A few years ago I discovered this seriously cool looking plant growing at the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C.  It was a vine-like plant growing on a fence with fringed flowers that I can only describe as psychedelic space eyes.  The docent at the gardens told me it was called a Passion Flower (Passiflora spp.).

“Native to southeastern parts of the Americas, passionflower is now grown throughout Europe. It is a perennial climbing vine with herbaceous shoots and a sturdy woody stem that grows to a length of nearly 10 meters (about 32 feet). Each flower has 5 white petals and 5 sepals that vary in color from magenta to blue.The passionflower’s ripe fruit is an egg-shaped berry that may be yellow or purple. Some kinds of passionfruit are edible.”

I don’t think they are hardy enough for the zone I live in.  Subsequently, after seeing this trippy plant in Canada, I had not come across one again until recently, when my friend received one from her daughter on Mother’s Day.  This has revived my interest, and I have decided I really want to try to add one to my summer garden.  Check out the picture – is this oddly gorgeous or what?