Full-bloom happens in its own time

Mum's miniature roses; four new buds in a row sighted on Mar-15, they bloomed a week later and full-blooms in the next 3 days.

A quote - “As long as we are persistence in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time.” by Denis Waitley (American motivational Speaker and Author of self-help books. b.1933)

Lantana Camara - 'gold mound' or 'pot of gold'; striking yellow against the lush green landscape - catches your attention and butterflies too!

Footage: Butterfly on Lantana Camara - 'spreading sunset'.

A colourful way to start your day!

Do checkout my blog Jan-3 "As iridescent as a prism in a morning room" http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/01/as-iridescent-as-prism-in-morning-room.html, for more on Lantana Camara. Pic shown are Lantana C. 'Depressa' and 'Pink Caprice'.

Jade pothos (Epipremnum aureum) box-planted, softens the stone landscape.

Bonsai - a pet that will outlive you

"Wrightias are very tropical plants and love the heat. When they are growing keep the soil moist and fertilize well. Wrightias bloom for a long time beginning in the spring and are fragrant." http://www.rareflora.com/wrightiarelsin.html

Mature plant Wrightia religiosa at an industry lot nearby in Ara Damansara. Business sells automatic watering system - their plants flourish without care 24/7.

We bought a small plant after falling in love with the overpowering sweet scent of Wrightia bonsai tree (3' high) in a nursery along Jalan Hicom. Our new plant is a starter kit as compared to the matured bonsai which, informed by the caretaker, is 4 years old! Difference is its leaves now seen as the original size, will grow new dwarfs leaves after frequent pruning and twigging.

Almost 2 weeks since, new shoots emerged after being pruned by the caretaker. We twigged using 2 thin wires on young branches so it'll take shape.



Although 4 years is a long way to go but nothing beats growing and nurturing your own compared to a ready-made bonsai. Will post its pic when it starts to flower - cluster of small drooping single white flowers that differs from the double-flower white Wrightia A. (Winter Cherry).

Water Jasmine (Sui Mui) - Wrightia religiosa most often used for bonsai in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and in other Southeast Asian countries. Evergreen can grow up to 20' high and has medicinal qualities, tolerate moisture, and prefer as much direct sun as much as possible.

Propagation is easy since Wrightias sprout readily from seed contained inside a green bean-like pod. It is also easily grown from both branch and root cuttings. Flowers develop after the 3rd new leaf forms. The blooming period then lasts about two weeks. The flowers are white, pendulous, and fill a room with a very lovely fragrance. Long, green bean-like seed pods follow flowering if insects pollinate the flowers. http://www.bonsaihunk.us/Wrightia.html , http://www.bonsaimalaysia.com/html/wrightia.html

While surfing to research, there's a bonsai club organised in Kelantan. The guys' skills are awesome, working on cutting/growing from local trees. This hobby a favourite amongst Malay and Chinese.

Look! Young shoots grew an inch longer in 2 days!

"It is the slowest sculpture in the world, and there is, at times, doubt as to which is being sculpted, man or tree."--Theodore Sturgeon
More on bonsai quotes at http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/archive/index.php/f-84.html

Winter Cherry, arrival of Spring

Spring starting March 21 (in Northern Hemisphere). The National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift to the city of Washington of 3000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo - the blossoming cherry trees symbolize the arrival of spring, is celebrated between Mar-28 to Apr-12. About the same time as the annual Japanese cultural festival. While Songkran festival is celebrated on April 13 for 3 days.




















Newly planted in a pot (replaced chrysanthemums) in our garden; Wrightia antidysenterica, also known as 'Winter Cherry Tree', 'Artic Snow', 'Milky Way', 'Snowflake', 'Sweet Indrajao', etc. There are about 23 species in tropical Africa, Asia, Australia; while six species in China. It was grown for medicinal value. This evergreen will grow up to 4' to 6' high (small tree/shrub nature) in full sun exposure and blooms non-stop year-round. Propagation through stem-cutting and seeds from pods.
It glows 'white' in the dark, like stars in the night. http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Wrightia_antidysenterica.htm


This pic taken from an industry lot nearby in Ara Damansara.


Next, I'm looking out for Gardenia Jasminoides, evergreen shrub originate from China and blooms highly fragrant for a long period. http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Rubiaceae/Gardenia_jasminoides.html


























Pretties ... ;-)
L. Camara - Florida Mound Fuchsia (Magenta)
L. Camara - Gold Mould (Yellow)
Lantana Camara are mounded plants, can be weedy, have extreme heat and drought tolerance; low maintenance. Grown in full sun exposure. Lantanas (pics below), in myriads of colours, visited by butterflies everyday (planted 3 months ago).



Lantana is grown for its colours; it changes colours during different stages its life. All parts of lantana are poisonous, and the dark berries that form after each flush of flowers fades may appear - pruning of the berries will encourage flowering branches. http://home.howstuffworks.com/lantana-gardening-basics.htm




Did you know that Lantana bonsai exist? It is so beautiful! Check it out at http://www.artofbonsai.org/galleries/trout.php

Delighting you always - a rose garden

Crimson roses showing healthy growth, notice red shoots and reddish leaves. So are mum's roses (bright pink-orange). Caught on pic, 4 buds in a row!

Pretty blooms in March for a flower garden

Pretty blooms. Our transplanted episcia a success (pic left). Easy to grow (even for a beginner). Its glossy leaves growing lush and larger; and it bloomed 3 at once! Quite an eye-catcher at our entrance.




Seedlings from Caratharanthus Rosea (Madagascar Periwinkle), 3 weeks old after germination. Some was transplanted from the ground. It seeds plenty but some will germinate. However the seedlings' growth takes a longer time as compared to the adult's blooms. In the end only few seedlings survived the harsh sunlight heat and torrential rains.

Vinca periwinkle, now 3' tall (pic left). 6 months after transplant. This green net is required to hold the flimsy plant upright during rain. Pic right taken 2 months ago; it could possibly reach 5' tall in another 3 months (coming June).

Spirit of Nature

Update Jun-13,'09: It is Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius), not Long-tailed Tit - typically found in shrubs and gardens. Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed (the edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider's web to make a cradle) in shrubs. It lays 3–5 eggs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Tailorbird
-------------------------

Interesting quote; "I am in the habit of looking not so much to the nature of a gift as to the spirit in which it is offered." – Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)


Sighted today - a nest amongst Sanchezia Speciosa (see 'Patio'), so small possibly made by small birds (black upperside with yellow belly), about 3-4 inches in height. Its size and shape like a Finch, a Wren or a Flycatcher, or maybe a Nuthatch. I did a search, but couldn't find its closest resemblance http://natureimages.net/oiseaux/birds.html

After 2 days of the empty nest, we had a good view of the little bird again, followed by its partner a minute later. Looks like the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus). (refer to update Jun-13,'09)

1. http://www.bto.org/gbw/Species/BIRDS_LOTTI.htm
2. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/families/longtailedtits.asp

Making its presence felt from its gregarious chirps (louder than treehouse sparrows') - surprisingly from a very small frame. So small and light that springy Sanchezia shrub could support its weight. Finally satisying our curiosity, it hopped about, acrobatically, to inspect it's nest-in-making. Quite a smart fella, it could strip thin long leave from our Manila palm to make its nest.

Also a new and friendly dragon fly, almost 3 inches long from head to tail. It stayed on our Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) for that day.


Up Close & Personal with Long Tail Tit (refer to update Jun-13,'09) ; footage caught it red-handed for pinching coco-peat from a pot of Sui Mui (Wrightia Religiosa).




Update Jun-13,'09: Tailorbird grows to about 13 cm (about 5 in) in length and feeds primarily on small insects. Its characteristically stitch leaves together with plant fibers to make nests - stabs the edges of one or more broad leaves with its needlelike bill, threads vegetable fibers through the holes, and draws the leaves together, making a cuplike pocket. The nest is lined with grass or other soft material. The female typically lays three to six eggs. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761587895/Tailorbird.html

A Gardening Itch

Mar 1 (Sun) - Deep red roses, courtesy of Choon - transplanted into a terracotta pot (replaced Ajuga). Here, its 1st bloom in Palma, withstood a torrential rain the night before. This view reminds me of a chinese painting.




The first red bloom: Day-2 (up) and Day-3 (bottom).

Catharanthus roseas (apricot delight - white & red circle center) also survived the long heavy rain. Notice some petals were sliced off. No browning from over-watering. It seem to sprung alive throughout the heat of the next day.

Took stem cuttings to propagate. Transplanted its seedlings (from Ajuga's pot, now Choon's roses). Let's see which (cuttings or seedlings) will do well.