The water lily/lotus blossoms are slow to open on my early morning trips to the botanical garden, probably wanting to sleep in until the sun is a bit higher in the sky. Consequently I haven’t spent as much time and focus at the lily ponds, instead moving through other parts of the garden and noticing other flowers in bloom.

There were several clumps of these Bitter Aloe blooms in the succulent garden and their hot, bright color drew me right in. I took several shots from different angles and this was instantly my favorite. This photograph documents the artistic flare of the head horticulturalists that design the beds. In coming blogs I will be focusing on beds of foliage plants that combine beautiful coloring and texture.