Flowers

Flowers have always captured the admiration of mankind. Their evolutionary development, though, has nothing to do with humanity

but is in every sense concerned with attracting the flying insects and birds necessary for pollination. With our highly developed senses of sight, smell,

and touch, we are attracted to the same things that attract insects and birds and are very fortunate to be able to observe all the beautiful characteristics of flowers.

Flowers often have a stunning smell, but the reason for this is not to attract the attention of human beings but rather to attract insects,

so that the flower can be pollinated and reproduce. Bees, wasps, moths, and beetles are all insects that pollinate plants and are drawn to different flowers by their keen sense of smell.

Flowers come in many brilliant colors. Again, this is an trait that has developed over time to attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, moths, and bats.

Different types of pollinators have limited ranges of colors to which they are attracted. Fortunately, most people can take in the whole color spectrum and thus appreciate all the different hues of flowers.

Flowers are part of an annual cycle, so they do not bloom all the time, but rather they burst open primarily to activate the fertilization process, which eventually produces new fruits and seeds.

The fleeting transience of flowers seems to make them that much more precious. We appreciate their annual appearance, whether it be in an outdoor garden or a bouquet sitting in a vase on the kitchen table.

Flowers have a fascinating shape and structure. Keep in mind, though, that the shape of the flower and the arrangement of male and female parts is not at all random.
As with color and smell, each flower has evolved in shape and structure to attract a specific pollinator.

Wildflowers can temporarily transform the outdoor landscape into something new and different. Anyone who has witnessed the springtime blooming of the cherry blossoms ,

prairie turning blue with bluebonnets, or the summer color of a field full of sunflowers will understand this natural phenomenon.