For years they've been banished from bathroom wallpaper and too cute trash cans, but once again flowers are climbing their way into modern bathrooms. And this time, they're practically permanent.

Today's flowering decor sprouts from sinks or grows from the base of a toilet. The trend is something of a surprise. Though flowers have long been part of bathroom decor - usually in a vase - they've never been a part of the porcelain. Sinks, save for the more recent surge in patterned vessels, and toilets have traditionally been one solid, uninterrupted color - usually white. If bathroom suites are to become patterned, flowers may well be the most obvious choice, but already we see designers branching off.

Two major manufacturers exhibit this growing trend. Toto focuses its iteration on the traditional Japanese art called Kiyomizu-yaki. A form begun in the Kyoto region of the country, Kiyomizu-yaki is meant to represent the harmony and beauty of the four seasons in Japan, according to Toto. The pieces in the collection are each hand painted and available in soothing, calm palettes featuring light blue and pink, as well as gold.

The other major manufacturer dabbling in horticultural design is Kohler. Coming up with a range of designs in porcelain and cast bronze, Kohler's versions lean more toward traditional flowering motifs. They feature thin stems supporting round, full blooms swirling around the bowl, as in Mille Fleurs; incorporate fauna with butterflies flitting around its Botanical Study design; or evoke art nouveau as in Lillies Lore.

For all its breadth of flower design, though, Kohler seems to be reaching for more. The Imperial Blue sink shrinks from florals in favor of a large dragon that dominates the bowl. A clue to more Asian-influenced designs in bathrooms to come? We'd bet on it.