Meconopsis bella - The pretty blue poppy is one of four species within the family of meconopsis. It is distributed in the Himalaya Mountains between altitudes of 3,500 and 5,000 meters. Its native range is confined along a narrow band stretching from Nepal to Bhutan. The pretty blue poppy has adapted well to the cold environments; the poppy grows no taller than 12 centimeters and is found growing in rocky crevices or along vertical cliffs as a means of finding shelter from the fierce winds.
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Prithvi Narayan Shah became the first reigning monarch of a unified Nepal. He ascended to the Gorkha Throne in 1743 and began a long campaign of absorbing the neighboring principalities. By 1768, he was able to crown himself as the absolute monarch of Nepal. The Anglo-Nepalese War fought against Britain, 1812 to 1814, was lost and resulted in the decline of the kingdom. In 1846, Nepal became a constitutional monarchy and in 2008, it adopted a republican form of government.
