Bougainvillea, n. a genus of herbaceous plants of tropical America, conspicuous for the beauty of their rosy or purple bracts.
Bougainvillea for me is a symbol of home. I know that I'm nearing my house when I see the roads adorned with Bougainvillea on both sides. I'm fascinated by this plant which can be grown as a creeper, as a shrub, as a tree and in pots. They come in so many different colours - shades of pink, red, white, yellow and purple. They're almost like paper like in texture but add so much colour to the street.
Bougainvillea grow wild in hot climates which explains why they are aplenty in the streets of Chennai. It's amazing how something as simple as Bougainvillea can enrich a streetscape with its dose of colour.
On a recent visit to the Cholamandal Artists Village, I couldn't help but notice how the bougainvillea helped add character to the neighbourhood. Overflowing, they redefine the compound walls.
They also add colour to pathways.
Or grow wild over unused structures making for the best living street art.
Footer credit: @soulturtle
We have bougainvillea creeping up the Ashoka trees in our garden. And the trees have grown quite high and taken the flowers with them!
People often wonder how are Ashoka trees flowering!
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Hhaha! Such a crazy thought - Ashoka trees flowering. Must be quite a sight, though.
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I like this illustration, especially the transparency of the red leaves, nicely done.
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Thanks for dropping by, @heroldius. The bougainvillea leaves are usually translucent so it's nice to know that comes across!
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Beautiful drawing, lovely photos. I think of bougainvillea in relation to Southern (US) novels, but I don't think I've ever actually seen a plant. Beautiful--certainly conducive to art.
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I think the plant has its origins in South America but it's widely present in SouthIndia as well. Thanks for the kind words, @agmoore!
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The colour adds so much life to this. Bougainvillea is common in our neighbourhood and it's been on our wall for as long as we've been in the hosue.
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I adore these flowers!
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Me too, @kathleenscarboro! You would have come across the very ones in the pictures too, I'm sure.
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Do they have a strong smell?
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Not at all! I think they're fairly odourless. I wish they smelt of something though. Here, on my way home, I always catch a whiff of jasmine from the creepers and it's such a delight.
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This is the closest thing I've got to catching a whiff of jasmine. Tastes wonderful! Some day maybe I'll smell a delightful fresher version :]
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Shucks really?! I grew up being forced to wear jasmine flowers in my hair and I HATED it. The kids would all run away whenever the adults came to us with a tray of jasmine. It's in our culture for women to wear jasmine in the hair. My mum still does it.
I can't even imagine a childhood without hating jasmine :P
That said, fresh jasmine is great. If you wear it in your hair, it withers and begins to smell like withered jasmine which is...not so great.
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My jasmine exposure is much more limited than yours! Basically only in tea like the bag in the picture, or jasmine-scented things like cheap incense or candles. Ah, and jasmine rice, I've had that too.
What do the jasmine flowers signify when they are worn in hair? Or is it for looks only?
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