Australian coral tree

One of the challenges of being a professional writer is to think metaphorically—to describe an item in terms of something else, so that readers make an association that clarifies, enlightens and perhaps also entertains.  Metaphorical thinking can be learned and is a great memory aid. Food metaphors often occur to me when describing plants. For example, matilija poppies, which have white, crepe-paper petals surrounding yellow centers, [...]