Evening star., 1932-07-19

A garden offers few more interesting
sights than the opening OF the BIOS
SONS of the Oenothera or Evening
Primrose.
This is one of the few flowers the
gardener can catch in action, actually
unfolding its petals visibly.
Blossom opening, with most flowers,
is so slow that the eye Of man cannot
see it.
He who would await the unfurling
of a gladiolus bud, for instance, In
variably is disappointed.
The process is so gradual, without
visible motion, that he becomes tired.
The Evening Primrose, however, Is
distinctly a flower of another color In
this respect
Not only does it open up its flowers
so that the actual opening can be seen,
but it very nicely does 1t on schedule.
Recently the flowers began opening
every evening exactly at 1885 o'clock:
About IS minutes was required for
the unfurling Of 80 or more blossoms,
each about 3 inches across
This motion Is one of the most ap-
parent in plant life. Even such things
as the so-called Sensitive Plant, "
which draws up its leaves on being
touched, is slow in comparison with the
opening Of these primrose blossoms.
The color is the pale. perfect yellow
of all the members of the family.
The flowers have four petals, held
in a roll. somewhat smaller than the
little finger. by a series Of green bracts,
or whatever the guards are called:
These meet over the end Of the bios
SONS. through which. as dusk comes on,
four small yellow affairs protrude, ike
nothing in the world SO much as the
horns on a snails head.
1t has been many year since this
writer studied botany. SO no attempt
will be made here to name the various
parts Of this flower Even when we
studied flower life, We had quite time,
as we recall, in keeping the various
flower parts named accurately. We
were forever getting "stamens and
"anthers" and the like mixed up. Most
people do.
After all it is possible to leave exactl-
tude in such matters, to those who
make such things their business in life.
The average gardener can enjov his
flowers Just as much. no doubt. wheth-
er he even knows what a petal is.
He may be an expert at actual flower
handling, without once bothering his
head about names and definitions.
Surely an observer requires little spe-
cial knowledge to enjoy standing in
front Of an Evening Primrose and
watching it open its blossoms as II
they were on springs.
Since this will happen each evening
during the blooming season. at exactly
the same time. he can even make sort
OF date" with his flowers.
The first indication OF the grand
opening comes as Suppertime arrives
for many human beings. at O'Clock.
Then small edges Of pale yellow will
appear. But that Is all.
No motion is as yet visible in the
blossoms or stems. That will come later.
The anxious visitor. who has been
told about this floral oddity. will
imagine that the blossoms are going to
do their stuff" shortly.
They are not. however, and he might
as we'll go back and enjoy his dinner.
There will be plenty of time.
No one can hurry Nature, not even
the most impatient person.
Nature works according to her own
schedules.
Let her alone, and she will act in her
own unhurried, ruthless fashion.
There is a sort Of ruthlessneSs about
her, even in the unfolding OF quartet
of pale yellow petals. which, at the
exact moment Of final opening. exhale a
puff of lemon-like fragrance.
The anxious onlooker, new to the