Botanical Building

Welcome to our botanical building. A vast preserve of natural beauty, hidden safely away from the relentless currents of city life, just beyond the hills. The lush environment provides an intimate space for reflection and grounding, especially at this late afternoon hour as the sun makes its final descent towards the distant horizon. Some call it the golden hour when the sun diffuses a warm, soft glow across the skyline, when the day and the night are just beginning to converse with each other. A lily pond, teaming with life, beckons you towards the garden's entrance, offering a glimpse of the complexity of nature waiting just beyond the walls. Before we continue on, let's start off with a wind-down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. So first, get yourself comfortable. Now just bringing the attention to the breath. Just noticing where you feel it. In the nose, the throat, chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. We're going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin. In for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great. Now returning the breath to normal. A concrete path curves around the lathe house a line for us to give each and every plant the attention they deserve. And tonight, the orchids call out to us with their open mouths. A deep shade of velvety red draws our attention. The rare blood orchid sits front and center gazing up at us from its aerial roots. The anatomy of this flower is unique. Petals of equal size mirror each other to the left and right of the bloom's silk lip while a trinity of sepals rest behind them one at the top and two on each side. Above the lip a small brown spotted yellow flower presents itself. Next to this rarity a group of pale pink orchids with even deeper magenta lips bloom on a single stem bending towards you. It's hard to choose a favorite with such abundance but the orange spotted yellow orchid is competitive. Each bloom, a small moon in the ecosystem of this place. The orchids neighbor a family of ferns. Pale large olive leaves contrast beautifully with the pinks, yellows, and red hues of their friends next door. Everything grows lusciously here in the rich soil protected by the grand architecture of the lathe house. A bright orange koi ripples through the palm trees reflected in the pond's surface....