauve, pink white or red. There are two main groups, the hortensis or mop head hydrangeas and the lace caps.  The colour of the flowers can be altered by adding aluminium sulphate (for blue flowers) or lime (for pink or red flowers).

Flower of the Day - Aquilegia

Flower of the Day - Aquilegia

These lovely flowers may be single or double, in white, pink, red, mauve, violet or combinations of these colours. Aquilegia are also known as Columbine or Granny's bonnets.

Flower of the Day - Bush Iris (Patersonia)

Flower of the Day - Bush Iris (Patersonia)

Energetic properties: clearing and  balancing higher chakras

Bush Iris is a perennial herb with a strikingly coloured Iris like flower. The flowers are each about 25 mm across, and last for only one day, but the plant continually produces new ones during Spring and Summer.

Flower of the Day - Blue and Purple Viola

Flower of the Day - Blue and Purple Viola
Energetic properties: healing & clairvoyance

Today's message: Be gentle with yourself and others

Flower of the Day - Bluebells

Flower of the Day - Spanish Bluebell (Endymion hispanicus)

Energetic properties:  joyful and uplifting, connecting to plants and nature
Today's Message: remember to enjoy fresh flowers or indoor plants into your home

These beautiful bell shaped flowers pop up in my garden from bulbs at the end of each Winter. I love seeing them flowering during the first weeks of September.

Flower of the Day - African Daisy

Flower of the Day - African Daisy (Arctotis hybrid)
Energetic properties: calming and reducing stress, connecting with friends

 Message for today: Thinking about, or connecting with a close friend or loved one during a busy day can improve focus and reduce stress. 

Indigo Flower of the Day - Viola

Flower of the day - Viola (also called Heartsease)

Energetic properties - increasing sensitivity & healing

"Purples" are interesting colours - including the bluish hued "indigo" and the more reddish "violet". These colours are at the longer wavelength end of the visible light spectrum, and are harder for human eyes to distinguish than, say, the greens in the mid spectrum.  I'm sure they are perceived differently, depending on one's colour vision. Anyway, to my eyes, (and on my computer!) this "purple" flower appears to be closer indigo than violet.

Blue Australian wildflowers - Dampiera

Pretty Australian  native groundcover, Dampiera Diversifolia has a brilliant blue colour.

Photo courtesy of  Greenstead Nurseries , in South Australia.

Blue Flower of the Day - Spanish bluebell (Endymion hispanicus)

Flower of the Day - Bluebells
Energetic properties - gifts from the natural world

Message - being in nature, and taking care of the natural environment is a pastime that offers many rewards

Originally from Europe and South Africa, these bulbs flower in late Winter or early Spring. I just love the colour!

Other notable blue flowers are cornflower, clematis, blue crocus, lithodora, forget-me-not, iris, hyacinth, grape hyacinth, hydrangea, petunia & lavender. 

Blue Australian wildflowers include the groundcover Dampiera diversifolia, Blue Lechenaultia,  Royal bluebell (Wahlenbergia gloriosa), native bluebell (Wahlenbergia stricta), the Western Australian variegated blue daisy (Felicia amelloides) and the climbing bluebell Billardiera fusiformis (also from Western Australia)

Blue Flower of the Day - Spring starflower (Ipheion uniflorum)

Flower of the Day - Spring starflower

Energetic Properties - restoration of soul purpose,
 finding your own "True North"

Blue, being the colour of the sky and the ocean in fine weather, is a calming, tranquil and soothing colour. "Blue skies" has come to mean that all is well.

In the animal kingdom, there are not many blue animals, although there are numerous birds that have blue feathers. The most vibrant blues are usually reserved for the male birds, so that they can attract the attention of females. Interestingly, in the animal world bright blue can also mean danger - for example the blue ringed octopus is highly poisonous.  Despite this association, blue is generally regarded as a safe and reassuring colour.