Re: still foetid

On Saturday, Oct 5, 2002, at 08:11 US/Pacific, Paul Reid wrote:

Barry G. wrote:
"Well, my grandfather DESPISED gardenias, because he
worked in a mortuary as a teen and it reminded him of
embalming, death, and corpses. They were used to cover
up the "mortuary" scent. So it's all how you view it."
To which I reply: Don't you get it? The gardenias were used to cover up the dead, rotting smell?  Your grandfather did a typical transference association of the gardenias with the dead smells, but I am sure if he had only encountered gardenias (or late in the summer, tuberoses)on a warm summer night as he walked up my walkway for a home-cooked meal and good conversation, he would adore the smell as my summer guests do.  I am not saying I want to be covered in this heavy sweetness, but I assure you my summer suppers would have a much different beginning for people if one of those black, phallic death arums were to greet them coming up the walk! LOL!
Anyway, I DO understand their place as botanical curiosities in the wild or REMOTE corners of public collections, I just think masks ought to be issued!
Oh well, anyone who knows me can tell you I'm especially smell sensitive, anyway.

Well, here's something to boggle your mind. As I've learned from another email list:

"While at the Selby Gardens, during the double flowering of Amorphophallus
titanum in 1999, the night following the first flowering (when stink had
faded, but spadix was still erect) the Gardens hosted two evening weddings
and BOTH wedding parties came to be photographed standing next to the
inflorescences on display. The bride looked positively radiant while standing
next to the thing, but the groom looked a mite nervous standing there, as
though he did not belong in the picture! Perhaps he was doubly envious since
there were not just one, but two of the inflorescence towering over him. I am
certain the images made a glorious presentation for their wedding photo
albums. Both wedding parties came trooping in with professional photographers
who spent a great deal of time arranging the lovely ladies near the plants,
all lined up and pretty in their elaborate flowing formal gowns, which
shaped-echoed the ruffled titanum spathes. "

Now if you don't know what A.titanum is, check out this URL

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0602.htm#stinkiest

I've seen a photo of one of recent flowerings of A.titanum (1996 or so, when it was still very rare), where the guard posted near the specimen was wearing a gas mask, but cannot locate this photo any more ...

KK
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