Pavelas said:I am myself a landscaper on my free time (put an extra dime in my pocket and I love it very much). So almost every time when I ask (compliment) my clients about plants in theirs gardens, I usually get from 10 min to 1 hour conversation about it, how much it cost, how beautiful it's and so on; overall about gardening. 
We have found the exactly same.
Especially on foreign travels.
It has been a really wonderful way to meet the locals./native indigenous people in remote places
People are fascinated when they see me peering through a fence taking pics of a tree/plant.seed pod or weird fruit
We nearly always invited in to look at all their other treasures.
They have explained many botanical mysteries of how they make use of the local seeds, bark, fruits ..for cooking or medicines.etc. The language barrier is a problem ...but somehow we manage.
We have been given a bag full of mango, invited in for drinks, lead by the hand by a whole group of school girls to be shown more etc etc.
With city office blocks and hotels I just walk in to the private area.
I have never been escorted off or told to go away.
They just assume I am a crazy foreigner!
That is how I learn...I take clear detailed pics... then id the plants.
I really want to see what this is...is it plastic...OR real.
