Sun Queens: Ukrainian flower crowns

According to Ukranian tradition, these headdresses were worn by young, unmarried women to show their “purity” and marital eligibility. These crowns were woven specifically for the photo shoot by Treti Pivni, to celebrate the tradition and foster social unity. The flower and plant arrangements are mesmerizing and bountiful, and oh so optimistic. This way of expressing the bounty of the universe is what inspires the mandala project. See more crowns over at Slavorum or check … >> read more

FLower mandala in a bowl of water

Floating flower mandala

October and November in Tepoztlan is the season for flowers. As the summer rainy season ends and the dry season approaches, plants use their stores of food to burst into bloom and attract pollinating insects that are also getting a reprieve from the torrential downpour and thriving in the warmer weather.

Philodendron with flowers

Wild split-leaf philodendron flowering in central Mexico

Monstera deliciosa or philodendron pertusumare is a tropical vine native to Mexico and Central America. It has large, glossy dark green leaves distinctive for their lovely pattern of oval holes and deep long cuts from the edges. They grow under the canopy in subtropical and tropical climates in both rainforests and those areas that are only seasonally wet and also go through a dry season. For all these reasons they have long been a popular … >> read more