Growing from the mud at the bottom of ponds, streams and marshes, the exquisite lotus flower rises above the water unfurling its delicate petals towards the sun.

It possesses an amazing ability to flourish in a variety of environments ranging from clear ponds to muddy marshes.  With its exceptionally hardy seed pods that can remain quiescent during cold, dry seasons, it is no wonder that the lotus symbolises immortality and resurrection. Seeds of the Indian lotus can germinate some 200 years after they are shed!

In Buddhism the lotus represents purity and divine birth.  Buddhist say this is how people should rise above everything which is dukkha. A flower may be very beautiful and have a wonderful scent, but it soon withers and dies. This shows that nothing in life is perfect. (Dukkha is loosely translated into English as suffering)

In fact the lotus flower has symbolised spiritual enlightenment across many religions over the years, with many deities being pictured sat on a lotus flower, rising from within it, or holding a lotus blossom.

Alabaster vessels found in Tutankhamuns tomb when it was opened in 1922 contained lotus oil that had still retained its scent after 3,000 years. Cleopatra was said to have bathed in a lotus bath every day. At the time lotus, cinnamon and marjoram were among the most commonly used top notes in perfumery.

The lotus flower contains many euphoric chemicals that can produce a powerful hypnotic effect. Many historians believe that the Egyptians used it to induce an ecstatic state and create hallucinations. It was used as a sedative and also as an aphrodisiac.

You need to plan to pay a premium for true exotic oils such as lotus. If the price seems to good to be true, then it usually will be. The true oil is very rare and only available in very small quantities. It takes around 100 flowers to make 1 gram of oil. Only 1000 to 3000 grams of the true white lotus oil has ever been exported as far as we know, and you can expect to pay over £200 for approx. 5mls.

It has a beautiful delicate fragrance and is effective in improving skin conditions, mild fungal infections, fever and cholera.

And finally, it is the most famous flower associated with good Feng Shui, used to create an environment of harmony, peace and good energy, inspiring contentment and new opportunities…..maybe we should be hosing the streets of London tonight not with water but with lotus oil!!

Well, am back after a lovely family holiday down in the beautiful county of Dorset. As I mentioned before, it’s the first time i’ve explored this part of our coastline, and I can definitely say it wont be the last!

I dont really want to extol the delights of Dorset too much, as it means that everyone will want to go and try it out….so Shhhhhhhh…keep it to yourselves, but i have to say the Jurassic coastline was spectacular, and the kids – and myself – spent many an hour rock scrambling, searching (and finding) fossils and caves. The sunshine shone for us the majority of the time, but true to form the day we went out for a beach picnic it was overcast, very windy and quite chilly – but as promised in my previous blog -  we braved the elements ‘because it was our holidays!’

Anyway, whilst collecting our bingo pens from the caravan one evening (luxury I might add!), I caught the end of the local evening news. The main story came from the Eden Project – I dont know whether you heard it or not, and it was announcing that the Titan Arum – commonly referred to as the Corpse Flower, had blossomed after a 9 year wait. These rare plants can reach a height of up to 12 feet in a cultivated environment, and it is unknown how tall they can reach in their native conditions. The titan arum was originally discovered by an Italian botanist, Odoardo Beccari, in Sumatra in 1878. Though found in many botanic gardens around the world it is still indigenous only to the tropical forests of Sumatra.

A mature bucket shaped flower emerges from a huge tuber, and in preparation for the few days of flowering, the plant must shed its single leaf (which can be the size of a small tree) and then lie dormant for 4 months whilst its musters up enough strength to produce umbrella sized petals that open to a diameter of 3-4 feet.

Its distinctive smell can be detected up to half a mile away, and is reminiscent of rotting flesh. This is due to a  concoction of sulfurous chemicals along with the aptly named cadaverene and putrescine compounds, which are also produced when flesh breaks down, hence the name  Corpse flower.

Hundreds of people have been down to the Eden Project to have a look but many of these have to recoil in horror due to its overpowering stench. You can actually see it growing at a staggering quarter of an inch per hour!

Luckily the smell only lasts for the 2 days that the plant is in full bloom. The Eden Project has set up a webcam so that you can follow the birth and death of the bloom without the smell………

 http://www.edenproject.com/come-and-visit/whats-here/rainforest-biome/webcam-titan-arum.php

Have a look and see what you think – its a funny looking thing, and the smell would definitely put you off having your picnic in one of the Biodomes for sure!