Mushrooms were the roses in the garden of that unseen world, because the real mushroom plant was underground. The parts you could see - what most people called a mushroom - was just a brief apparition. A cloud flower.
Mushrooms represent a fleeting glimpse of a much larger unseen world, with their true essence hidden beneath the surface. The visible part we recognize as a mushroom is merely a temporary manifestation, like a flowering moment in time. This captures the idea that there is more than what meets the eye in nature's complexity.
The analogy of mushrooms as "cloud flowers" emphasizes their transient nature and the hidden life force that exists underground. This perspective encourages readers to reflect on the deeper connections in the environment and the often-overlooked aspects of life that support what we can see. Atwood creatively illustrates how beauty and life extend far beyond surface appearances.