We have covered the lotus in earlier blogs and learned that Mother named the pink form, The Avatar and the white form, Aditi, but there are a few other flowers that Mother gave significances to and these also are very special.

In 1971 I germinated seeds of Lobelia erinus 'Cambridge Blue' at the Matrimandir Gardens Nursery and sent the flowers to Mother through Tara. I don't believe I have ever experienced greater joy with flowers than hearing that Mother named this particular cultivar, Remembrance of Sri Aurobindo! There are a number of different varieties of lobelia in white, pink, purple and dark blue but this one, 'Cambridge Blue' is exactly Sri Aurobindo's colour. The photograph we have in the book, "The Spiritual Significance of Flowers" is incorrect for it is not 'Cambridge Blue'. This is one of the most important reasons for not removing the cultivar names as has been done in the latest edition of "Flowers and Their Messages", forunless Mother gave a 'General Significance' to a particular genus or species which tells us that all the colours would vibrate with the same message, we should not automatically assign the significance to any and all colours.Of course, if later on hybrids are developed with exactly the same colour as the one Mother named, but perhaps varying in hardiness, cultural diversity, size of the plant, etc. then the significance would hold.

Remember of Sri Aurobindo

Mother's comment: "Let us strive to realise the ideal life that Sri Aurobindo has shown us."

The lovely groundcover, Portulaca grandiflora, is an example of a 'General Significance' as all the colours vibrate with the beautiful message, Sri Aurobindo's Compassion'. An interesting commentfrom Sri Aurobindo in regard to the flower named for him is as follows andends with one of the most beautiful sentences about flowers ever written. Here is the full quote from the disciple and Sri Aurobindo's reply.

"Why is the flower symbolising your compassion so delicate and why does it wither away so soon? Sri Aurobindo writes in reply: "No, the compassion does not wither with its symbol - flowers are the moment's representation of things that are in themselves eternal."

Portulacas open later in the morning and close somewhat early in the afternoon, hence the question. But what a beautiful reply from Sri Aurobindo. Note that most often the quote is misspelled and Moment's is often spelled moments and representation often spelled representations.

Sri Aurobindo's Compassion

Mother's comment: "Innumerable, always present and efficacious in every instance."

There is also a small tropical shrub with striking flowers. Its botanical name is Rondeletia and Mother named it Mahasaraswati's Perfection in Work. Mother commented, "It is not satisfied with makeshift."