SINGING FLOWERS: A new piece of Japanese technology enables flowers to act as music speakers. Yes, you read that right.
The gadget is called Ka-on, which means "flower sound" in Japanese, and consists of a magnetised vase that hooks up to a CD player. When flowers are placed in the vase, the sound vibrations travel up through the stems and emanate from the petals. Gerberas and sunflowers work particularly well, and the invention is being touted as ideal for table arrangements at weddings, hotels and reception desks.
ORCHESTRAL ONIONS
The nine-piece Vienna Vegetable Orchestra plays music exclusively on instruments made from vegetables. Carrots, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, leeks and radishes are among the edibles transformed into temporary musical instruments for the performances. At the end of the evening the instruments are made into a soup for the audience .
PLANTS FOR A MUSICAL GARDEN
Viola; bugle; edelweiss - it's hard to even say the word out loud without breaking into song; snowdrops and daffodils, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme - ditto; Canterbury bells; just another lemon tree; the holly (she bears a berry); strawberry (fields, forever).