Proteus, Greek Sea God, son of Poseidon, had the power to transform his shape into whatever he wished. According to Homer in the Odyssey, Proteus took the form of a serpent, a leopard, a tree and water. He was mysterious, outlandish, and glamorous.
Protea flowers are named after this exotic God. They come in an astonishing variety of shape and size, color and texture. They, too, are eccentric, unusual and striking.
The different varieties have wonderful names like Jester, Skyrocket, Mayday and Pincushion. They are one of the oldest flowering plants on earth and have the allure of times-gone-by.
Here at the garden we have several varieties of Protea. They bloom at different times of the year in different garden areas.
December is Protea Pristine month. Their bright pink bracts form a cup-shape surrounding a fuzzy center. You can find this bloom in the Children’s Garden.
Proteas are a great favorite with florists wanting to create beautiful contemporary arrangements. I received this bouquet recently for my birthday, an orangy-yellow Protea at its heart. Beautiful! Credits to Croziers Flowers in downtown Vista for the design.
Protea can be propagated from seeds, cuttings or grafts. The Protea plants at the Garden were donated by Resendiz Brothers, Protea Growers LLC in Fallbrook. They have a passion for this unusual flower and an amazing selection of live plants to keep your garden in Protea blooms all year round. In their gift shop you can also purchase bouquets, gift boxes, seeds and more.
Find them here: https://resendizbrothers.com/protea-store/A beautiful Protea Wreath, symbol of change and hope, might be just the thing to add exotic color and shape to the season!
ABOUT ALTA VISTA GARDEN
Create a botanical garden for the education, enlightenment, and inspiration for our children, and the child within us all.
Alta Vista Botanical Gardens fosters involvement of the community in efforts, both local and abroad, to protect and preserve endangered habitats, which are vital to the health of our planet and all of her inhabitants. It is a place to reflect, relax and recharge. The gardens are a living, changing and interactive environment which brings people together with nature and art. It serves as a gathering place, and educational center, a forum for the arts and an exhibit of the most remarkable, beautiful and rare plants in the world.
https://altavistabotanicalgardens.org/
