Good Tidings

Sunday, December 19, 2010

I thought this new Amaryllis would be a pink one but it turned out to be red. The flower buds were pink at the nursery but when I brought the plant home, it developed into a much darker colour. And when I look around my garden I was happy to see other red flowers also. I spotted Episcia flowers instantly as its little...

Begonia Fibrous

Perils in the Garden

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I place my Impatiens at the most outer part of my porch. When it rains heavily, some rain will fall into the pot. Hence, some parts of the plant look like rotting away. Later, when the sky is clear, the sunray is so strong that the weak stems would begin to look frail. I have just cut back the plant earlier and now...

Latest, Greatest, Smallest...

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Hibiscus Swamp Mallow bloom is the biggest flower in my garden thus far. The flower is bigger than my palm! While the bud takes a number of days to form, the flower closes fast after opening in the morning. By late morning, once the sun is bright, the bloom will begin to close. ...

Clematis Avant-Garde

Give Thanks At All Times!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Some of you may be very familiar with this plant, Clematis. I would never have imagined myself seeing a Clematis in real, let alone planting one! This fast blooming vine gets a few good hours of hot sun daily but undershaded ;-) Its dainty flowers are cute and pretty and I love how the purplish sepals open up to reveal white pom-pom-like petaloid...

Early Christmas Cheer

Sunday, November 21, 2010

I was overjoyed to see this first bloom from one of the three Amaryllis bulbs that I have taken out from the fridge about five weeks ago (click here to see the bulbs). Earlier, the bulbs were 'put to sleep' in the fridge for about two months. Ha Xuan, at last... here is my Amaryllis :-) Thanks again for sharing how to force...

Black Bat Flower

Odd Odd Plant

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

I planted this young Black Bat Flower plant (shown in slides below) last month. Few days ago I spotted a flower growing out from the lower part the plant that is just above the soil. It's in a 'resting' posture and looks 'under-developed'. I hope when the plant grows older the flower stalk will grow taller and upright just like those I have...

Tough Cookies... Don't Give Up!

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

It was so wonderful to see the returning blooms of my yellow Gazania. But the joy was shortlived as I discovered some mealy bugs on the newly formed buds... so sad. I had to discard them in order to save the plant and have to be contented with just three blooms. The same mealy bugs love my Hibiscus buds also. It has been...

Chinese Bellflower

Bells Ringing... Trumpets Blowing!

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

I am so amazed by this variegated purple oxalis. The plant is grown from just roots given by a friend. Its leaves and flowers sprung out from the soil all within a span of two weeks only! I attribute this success to the strong and healthy roots. Meanwhile, the other oxalis-looking plant that I have (that I consider as a weed!) grows in...

Beba's Garden

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Whenever Beba sends me pictures of her garden, I will always admire them for some time. Her plants are not only healthy but are arranged together to create very extra-ordinary effect - glorious! The pics you see here are of different years of the balconies on the West side of her house. Beba does not blog and is really humble about her garden....

Begonia Fibrous

Wake Up, Please

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

This Dahlia is a dwarf variety. The plant produces attractive fully double flowers that are orangy red and yellow in the centre. The flowers however tend to face downwards... When the sun is bright, Begonia Fibrous succulent leaves glistens up! The surface looks like there is a layer of wax. Be gentle when watering the plant... the leaves are 'crispy'! As for its...

Fiery Blooms

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

It has been raining almost every evening this past three weeks. I count it a blessing whenever there is a window of sunny sky for all my plants except one... Rain or shine, my Impatiens never stop producing its pretty flowers. Although the plant loves to be in the shade, some sun is good for its health. One day, in the late morning,...

Butterfly Leaf Plant

Unusual Forms

Monday, October 04, 2010

The blooms below may look spooky to some, he he... They will first grow its long 'tresses' then only the flowers. And as the flowers age they will turn slightly yellow. These flowers release a mild fragrant, grow in clusters and look really extraordinary compared with other 'prettier' blooms in my garden. The Spider Tresses plant below meanwhile took a couple of months...

African Daisy - Gerbera

Sunkist Blooms

Monday, September 27, 2010

My orange hibiscus has finally bursted its first flower. Earlier I sheared the branches as the plant was heavily infested with mealy bugs. Now it is just a short shrub. The plant was propagated from stem cuttings I asked from a stranger (see my earlier post). One thing that I like about this hibiscus is that the colour changes by the hour. I...

Water Vessel

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

My hydrangea flowers (which I didn't know the colour earlier) turned out to be light pink and purple... It's true that Hydrangea colour follows the pH level of the soil. The flower bracts will be pink when soil pH is between 6.0 and 7.0. To get blue flowers, the soil's pH has to be between 4.0 and 5.0. I tested the soil and...

The Flowers I See

Saturday, September 18, 2010

These small Euphorbia Milii blooms are modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers at the centre are tiny and inconspicuous. Thunbergia Laurifolia is not only a fast growing vine but also quick in producing its striking blue flowers. Nonetheless, it's a plant that has been declared a weed in Queensland, Australia. ...

Bonsai Anyone?

Monday, September 13, 2010

I spotted this beautiful plant at a bonsai nursery recently. It has a price tag of RM780... expensive? Yes it was! But I really liked it very much as the plant bears beautiful little red fruits and cute pink flowers at the same time. Did I buy it? Well, yes... but just a small rooted stem cutting that I could afford... at RM15...

Flower Power!

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

These three flowers have shown me what 'flower power' really means.Earlier this flower cluster drooped due to the hot afternoon heat/sun. But the very next day, I see a gorgeous hydrangea again... These Gloxinia flowers have been blossoming gracefully. The flowers are all able to put on a good show due to the rainy days and cloudy sky. But on the eighth day,...

Rosemary & Mint

Sunday, September 05, 2010

The more I prune this little rosemary bush, the more dense is the foliage. Rosemary loves the sun. I love to water this plant in the evenings. The needle-like leaves release very nice invigorating scent :-D The pruned stems are used to propagate more rosemary bush. ...

African Daisy - Gerbera

How's Your Garden Doing?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

I just love the Impatiens (most probably a Walleriana variety) that's in the centre of a planter in my garden. It has grown so big in just a month. On the left is another Impatiens, of the red/white dwarf variety, and on the right is a fuschia New Guinea. I just couldn't prune the centre one yet as the flowers are still blooming...

Curcuma Alismatifolia

Siam Tulip

Saturday, August 21, 2010

I kept thinking about this ginger plant after I left the nursery and I was glad that I made that U-turn to get it :-DLater I found out that the plant is called Curcuma Alismatifolia. Commonly known as Siam Tulip, this plant has light pink/green bracts and white/blue true flowers. As the bracts unfold, the true flowers grow out one after another at...

Chrysothemis Pulchella

Gesneriad Cousins

Monday, August 16, 2010

When I bought this plant, I asked the nursery owner if this is a Guppy Plant, and he quickly said, "No, I don't know." Shortly after that, however, he blurred out, "Goldfish!"I thought that he gave me a really spontaneous and clever answer. Yup, the flowers really look like goldfish. When I got back, I double-checked the plant ID. He was right... the...

African Daisy - Gerbera

Pleasant Surprises

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

After the rainy days, one inflorescence grew from a caladium that's in a planter box together with a Mexican sunflower... These 'dancing ladies' brought some joy back to this nook of my garden. The earlier spike of flowers that grew out was broken due to the heavy raindrops. Then later the sun dried up the spike :-( ...

It's a Pilea Species!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Earlier, I have published a post to identify the plant below. The plant is most probably Pilea Depressa.Common name: Miniature Peperomia, Shiny Creeping Charley, Giant Baby Tears ...

Preparing for the Year-End Season

Friday, August 06, 2010

I have just dug up my Amaryliss bulbs to kick-off the 'forcing the bulb to bloom process' since they have not shown any new flower stalks for more than a year (Ha Xuan, thanks again for the details of the process!).I am now drying the bulbs by hanging them upside down (like the pic below), for a week, before wrapping them with newspapers...

Chinese Bellflower

Chinese Bellflowers

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Chinese Bellflowers or Balloon flowers are amazing. Although they come in small pots, the flowers are really big, comparatively.The plant requires some attention, on deadheading, but its charming blooms flourish quickly. ...

Begonia 'Martin's Mystery'

Begonia Headache

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Have you grown this begonia before? You might not recognise this one but the next one below. Both are the same plant! I bought the plant in early March. Its new leaves do not have the beautiful blush anymore and have shrunk in size. Also I find that the plant is quite particular about its water requirement. No more blush, no more flowers......

Cheery Dark Plants

Saturday, July 24, 2010

I have recently added a few dark-coloured plants to my collection after being inspired by my new Chocolate Sunflower. Dark-coloured flowers and foliage are outstanding plants and they are interesting additions to a garden.This dark purple Colocasia was the first one I bought. So far, the plant doesn't mind the sun at all. Moreover, the foliage looks even better when the sun is...

Baby's Tears?

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Does anyone recognise this plant? It's a pretty bright green plant with dainty leaves. Recently, I noticed that there were tiny greenish white flowers growing at the tip of a few stems. ...

Calathea Roseo Picta CV

Plant Sitting in Water

Saturday, July 17, 2010

I dug up one crown from the pot of Calathea that I have been growing outside, washed the roots and put it into this pot, filled with just water and pebbles. It's so clean and quite presentable too. Above all, I can now enjoy this beautiful tropical foliage in my kitchen as well ;-) ...

Amaranthus Flying Colours

Chocolate Delight

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Planting Sunflower is really rewarding! This flower is the first to open and it's from the shortest of the three plants I am growing in a pot. The flower attracted lots of ants. ...

Catharanthus Roseus

Pretty Sweet in Pink

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Started this Episcia from a stolon that was given by my sister-in-law about six months ago. Now the plant is flowering for the first time. Its bright pink tubular flowers look really striking against the dark chocolate leaves.The other plant that's in bloom at the same time is Lantana. When I bought it two months ago, there was no flowers. Later the plant...

Billbergia Pyramidalis

It's Bill!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Billbergia Pyramidalis, native to Brazil, joined my garden about six months ago. Now its much awaited inflorescence has finally emerge from its rosette of green, smooth, hard leaves. The cluster of bright red flowers that formed the flower head made the inflorescence look like a torch. When the three petaled flowers opened, I see blueish purple stigma and yellow stamens. The tip of...

Pretty Sarra

Friday, July 02, 2010

My Sarracenia has already been living in my garden for a year now... and the pitchers have been growing steadily.The tallest pitcher is about 20 inches in height. ...

True Blue Gloxinia

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

I bought this Gloxinia in September last year. I pruned off the whole plant in December after all the flower buds have opened. The first time the plant regrew, the leaves turned yellow due to over-watering. It then grew back the second time and the result is shown here.Below picture was taken when the first two flowers began to open... ...

The Cute And The Funny But No ID

Thursday, June 24, 2010

My little cactus gave me a pleasant morning surprise with this cute pink bloom. There were lots of ants in the bloom, so the flower must be really sweet! I am not sure if the scent I smelt that morning was from this flower (I didn't get close to have a sniff... silly me!) or from my neighbour's fresh laundry :-)Do you recognise...

Amaranthus Flying Colours

My Little Plants

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Amaranthus Flying Colours... I am so excited about the progress of these plants. I am sure their real colours are going to come out soon. Till then, I hope the plants are not too crowded. I just couldn't find another place to separately place them now... there is simply no more space in my garden! A sunflower that I am really looking forward...

Climbers with Big Flowers

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I am so thankful that my mum managed to get a few cuttings of this beautiful vine from her neighbour's garden some months ago.From this particular cutting, I had hoped to grow a bonsai-like plant. Not many leaves have grown over the four months though since I transferred the rooted cutting into this pot. This first bloom however came as a pleasant surprise....

They Are Not True Lilies

Monday, June 07, 2010

I am growing Canna Lily for the first time. The flowers are attractive. I just love the flowers' vivid colours but they really look like fake flowers that are made out of crepe paper. And, grasshoppers love the leaves. The new leaves are always 'disfigured' by them! My way of punishing those little creatures... they go right into the throat of my Sarrracenia...

Cosmos Bright Eyes

Plant Survival

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

My hibiscus was heavily infested with mealy bugs. In fact, most of its leaves were gone. But I was so glad to see that the plant has re-bloomed although the flower is now much smaller in size. All in the plant took about 4 months to recover and rebloom! The white flies that infested my Mexican Sunflower left. But below were the last...

Incredible Mosaic Plant

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

I was totally taken by surprise with this find... At a nursery that I patronise recently, I saw a pot of mosaic plants that looks really interesting. They have yellow flowers.I wanted a small plant of it but the attendant said they do not have any and offered to give me a few stolons. Notice those stolons at the sides of the pot?...

Garden of the Future

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I laughed when I was reading this book, The Horticulture Gardener's Guides: Plants For Small Spaces by Clive Lane.Below is what's written in its first chapter: History of the Small Garden ...

African Daisy - Gerbera

The Strong and the Weak

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

This red gerbera had withstood the test of tropical heat and rainfall...After a week of sunny sky and heavy rain, it's still able to blossom well and show its best. My mini oncidium has been blooming for more than a month already. Its colour faded but the flowers are still looking fine.Unlike gerbera and oncidium, my impatiens is always fighting against the heat....

Catharanthus Roseus

Sparkling Pink to White Blooms

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Started from seed, this Vinca 'Periwinkle' grows quite slowly in the beginning. But as soon as it shows its first flower, I saw more and more flowers each morning. The pink dot in the middle makes the white flower looks splendid. I really love to see the flowers against its bushy glossy dark green leaves in the background. This Vinca is a petite...

Dirt Princess' Heirloom Hibiscus

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

It's a gorgeous white hibiscus with a purplish maroon centre! I started the plant from seeds that I received from Dirt Princess about three months ago. Although the plant is still short (only about two feet high) its flower is huge - 5 inches in diameter! ...

Fanning The Flame

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

A weekend spent in this Methodist retreat centre in Port Dickson last month was truly a memorable one for me. The beautiful surroundings were landscaped with majestic pine trees and lovely plants that blossoms magnificent flowers. The hall below overlooks the sea that is about a kilometre away. Opposite the hall, on the right side is a small chapel. ...

My Exotic Plants

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Below pic shows the left side of my porch. I put two racks there for growing exotic plants and other plants that love bright indirect sunlight and have specific water needs. The plant that's below the Sarracenia (pitcher plant) is a Guzmania. My first bromeliads were Cryptanthus and Guzmania. Both were such good plants as they are the easy to grow types. I...