But, truth be told, I'm a great admirer of flowers and plants, but an indifferent gardener. I loved my first house in Nigeria, in Jos--some kind predecessor had planted papaya, guava and banana trees, and when my neighbor gave me rose canes--left over when she trimmed hers--I just stuck them in the ground and they bloomed a month or two later.We recently took a look at the animals of Nigeria (the slideshow's still up, though not for long; it has been transferred into a hippobook at Saminaka's library/bookshop, the Slate, Scroll & Stick), so it seems only right that plants should have their chance. Participating in the "Show Me the Green" Expo Luchenpur Darwin organized with the enthusiastic participation of Winn Wellman got me thinking about plants and crops (crops! well, I did learn how to plant a potato with my foot in Jos) and flowers, and I've begun gathering photos and materials for what I hope will be a very interesting slideshow, full of fun facts and information many of us (including me two seconds ago!) didn't know.
But, like the last display, I am going to combine it with a treasu
re hunt that will start a week or two later, and hide things by some of the vegetation. To this end, I decided to do further landscaping at Saminaka, and reexamine my inventory of botanicals as well. I had many beautiful African plants from Lilith Heart and Luna Bliss, two of the best-known nurseries on Second Life, but when it came time to look for specific types of trees or plants, the challenge was greater. A papaya tree? I couldn't find one better than the climbable one by Sally Lasalle's Chi Botanical Workshops, which is also fond of bopping the unsuspecting on the head with a ripe papaya. Mikey Fairlane had my kapok tree, and baobab variations could be found a few places.
re hunt that will start a week or two later, and hide things by some of the vegetation. To this end, I decided to do further landscaping at Saminaka, and reexamine my inventory of botanicals as well. I had many beautiful African plants from Lilith Heart and Luna Bliss, two of the best-known nurseries on Second Life, but when it came time to look for specific types of trees or plants, the challenge was greater. A papaya tree? I couldn't find one better than the climbable one by Sally Lasalle's Chi Botanical Workshops, which is also fond of bopping the unsuspecting on the head with a ripe papaya. Mikey Fairlane had my kapok tree, and baobab variations could be found a few places. An excellent set of tropical trees and flowers can be had at a place I
hadn't run into before, JubJub Forder's One Prim Plants, which utilizes a sculpty framework for pasted-on plants. I went wild in there, buying things I don't even have the prims for (but someday.....).Despite the plethora of great palm trees and fabulous orchids, some particular types of flora eluded
me. Because of the upcoming exhibit, I was looking for specifics. I got to work on search, and lo and behold! I found the lovely Tropical Paradise Designs on Ocean Sunrise sim. THIS was what I'd been looking for to recreate my little corners of Nigeria. Flame trees, flamboyants, jacarandas, flowers I knew only by their Latin names.
me. Because of the upcoming exhibit, I was looking for specifics. I got to work on search, and lo and behold! I found the lovely Tropical Paradise Designs on Ocean Sunrise sim. THIS was what I'd been looking for to recreate my little corners of Nigeria. Flame trees, flamboyants, jacarandas, flowers I knew only by their Latin names.I'd been dying to find bougainvilleas I wa
s really happy with, since they flourish in Nigeria, climbing up walls, their draping making even homely surfaces look spendid. Both bushy and vine-like versions are available, their paper-like blossoms a reminder of daily beauty.
s really happy with, since they flourish in Nigeria, climbing up walls, their draping making even homely surfaces look spendid. Both bushy and vine-like versions are available, their paper-like blossoms a reminder of daily beauty.The owner and designer of Tropical Paradise Designs is the charmi
ng Thiery Fleury, who has a RL garden and nursery in the Canary Islands. A landscape designer, he has extensive art training and hand draws most of the plants at Tropical Paradise Designs. He creates gardens in France, as well as the Canaries. Which gardens are best, RL or SL? "I love all my gardens : ))" he says.
ng Thiery Fleury, who has a RL garden and nursery in the Canary Islands. A landscape designer, he has extensive art training and hand draws most of the plants at Tropical Paradise Designs. He creates gardens in France, as well as the Canaries. Which gardens are best, RL or SL? "I love all my gardens : ))" he says.Thiery first found out about SL when he read about Anshe Chung in the business pages, and signed on out of curiosity. He found it enjoyable, bought some land, and started to learn. Initially he had no plans of bringing his RL business into SL--he wanted to build himself a garden, and bought some plants. The
n he decided to make plants for himself. "All my friends were amazed at my private SL garden," he said. He and an SL friend from the UK bought Ocean Sunrise, and began the nursery in 2006 with just 4000 square meters. They now have one and a half sims. "I'm a very energetic builder," Thiery said. "I've got something new often and take away the old items."
n he decided to make plants for himself. "All my friends were amazed at my private SL garden," he said. He and an SL friend from the UK bought Ocean Sunrise, and began the nursery in 2006 with just 4000 square meters. They now have one and a half sims. "I'm a very energetic builder," Thiery said. "I've got something new often and take away the old items.""I've designed most of my favorite plants." I asked about his hand-drawn items, which differentiate him from many plant sellers, who photo-source their products. "When you learn landscape design, you spend many hours drawing plants. In the plant shops in SL you can see who is familiar with the plant industry and who isn't."
Thiery al
so has an enticing area full of birds with brilliant plumage and sweet trills. He added this at the end of 2007, modeling it after Palmito Park, a real bird park in the Canary Islands (look it up at http://www.palmitospark.es/index.php?wlang=en and you'll be looking for a travel agent). His friend does the scripting, he creates the birds.
so has an enticing area full of birds with brilliant plumage and sweet trills. He added this at the end of 2007, modeling it after Palmito Park, a real bird park in the Canary Islands (look it up at http://www.palmitospark.es/index.php?wlang=en and you'll be looking for a travel agent). His friend does the scripting, he creates the birds."I like color," declares Thiery. And I, for one, am grateful for it!
See Tropical Paradise Designs at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ocean%20Sunrise%202/33/83/22
One Prim Plants at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tula/169/212/91
Chi Botanical Workshops: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chi/170/158/30
Lilith Heart:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Heart%202/149/77/21
Mikey Fairlane:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Alcona/147/174/106
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