beauty in decay

This summer I posted some photos of my lush red hibiscus at the height of summer. Just recently my daughter presented me with a fallen bloom she found along the garden path. I loved it! The outer petals had fallen away to reveal the inner structure of the plant (apologies to all the biology teachers who taught me terms like "stamen" and "pistol" and such). And the color, oh how lovely and rich! The dark purple seems so appropriate for these autumn days where the night lasts longer and longer.