E-Postcard #4:
South Africa is famous the world over for the incredible diversity and beauty of its native flora. Although it represents less than 1 percent of the world’s total land surface, South Africa accounts for 10 percent of all known species of flowering plants. Of these, 80 percent are endemic, found only in South Africa. Anyone who loves flowers or gardening will recognize floral “friends” among the most flamboyant of South Africa’s native species—the proteas, geraniums, amaryllis, freesias, ice plants, gladiolas, and gazanías. The first of our back-to-back Cloud Ridge African trips in 2012 focused on the flora of South Africa and we were fortunate to hit one of the best springtime blooms in a decade! All these photos were taken by me in wild settings and not in botanical gardens or cultivated settings.
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Love to know the Aestrolomeria like lily? name of the 5th flower down on the right: white with dark green spots in the center, lily family I suspect…Also the 3 blue ones! Gorgeous. Thank you for posting!
Such gorgeous subjects and skillful photography. Thanks for bringging back memories.
Gorgeous! I hope to see them in situ some day.
I am reminded that spring surely comes no matter… the flowering world is alive and colorful!
Audrey, et al,
Ginger and I are certainly enjoying your daily E-Postcards, including today’s specializing in flowers of South Africa and Namibia. Seeing all your wonderful images reminded me of photographing flowers there in late August 1993 and 1995. The flower and plant photographic highlights included:
1. Protea and hundreds of other indigenous species at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens,
2. Namaqualand dashes and poppies near the famous Kamieskroon Hotel, in Kamieskroon, SA, where Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson also stayed while photographing in the region for 36 consecutive seasons,
3. Searching long, hard and successfully for Welwitschia mirabilis in the Namib Desert in Namibia, plants that attain ages of 1000 to 1500 years,
4. Photographing Kokerboom trees at Kokerboomwoud, Namibia, near Kamieskroon, Namibia, with splendid lodging nearby at –26.5262, 18.1980.
These were delightful photographic subjects that complimented the wildlife and birds of Kalahari-Gemsbock NP (now Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park) in South Africa, and Etosha NP in Namibia, and also, the spectacular Namib Dunes of western Namibia.
Thank you, Audrey, for your wonderful words and images, and for bringing back many wonderful memories of African safaris.
Best Regards,
Daniel and Ginger Poleschook
Just arresting. I too hope to see this amazing floral diversity in person! Thanks for sharing these.