Under the Rainbow

Borely Park with its 18th Century mansion-museum Marseille

Flower spikes of the Acanthus mollis Borely Park

Under the Rainbow one can find things of beauty .. and good things can happen. During taking photos in Borely Park of tall and bold flower spikes of a plant having large leaves, I had the feeling that it originated from Africa. Two women who admired the flowers as well asked me if my photos would be posted on facebook. Surprised by their interest I gave them my blog address.

From Africa and the Mediterranean region Acanthus mollis

Another woman stopped, smiled, and asked if I knew the name of the plant. My answer was no, and that I would need to google it. She then asked whether I had visited the Jardin Botanique of the park, and I said yes, it’s a beautiful garden. But, realised that was last year. Some days later I visited the Botanical Garden again, as well as Cantini Museum, as that had been on my mind for years.

Victor Brauner – Couple florigène (upper part) 1956 Musée Cantini

Meanwhile, I found the name of the flowers: Acanthus mollis, and indeed they originate from North Africa. I was not so impressed by the current modern art exhibit at Cantini, but they have a permanent collection of paintings that are to my taste. Cantini museum is housed in an exquisite 17th century mansion of several floors, in the heart of the city.

Victor Brauner – Couple florigène (lower part) 1956 Musée Cantini

Emile Othon Friesz – Paysage méditerranéen 1907 Musée Cantini

Raoul Dufy – Arcades à l’Estoque (detail) 1908 Musée Cantini

The permanent art is a mix from European and Japanese painters, showing the transitional period from post-impressionism to the modern art of the twentieth century. The beauty of art and the wonders of nature go hand in hand in this Vignette, there is a combination of Jardin Botanique and Musée Cantini. Nature’s design and human interpretation.

All this alluring fresh green in gardens and parks reminds me of the recent breakthrough of the Green parties in the latest E.U. parliamentary elections. They are set for a Green transformation of Europe. Quite some people keep making sense in this upside-down world.

Pre-summer’s wealth is visible everywhere now. My favourite Magnolia trees are having many buds and their first flowers have fully opened. The month of June is the start of the Oleander bushes coming into full bloom, with fragrant white, pink, deep red, and creamy yellow flowers .. that inspire another story.