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A field of 5 foot tall sunflowers is thriving in the Orkneys.

Farmer Richard Herdman scattered a mix of seeds from unharvested crops and added in two kilos of sunflower seeds to provide winter food for migrating birds as part of a nature stewardship scheme. The flowers were expected to thrive in the shelter of the other crops and grow to about 3ft but they have exceeded expectations and are about 5ft tall. The longer summer hours of daylight gave them a good start and the warmer weather also helps.

 Flowers have always been a joy to the eye and soul but German scientists now say they are also a blessing for our sleep, as their scent can lead to sweeter dreams. And it is no longer a secret that sweet dreams have a huge impact on the quality of our sleep, feeling way much rested whenever dreaming something that pleases us.

The study was presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting inChicago. For a period of thirty days, 15 sleeping women were exposed in turn to smell of roses, rotten eggs or no scent at all. The researchers led by Professor Boris Stuck from the University Hospital Mannheim waited until the women had entered the REM phase of sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) and then pumped the scents under their noses for nearly ten seconds. Rapid Eye Movement phase is the period of sleep when the dreaming occurs.

Then the women were woken up and asked to record their dreams. The researchers surprisingly found that the women had “sweet” dreams whenever they smelled rose scent. On the other hand, the dreams were negative whenever the women smelled rotten eggs.

Based on these findings, the researchers said it would be interesting to study this method in people who usually have nightmares and see if positive smells can actually influence the mood of their dreams too.

“This initial research is a step in the direction towards clarifying these questions and may well lead to therapeutic benefits,” Dr. Irshaad Ebrahim of The London Sleep Centre said.

A flower which blooms only every eight to 10 years is attracting nature lovers to the outskirts of the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay).

The bright purple Karvy will cover many forest areas with a colourful veil once it is in full blossom.

The plant grows to a height of up to eight feet. It is mainly found in the low hills along the west coast.

Juice from the flower is used for medicinal purposes and the stems are used for thatched buildings.

The Karvy (Strobilanthes callosus or Carvia Callosa) blooms between July and September. But it takes nearly a decade for the bloom cycle to happen.

Dr V Shubhalaxmi from the Bombay Natural History Society says different varieties have different blooming periods - some even ranging up to 14 years.

Local businessman Julius Rego travelled for nearly two hours to see the Karvy. “It is not just the flowers but the entire landscape,” he says.

“Several insects, butterflies, bees, are attracted to this flower and one gets to see so many more varieties at this time. To sit amid these flowers for some time gives such joy.”

The flowers are an experience for the ears as well as the eyes.

“If you visit the region after flowering, which will continue for over a month, you will witness… popping sounds,” Dr Shubhalaxmi says.

After flowering, the shrub is covered with fruits which absorb moisture and burst open with a pop.

The leaves are home to caterpillars, snails and several other insects.

source: BBC

A University study showed that buying roses from Africa can be less harmful to the environment than roses from the Netherlands!

• Kenyan Roses shown to emit 5 times less carbon than Dutch
  Results released today from Cranfield University showed emissions from Kenyan flowers (including air freight) were 5.8 times lower than for Dutch flowers

• A challenge to local sourcing 
  Results have provided a fresh challenge to current thinking on local sourcing and the impact of air freight versus artificial heating and lighting for cut flowers

• Robust study examines over 500 inputs 
  The experts in environmental analysis at Cranfield University studied the production, packing, cooling and transport to Hampshire and included direct energy consumption, the manufacture, use and delivery of fertilisers, pesticides, vehicles, and materials used for buildings.

• Life Cycle Assessment 
  Cranfield scientists completed a ‘Life Cycle Assessment’considered both the immediate emissions from growing the crop and the energy used to create and transport every component.

• Global Warming Potential 
  The study looked not just at current CO 2 emissions but also the wider Global Warming Potential (GWP) projected over the next 20, 100 and 500 years including other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.

• Less Global Warming Potential from Kenya 
  The experts calculated that the GWP over the next 20 years would be 6.4 times higher when roses are grown in glasshouses in Holland than on the equator (in Kenya) and flown to the UK.

• Explanation 
  

  • Yield of roses in Kenya to be nearly 70% higher
  • The main Kenyan energy source is geothermal, whereas the Dutch is mainly fossil fuel
  • Roses grown in Kenya have the advantage of natural heat and light when compared to Holland.
  • Roses are packed and transported in specially designed boxes which are efficient to air freight.

• Conclusions

  • This study demonstrated the natural production advantages of Kenya compared with the artificial growing conditions of Northern Europe.
  • Kenya is able to utilize the optimal year round growing conditions and well as the supply of renewable geothermal energy, whereas growers in Holland need to rely on significant inputs of gas and electricity.
  • The Cranfield University study also demonstrated the importance of evaluating all the production inputs as well as the transport component in determining the overall impact of different supply chains in terms of total greenhouse gas production.

For further information please contact:

Ian Finlayson 07785 700058, Jim Floor 01256 704100

source: WorldFlowers

Flowers “wave” to attract bees.
It has long been known that insects are attracted to pollinate flowers by their bright colours and sweet scents. But now a report by Welsh scientists in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology shows that long stemmed flowers which display more movement attract a wider variety of insects.

The study analysed the number and types of insects that landed on each of several varieties of flower, and correlated that with how much or how little that variety was generally swayed by the wind.
Short, fat-stalked flowers don’t wobble enough and are less attractive to pollinators; yet very wobbly flowers are just too wobbly for the insects to handle, as the insects cannot land on them.

Flowers need to wobble just the right amount to be successful in setting seeds.

(thanks to the BBC)

Picture by Catarina Carvalho from Lisboa, Portugal

Those information hoarders at Wikiversity have started a project that every flower lover should be able to help with. They are trying to log the blooming of plants in different areas. Once enough has been logged the data may be of use to horticulturalists, climate change specialists or even flower spotters.
The idea is that every time you see a growing flower in bloom you log this on the website and the dates can be collated until the bigger picture can be seen.The more data made available to the project the better so start counting flowers now!

One of the smelliest flowers in the world has bloomed in Cornwall.

But despite giving off the aroma of rotting flesh, the rare giant titan arum is drawing crowds to the Eden Project near St Austell.

Known as the corpse flower because of its revolting smell, the plant is on display in Eden’s Rainforest Biome.

The 7ft plant from Sumatra - real name amorphophallus titanum - is expected to bloom for just two or three days before it wilts.

Horticulturist Tim Grigg has been growing titans for nine years at Eden, with seeds donated by Bonn Botanical Garden in Germany.

This if his fourth success with the flower and is the second biggest example of the plant he has grown.

“As soon as I walked into the Rainforest Biome last night I could smell it a mile off - its rotting flesh-like whiff is really distinctive,” Mr Grigg said.

In January, the plant produced a fruit head of vibrant orange berries after being pollinated by Mr Grigg using a paintbrush to reach inside the giant flower head.

But no-one will be eating the titan fruit because it is potentially deadly to humans.

Although it is poisonous,a protein contained within the plant is thought to have healing properties.

(BBC news)

Scientists are using lily pollen as a way of trapping criminals by linking them to weapons and ammunition.
We all know how hard it can be sometimes to remove lily pollen from carpets, cushions, etc. That is why here at flowers24hours.co.uk we always remove the pollen from any opened lily blossoms before we send them out to the customer.  Then we wash our hands, sometimes scrubbing with a nailbrush.

Apparently these precautions would not be enough as the microscopic grains can still be found on our skin or clothes by forensic techniques. Crime fighters are testing ways of “tagging” weapons and ammunition with identifiable lily pollens which will then leave traces on the criminal. Even the high temperatures caused by gunfire will not destroy the distinct identity of the pollen “tags”.

An Edinburgh botanist has just been honoured by the Saudi government for decades of conservation work in the country. He is now nicknamed Florist of Arabia.
Tony Miller, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s specialist on the flora of Arabia, was presented with a honorary plaque from Prince Bander Bin Saud Bin Mohammad, on behalf of the country’s National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD).

The ornate centrepiece is a model of the head of an Arabian Oryx, a species of antelope saved from extinction and now increasing in numbers, thanks to a successful breeding and conservation programme.

Mr Miller is currently advising NCWCD on several conservation projects in Saudi Arabia, and is liaising with Arabian plant and wildlife specialists to help develop plans to preserve wildlife in its natural habitats and to assist with the establishment of protected areas and reserves.

He has also worked on establishing a detailed database of local plants, and listing the most endangered species to ensure their protection.

On receiving the award he said: “I feel very honoured to have been given this award in recognition of the extensive research I have undertaken into the flora of Saudi Arabia. It is a vast and very diverse country with around 3500 plant species. I am pleased myself and colleagues at RBGE will be involved in the exciting work that NCWCD.”

Mr Miller is working on the project with fellow botanist Dr Sabina Knees, RBGE’s researcher on the flora of Arabia and their colleagues Sophie Neale and Matt Hall.

He was also instrumental in putting together the “Soqotra : Land of the Dragon’s Blood Tree” which recently opened in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a. The exhibition focuses on the islands which lie in the Gulf of Aden between the Horn of Africa and Arabia, and in particular the strange super-sized succulent trees which scientists now believe may hold important clues about the ecology of the entire Mediterranean and Middle-eastern region.

The exhibition was first premiered at RBGE in 2006, where its first visitors were Prince Charles and Camilla.

RBGE director of science professor Mary Gibby, who joined Mr Miller at the exhibition’s opening in Saudi Arabia, said: “Tony is leading a very productive research programme on the flora of the Arabian peninsula and for over 25 years has been working actively with biologists, conservationists and government officials to raise knowledge and understanding.

“His expertise and these collaborations are helping to secure the long-term conservation of Important Plant Areas in the region.

“I welcome the recognition of his work by Prince Bander Bin Saud Bin Mohammad.'’
via Flowerweb 07-29-2008

Flowers are a great gift for a new mother.

The day after Angelina Jolie’s twins were born, she received another special delivery: Flowers from each of her children!

Maddox, 6, Pax, 4, Zahara, 3, and 2-year-old Shiloh (accompanied by proud dad Brad Pitt) each handed mom a single flower, much to the joy of hospital staff at Fondation Lenval in Nice, France.

“It was a blessed sight,” one staffer says in the newest issue of Us Weekly, on stands now.

“I had a lump in my throat,” the staffer adds.

Still no official world on when Jolie will leave the hospital.

When she does, she’ll have plenty of flowers to brighten up the family’s $70 million rented house in nearby Miraval, France.

In addition to the blossoms brought by her kids, the actress received so many bouquets that hospital staff had to store them in her security guards’ rooms.