“In the Victorian language of flowers, receiving a hibiscus was a compliment meaning you possessed delicate beauty.”  My friend Liz Cogdill sent this note after one of my hibiscus BLOG posts.  I realized at the moment I got the note how very fortunate I am to have such a friend as Liz.  I keep capturing pictures of the Hibiscus flowers at Paradise Village because they are such an important decorative element in our community.  All of the blossoms I have included in the past couple of weeks are on shrubs growing around Parkview Villa, a place devoted to the care of people who have memory problems.  My friend, Jim Fudge, has moved into Parkview recently and I go over every morning for a walk with him.  We see these flowers every day.  Harbison Drive, a block away from the back entrance to Paradise Village, is a part of National City with Hibiscus shrubs in full bloom along the street.  I can see why Victorians said the giving of a hibiscus to someone was a way of saying the person who received the gift "possessed delicate beauty."

The Hibiscus flower is definitely something that can be given as a gift.  The delictate flower on a stem that is used as a gift to be given, but two of my favorite plants are cacti... protected with barbs and thorns.  These two below have been planted in our new park.