Portmeirion Botanic Garden For the People Who Want Class and Elegance in Everything They Use

People who have some refinement and culture in their life want to buy and use things that reflect those qualities. They do not want to compromise on quality for saving money. That explains why the demand of Portmeirion's Botanic Garden is high among the elite and aristocrat people. The cookware, dinnerware and accessories of the company feature butterfly and floral design that reflect elegance and boldness.

The ceramic cookware range makes use of antique botanical illustrations. It is sought after by the homemakers all over the world. The origin of the Botanic Garden brand can be traced back to the early 1970s. Susan Williams-Ellis created the designs in 1972. It has more than 30 flowers that make up the entire collection. The cups and plates in its range are made in the shapes of various flower patterns. The distinctive leaf border, flitting butterflies and unique style of drawing conjures the entire mix and match theme.

Over the years, Botanic Garden has evolved as a top notch designer tableware brand. The makers of the brand keep adding to its range and the inclusion of new designs has widened its portfolio. The founder of the group, Susan Williams- Ellis passed away in 2007. She came into the limelight for her innovative skill in manufacturing techniques and designing. She revolutionized ceramic shape design and the designs she made were dubbed as futuristic.

Susan was born in 1918 and was the daughter of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, a renowned architect. As a matter of fact her artistic talents were nurtured and developed in an ambience influenced by friends and family. The sparks of her talent were seen early. She took training in fine art from Chelsea Polytechnic. She benefited from the mentorship of Graham Sutherland and Henry Moore. It was at that time her penchant for three dimensional form and shape flourished. She got a chance to exhibit her artistic skills after getting an offer to make gift items for a village shop in Portmeirion Village.

She acquired A. E. Gray Ltd which was a pottery decorating company in 1960. Another pottery business was also acquired by her. They were merged and that is how the Portmeirion brand of pottery products came into existence. After getting access to manufacturing facilities she started designing shapes which was quite an achievement in contemporary times.

Among the most prominent early Portmeirion designs of Susan, Moss Agate and Malachite deserve mention. They became extremely popular and made Susan famous. Then she surprised everyone with her introduction of bright, floral images like Tiger Lily and Portmeirion Rose. This was succeeded by the iconic Totem design.

Totem played a pivotal role in popularizing the Portmeirion brand in the global market. Its abstract and bold style of embossed stars and spirals became a hit. In the 1970s, Botanic Garden the signature range of Portmeirion was launched. She received recognition for her contribution to tableware design and innovation from the Keele University and University of Arts, London.

Christopher Widener is author of this article on Portmeirion Botanic Garden.
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Desert Botanical Gardens - A Great Vacation and Travel Destination

The Desert Botanical Gardens in Arizona are in Papago Park and have some of the most amazing desert plants worldwide. Very few botanical gardens are actually accredited by the American Association of Museums, but the Desert Botanical Gardens in Arizona are. That is because there are more than 50-acres of outdoor exhibits. When you visit the Desert Botanical Gardens you will be amazed at the vast array of plant species that are threatened, endangered, and/or rare. More than 300,000 people visit the gardens each and every year to enjoy the amazing collection of plants!

The Gardens are internationally known for their plant collection as well as their educational and research programs. If you have any interest in desert plants then you will definitely want to plan some time to visit the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Many people who do not particularly care for plants do enjoy visiting these gardens simply because there are so many plants you may have never seen before. For example, there are more things than just cactus to see. There are actually quite a few desert plants that have beautiful flowers and other plants that are really gorgeous. If you like cactus then you will certainly like these gardens because there are more than 20,000 different types of cactus here! You can take the walking trails to explore the gardens and check out all the different plants. There is also an amazing butterfly pavilion that is open from March to May. This is really the best time to visit because you can see the gardens and the butterflies!

There are plenty of other things to see when you are in the Tempe, Arizona area. You can check out the Zoo and Papago Park as well as wander around the town to get a good feel for the area. Eat lunch outside, enjoy the day, and just have fun!

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Dinosaurs Take Over the Zilker Botanical Gardens

These days a stroll through the Zilker Botanical Gardens could lead to an encounter with a small herd of Bambiraptors, dinosaurs with feathered wings similar to a turkey. The word "raptor" means thief and these little creatures, named after the Disney character, were known to steal the babies of other dinosaurs. The usually sedate gardens are full of all kinds of life-size dinosaurs, like the ferocious cousin to T- Rex, a Daspletosaur, standing at 33 feet tall. The 30 creatures from the DinoLand traveling exhibit will continue to have a temporary residence among the flora and fauna of the Botanical Gardens until November 30, 2008.

The scientifically-accurate exhibit, created by Lost World Studio founder Guy Darrough, is a terrific reason to visit one of Austin's great outdoor venues. The Zilker Botanical Gardens is a non-profit organization established in 1955, with the gardens making a home in Barton Hills since 1962.

It takes an average of eight months for one of the dinosaurs to be created out of wire, foam and wood frames covered with clay, silicone rubber, plastic and fiberglass. The result is an incredibly life-like creature, further enhanced by the outdoor display of plants, nests with eggs and large bones scattered about the exhibits. Little ones can stand in awe of the 30 feet tall Kritosaurus, a gentle plant-eating giant whose name means "Noble Lizard."

As visitors wander from one period of the Mesozoic Era to the next, they will also come across small wooden dinosaurs decorated by local elementary schools. There is the Hip-Hoposaurus complete with gold chain and sunglasses. These clever colorful creatures are a big hit with small children, as they are just their size and close to the trail.

Another attraction is the Zoo of Ferns, representing some of the more than 12,000 species of ferns that exist today. The origins of the fern can be traced back 450 million years, making it a perfect prehistoric companion to the DinoLand exhibit. Put together by members of the Garden Club of Austin known as the Fern Team, this exhibit gives kids an eye-level introduction into the world of ferns.

After seeing all the dinosaurs, visitors should take the time to explore the rest of the gardens, such as the Mabel Davis Rose Garden, Isamu Taniguchil Japanese Garden or the take a walk along the Butterfly Trail. It's worth a visit to the Chrysalis Gift Shop for all things dinosaur. The admission to the DinoLand exhibit is $5 for adults and $3 for children (3-13).

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A Garden For South Africa - Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Kirstenbosch is one of the most famous and beautiful botanical gardens in the world and first opened in 1913. Botanical gardens are different from parks as they are places where plants are grown for research, conservation, education and enjoyment.

Kirstenbosch lies on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain and above the garden is a Mountain peak that looks like a giant teddy bear and this is what is known as Castle Rock. On hot summers you could even hike to the top of Table Mountain by following a path from the gardens all the way to the top. Its also loads of fun to play in the mountain streams that flow through the garden and children love to hunt for tadpoles, fish and crabs but the Botanical gardens do ask that you return them before returning home.

Many of South Africa's 20 000 indigenous plants are useful to people. In the useful plants garden at Kirstenbosch you can find plants used in different parts of the country for medicine, food and drink, dying cloth, and building houses.

When you walk through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens it is like taking a tour of South Africa. You could visit the Botanical Society Conservatory and Mathew's rockery to see how plants survive in hot, dry deserts or Cool off in the shade of Forrest trees in the Dell and Braille Trail. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is a great place to start getting to know the fynbos of the Western Cape in the Protea, Erica, Restio and Peninsula Gardens. Visit the Garden Soon! It truly is like seeing the whole country in one garden!?

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Penang Botanical Gardens - Taman Kebun Bunga

Penang Botanical Gardens or fondly refer to as "Waterfall Gardens" was established by the British back in 1884. The garden are bound by evergreen tropical rainforest and divided by a cascading stream and sprawling with 29 hectares of prime and undulating grounds.

The lush greenery gardens are Penangites favorite park and a popular tourist destination. The garden also act as an institute of learning, studying and researching of live specimen both in-situ and ex-situ. Every year, countless groups of undergraduates, students, government agencies and private sectors will come to the gardens to acquire wealth of information and knowledge on aspects of botany and horticulture.

Some of the interesting plant that can be found there includes:

Cannon-Ball Tree: A beautiful fast growing tree which reaches 25m in height. The leaves have a life span of approximately 6 months after which they are shed rapidly so that the crown is usually bare for a day or two.





Candle Tree: An evergreen tree with brown trunk and growing up to 6 to 10m. The flowers are big, solitary, bell shape and white in color, measuring 8cm wide.





Argus Pheasant Tree: A tall deciduous tree reaching 31m in height with rounded crown and strong buttressed trunk when old.





Ebony Tree: An evergreen, stout and shady wide spreading tree with dense dark green glossy leaves. It has a compact, dome shaped conical crown.

Besides being a botanic centre, the garden is a popular recreational spot. Some of the recreational activities include jogging, walking, jungle trekking and aerobics.

The Penang Botanic Gardens has been the permanent host to usher the annual international floral fest normally held in May. Participants from overseas, government agencies, private sectors and local councils are invited to participate in this annual event. The colorful events provides a wonderful experience and is and event not to be missed.

Entrance to the garden is FREE and is open daily from 5am to 8pm.

Sam is the editor and the webmaster for http://www.penang-vacations.com

Myriad Botanical Gardens

Nature lovers or not, visitors would agree that the most incredible and surrealist destination in Oklahoma City is undoubtedly the Myriad Botanical Gardens. It is a 17-acre area featuring a tropical terrain, and the chief attraction is the exotic plant life, with 1000 species and above from 6 continents.

Opened in the summer of 1988, the Myriad Botanical Gardens provide breathtaking landscapes with exotic flora that set the imagination on fire. With stone pathways alongside trickling streams, freshwater ponds and shrub specimens, you are never closer to the natural world. The exotic plants provide fresh insight into the variety of climates and flora sustained on Planet Earth.

The Gardens also feature the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. The attractions at the Conservatory include the Tropical Rain Forest Zone and Dry Tropical Zone. Each zone recreates plant and animal life in the particular region. You can find palms, orchids, exotic plants, butterflies and lizards. The grounds at the Conservatory include well-kept gardens, plants, and a 35-foot waterfall. It is the perfect backdrop for special events such as office parties or even weddings. Another attraction of the Gardens is the lake fed by springs and stocked with fish of native Oklahoma and the Japanese koi. If you are looking for something to take home or give away as gifts, you can find great mementos at the gift shop.

The Myriad Botanical Gardens is just the right destination for the wearied traveler or one tired of urban atmosphere. When you have shut the world out, it is the time for the imagination to roam freely in a fantasy world. At the Myriad Botanical Gardens that is just what happens and visitors are ensured a welcome break from mundane activities. And when you have had enough of the experience at the Gardens, hotels at Oklahoma City are waiting to extend their hospitality. Many hotels provide shuttle services for guests to popular and important destinations in the city.

Oklahoma City Hotels - The Bricktown Hotel is one of the finest hotels in Oklahoma City and satisfies the most discriminating of guests at an affordable price. Shuttle services are available for guests to the Myriad Botanical Gardens from the hotel.

Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid, Spain

The Botanical Gardens, were any of you out there aware that there is actually more than one botanical garden? This gal will be the first to admit just that, but as it turns out, Montreal is not the only place that boasts a beautiful botanical garden which houses many exotic flowers. The garden we are talking about is referred to as the Royal Botanical Garden and it is located in Madrid, Spain.

The garden boasts 20 acres of land and houses approximately 30,000 different types of flowers and plants, not to mention approximately 1,500 different species of trees. It is a garden lover's dream! The Royal Botanical Garden, referred to in Madrid as Real Jardin Botanico was commissioned (or paid for) by Carlos (Charles) the Third in the later part of the 18th Century. Surely this was the best investment Carlos ever made.

The Garden is located in the heart of Paseo Del Parado and tourists can stroll through the garden for a nice break from the noisy hustle and bustle of everyday life. After a person has gotten his bearings in this beautiful piece of heaven, he can step over into the Prado Museum where he can learn a little about Spain's history. Whether you enjoy the museum first or the Garden, rest assured that they are both worth spending time on and you and your loved ones will no doubt never forget them!

The Real Jardin is not the biggest of the many botanical gardens that are in this world but it is by far one of the most extensive in its collection of flowers, trees and plants. With the many different species of each, the average tourist would most likely feel that there are not enough hours to take in all that the Jardin has to offer. On the plus side, the Jardin never has an off season.

As mentioned, the plant life as well as the trees that are thriving in the Real Jardin come from all over the world; there are Iris which are from South Africa to the Peonies which come from Japan, Korea or even China.

The climate in Madrid makes for favourable growth conditions for the plant life that is housed there. As you can expect, this is a plus for the tourists as well as for the economy in Madrid. Tourists all year round makes for excellent money making.

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