Morbid Plants

I have been developing a fascination for plants with morbid names. You might have noticed it starting when I blogged about Burning Hearts a few months ago. A patch of Bleeding Hearts, check. A pot full of Burning Hearts, check. So what shall be next on my morbid plant list you ask? Well, I have already purchased seeds for a little beauty called Love Lies Bleeding. Oh yes. It will be mine. Not only does it have a fabulous name, but just look at this amazing plant.

Love Lies Bleeding comes from more humid regions of the Americas, and is also apparently edible. It can be adapted, however, to grow in more arid climates. The plant can grow into a small bush, up to 4 feet tall. The cascading flowers can grow as long as 18 inches.

Another beauty I discovered today is a ground cover called Sweet After Death. Its name comes from the fact that while the plant has no scent while alive, its leaves smell like vanilla once they've dried. This would be a welcomed whiff as you walk down your garden paths in the fall. It does also flower, sending up white spires high above it's broad leaves.

I'm not sure how well this plant would thrive at my house. It is quite prevalent in the Pacific Northwest, which has a somewhat similar climate to the bay area. Perhaps I could sneak it in to a dark corner of the yard.

I think a rather tragic storyline could play itself out in my yard. Imagine if you will, walking down the side walk next to my house, first you pass some bachelors buttons, then a patch of (insert some sort of innocent female named flower, I'm sure it's out there), a few Burning Hearts (ah, young love), then Forget Me Nots (gasp, the lovers have parted), then Love Lies Bleeding (could no longer take the separation) and finally Sweet After Death. Very Romeo and Juliet I must say.