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| Four Seasons Hemet Herald | MAY 2022 | 17 What's in a name? Scientific names, if you break them down, can tell you something about the plants. The first part of the scientific name is the genus name. The second part is the species name, which is usually a descriptive word. Many plants are named for the person who described them. Others hold clues to a plant's growth habit, provenance, fragrance, or other characteristics. Pictured here are two varieties of Strelitzia, commonly known as Bird of Paradise, or crane flower. Ornamental plant of the family Strelitziaceae, native to South Africa, it is named for its resemblance to the showy forest birds known as birds-of-paradise. (The family has 44 species in 17 genera.) Extremely easy to grow, and propagate, S. reginae with their orange, blue and white flowers, bear a startling resemblance to the heads, and flight, of these crested tropical birds (also pictured). S.nicolai, or Giant Bird of Paradise, are grown mainly for their dramatic foliage, clumping, treelike curving trunks, and extremely large flowers. Their floral envelope is purplish gray, with the flower white and a dark blue "tongue." Did you put it there, or did it just appear one day? Knowing your garden, and understanding why and how you plant, is the beginning of a colorful and very educational journey. But so is letting nature take its course… pollination, and cross-pollination are key to keeping beautiful plant life thriving within our community. Take the time to learn what plants and trees are indigenous to our Zone 9b, benefiting from a natural Mediterranean climate. To help you, stop by The Lodge desk and pick up the latest copy of the Approved Plant Material List. This month Late Bloomers is going to resume a fun activity we enjoyed during our Club's inception: visiting each other's gardens to see what's blooming! On Mon., May 9 beginning at 1 pm, Sharon Deuber will host Club Members for a tour, light refreshments, and our regular meeting agenda. Located in the Championships, Sharon's address is 585 Parnevik Dr. (perpendicular to Ozaki, off Olazabal). Also in May, on the 14th Late Bloomers will be attending the Vendor participation event at Louie's Nursery in Menifee. Details to follow via eBlast. There is always something else to do. A gardener should have nine times as many lives as a cat. ~ Vita Sackville All residents are welcome to attend meetings and trips. For info, please contact Sharon Deuber at (760) 500-0077 or email Sharon@BlackDiamondInvestments.ne. Late Bloomers Garden Club Needle Me Many moons ago, I decided to make a baby afghan for a friend's baby shower. Unfortunately, I got busy with work and had to put the project aside. By the time I got around to working on it again, the 'baby' was in the first grade! It ended up making a nice little lap afghan. Now, I'm sure I can't be the only person that this has happened to. Things happen… but that doesn't mean your project can't be finished and 'repurposed,' so to speak. At out last meeting, one of our ladies was working on a beautiful pillow for Easter; it was supposed to be for last Easter. As of this writing, I don't know if the pillow was completed in time for Easter this year, but there's always next year! My point is, unless you have a hard deadline for your project, you can usually put it aside and get back to it when time permits and your enthusiasm returns. All is not lost! So, bring your needle craft project and enjoy a couple of hours working your fingers to the bone and sharing some of your stories with this fun- loving group of ladies. We meet on the first and fourth Friday of each month in the Arts & Crafts Room at 1 pm. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Bobbie Davis at (951) 223-3836 or Merilyn Burnside at (951) 658-8310. We look forward to seeing you there! Happy Mother's Day