Guess what's the little red flower that's at the top right corner of the pic below.

It is my old miniature Rose! The plant was growing weaker and weaker before I decided to do without it. Instead of chucking it into the bin, I just planted it at a corner of a pot. As I was checking on my plants, I was surprised to see something red appearing behind my Pentas. Now I am so glad I had not just tossed it away!
It is my old miniature Rose! The plant was growing weaker and weaker before I decided to do without it. Instead of chucking it into the bin, I just planted it at a corner of a pot. As I was checking on my plants, I was surprised to see something red appearing behind my Pentas. Now I am so glad I had not just tossed it away!
I was so thrilled to see my Sarracenia finally sending out a little stalk of flower bud from the bottom of the plant! I have seen the flowers at the nursery before but I am still excited to see how it looks on my dear Sarra. This is the first time the plant is flowering since I bought it about one-and-half years ago :-D

Equally thrilling is my red Aranda. This spike of orchid has more than 20 blooms and quite big in size. Its presence make other flowers that are in the garden look small.
Equally thrilling is my red Aranda. This spike of orchid has more than 20 blooms and quite big in size. Its presence make other flowers that are in the garden look small.
This week, I'm just keeping a record of some of the seeds and bulbs that I have planted for easier reference later. I must confess that I do not have a detailed record of my garden plants. I just jot down in a notebook the date I have sown the seeds.

So far, only Amaranthus Torch and Amaranthus Illumination have germinated.
So far, only Amaranthus Torch and Amaranthus Illumination have germinated.

For a number of new bulbs which I have planted also, I hope that they don't end up like my Hyacinth. It just stopped growing. Maybe an air-cond room is required for flowers to open nicely?!
Scarlet Sage is a short little shrub that has made my garden really pretty last month with its brilliant red flowers. What I like most about this plant is that the spike of flowers make up half the height of the plant - very showy indeed!

Now the flowers are all gone. I hope the plant will regrow and reflower as I would love to plant it together with a Garden Sage later. Not only because they are from the same genus, Salvia, but I think they can look nice growing together. Garden Sage has rough, pebbly-textured, grey-green leaves that will probably make the Scarlet Sage flowers shine even more.
Now the flowers are all gone. I hope the plant will regrow and reflower as I would love to plant it together with a Garden Sage later. Not only because they are from the same genus, Salvia, but I think they can look nice growing together. Garden Sage has rough, pebbly-textured, grey-green leaves that will probably make the Scarlet Sage flowers shine even more.
I was away over the weekend and on Monday morning, I was delighted to find my Desert Rose blooming again! This is only the second time the plant is blooming :-)
The first flush of flower buds didn't open fully as they were all crushed by a heavy rain a few months ago. I was quite dissappointed as I didn't have the chance to see the actual colours of the flower. But now for this second flush of blooms, I am glad they are alright!
When I bought the little plant more than a year ago, I just hoped by faith that the flower will not be a common pink one as I already have Desert Rose in common pink and yellow... and now a red one, yipee :-D

My Gloxinia and dwarf Dahlia meanwhile are back to grace the garden! I love to watch how their little buds grow to form double flowers. Their tubers don't seem like they require 'rest' here. They re-grew and re-flowered after cut back (Gloxinia cut back to the soil level and Dahlia to one-third of plant height after they finished flowering) almost immediately.
The first flush of flower buds didn't open fully as they were all crushed by a heavy rain a few months ago. I was quite dissappointed as I didn't have the chance to see the actual colours of the flower. But now for this second flush of blooms, I am glad they are alright!
When I bought the little plant more than a year ago, I just hoped by faith that the flower will not be a common pink one as I already have Desert Rose in common pink and yellow... and now a red one, yipee :-D
My Gloxinia and dwarf Dahlia meanwhile are back to grace the garden! I love to watch how their little buds grow to form double flowers. Their tubers don't seem like they require 'rest' here. They re-grew and re-flowered after cut back (Gloxinia cut back to the soil level and Dahlia to one-third of plant height after they finished flowering) almost immediately.
These ornamental sweet potato vines are a special gift from a dear friend. They grow very fast, trail and look especially gorgeous when the sun is shining brightly. I am so amazed by their colours and forms. In the pic below, you can see their black, bronze and green leaves in various shapes.
| Ipomoea Batatas 'Blackie' & 'Bronze' |
| Ipomoea Batatas 'Margarita' |
| Ipomoea Batatas 'Black Heart' |
Hibiscus Red Shield flower is not big in size but it's certainly big in attraction with its light pink colour that is quite different from other brightly coloured flowers of Hibiscus plants in my garden.
I am pleasantly surprised that its flowers blossom just about 3 months after sowing its seed. The growth rate is same as my Hibiscus Swamp Mallow.

But the flower shows its 'displeasure' once the sunray hits on it. The bloom is shortlived as it closes by afternoon...
I am pleasantly surprised that its flowers blossom just about 3 months after sowing its seed. The growth rate is same as my Hibiscus Swamp Mallow.
But the flower shows its 'displeasure' once the sunray hits on it. The bloom is shortlived as it closes by afternoon...


