But bamboo is something of a tragic plant -- it only flower once in its lifetime -- and the Jiuzhai Valley bamboo flowered and died in the 1980s, depriving pandas of the food that makes up 99% of their diet.

BBC: The return of China��s wild panda

In New Zealand Scion Research works to convert the waste stream from pulp and paper processing into a blend of microbial cell wall debris and plastic called polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA. Plant a PHA flower pot into the ground and and it biodegrades.

FORBES: Revving Up Nature's Engines

Escorted by a master gardener, guests can stroll through flower and plant fields in the nearby village of Gourdon.

BBC: Perfume in Provence: Visit, smell, create