During my early summer visit to Software AG HQ campus in Darmstadt, Germany I opened the door to the balcony of the second storey room I was working in, and was impressed with the friendliness of the Blauregen (literally Blue Rain) which wanted to come in and work with me. The campus has plenty of other inspiring features - ponds with frogs who constantly plead to come work with you (more likely they were celebrating the arrival of warm weather). The campus reflects the "in touch with nature" philosophy of the company founders.
I did some research on the plant, and it is in the Wisteria family. Wikipedia says “It is very hardy and fast-growing. It can grow in fairly poor-quality soils, but prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soil. They thrive in full sun.”
It is a good metaphor for innovation even in the summer doldrums.
The New Florence blog will have logged 420 innovation entries through the end of August. A bit slower than last year’s record crop of 750, but still nice with the book project and other commitments this year. It is ceratinly inspired by the largest wisteria in Japan which covers nearly 2,000 square meters.
