The flowering bulb

Last few weeks we went to cameron highland. Every visit to cameron highland wont be a complete one without visiting the Mardi Agro park in Tanah rata. What i like most about this place is they always have new things. The last time we went there before this one, i was introduced to blackberry ( not the phone) by one on the worker there , uncle krishnan. He was so so kind and helpfull and want to explain everything about this plant, he even give me a few cutting (already have root) but unfortunately it never survive long in my garden.

so the latest visit , there was something new in the park, The tulips and a few more flowering bulb that i cannot recognize.

Jade Vine

common name:Jade Vine
Botanical name:Strongylodon macrobotrys
Family:Fabaceae/Leguminosae
Other name:Tayabak(Philipine),Jade climber,
Origin: Philipine

A special evergreen vine with jade to blue flower. one thing uniue about this plant is the color was so green blue that you could hardly find in a plant.The structure also really looks like a artifial flower, at first i thought that they purposely hang the artifial flower to the vine.

Jade vine is a native plant in Philiphine and grows in wild in the tropical forest. It prefer neutral to acidic soil. in term of light we can grow jade vine in full sun with some shade in the mid day. Jade wind nomally grown over a pergola or trellis where the upper part is facing the direct sun and the lower under the shade.

a close up of Jade vine flower. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. it can be propagated by stem cutting and seed.

Other link:
Jade vine at melur.com

Single layer gardenia

Monday, January 08, 2007

Hi...
it's me again...Last few days was really hectic for me...My eldest first days in school. going back to my hometown on the 2 past weekend and not sure whether have to go back again this weekend...Hmm... it's have been some time since i want to talk about my single layer gardenia. Well... most people know gardenia, the white fragrance flower that resemble the roses. But i bet not many people ever see this single layer gardenia. It's really a gardenia, with the smell and everything except the flower only has single layer.Normally we keep on looking for multi layer flower. but for me, single layer gardenia is even more pretty and unique( i like to use this word to describe it...:))

The behaviour, propagation, sun exposure is the same like multi-layer gardenia. It can keep on crazilly blooming if you expose it to the full sun light. Just don't forget to water it sufficiently. Here's the picture of my single layer gardenia. Enjoy it...!!

Blanket Flower-transfered from my old blog: www.norsparadise.blogspot.com

original entrance date: 1/30/07


Haaa....at last i manage to find out the name of the flower that my husband brought back from US.This one is better known as gaillardia(nice name and it suite her...:)) I use to mention flower as her as i feel that 'it' is too harsh.The scientific name is gaillardia aristata. The name is drive from a french botanist name , Gaillard de Marentoneau. This plant is easy to grow in any variety of soil, provided that it is free draining

Daisy on my balcony- transfered from my old blog: www.norsparadise.blogspot.com

Date of original entrance: Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Before move to this current house we stayed in a 15 floor apartment. I'm quite like it, the balcony is facing the hill and before the hill is a shooting range. Very green and eye soothing except it can be very noisy once a week when the army practiced at the shooting range.During rainy season, i can still see the mist covering the hill bringing the cool breeze to our bedroom.I kept quite a number of plant there, on the balcony. plants like mini roses (4 vareties) gerbera daisy (3 varieties), money plant, violet, japanese rose etc. I even grow a grape vine on the trailis that i hooked up to the wall.The balcony is quite big. It's actually 2 balconie linked by a planters box before we combined it into one big balcony.

I enjoy planting on the balcony. But when you gardened at a very high place from the ground few thing that you must consider are, the weight of the pots + the soil + water.So i never use terracota pot as it can be very heavy after you loaded it with soil and water.I have one terracota pots for my aquatic plants, and that's the only one.

Let me share with you a few tips of balcony or roof top gardening:

Euphorbia

Dahlia

common name:Dahlia
Botanical name:Dahlia spp.
Family:Asteraceae
Other name: Tenjikubotan(japanese),peony of india.
Origin: Mexico

Dahlia is a special flowers that has been cultivated since Aztec time (The Mayan tribe). It was not just cultivated only because of the beauty of the flower but more for food and ceremonies.

Nowadays there are approximately 36 species of hyrid dahlia grown as decoratie ve garden plant. Among them are dahlia Dahlia coccinea,Dahlia juarezii. The hybrids commonly found in planted are Dahlia 'Adelaide Fontane',Dahlia 'Appleblossom', Dahlia 'Arabian Night',Dahlia 'Art Deco',Dahlia 'Aurora's Kiss',Dahlia 'Dahlstar Sunset Pink',Dahlia 'Asahi Chohji' and many more.

Dahlia can be propagated from the bulb or the tubers.Normally after flowering the plant will die, leaving the tubers behind. The new plant can be derived from the tubers by digging it back, wash it properly , preferrably with fungicidal solution, dry it for a few days . Then , it is ready to be planted again.Somehow dahlia also can be propagated by late cutting.

The picture here i captured couple of years ago in Cameron Highland.

share your story about this plant by writing the comment

Flame violet

common name:Flame violet
Botanical name:Episcia cupreata
Family:Gesneriaceae
Other name: Episcia
Origin: Columbia and venezuela


The vibrant flame red color of the flower.




a superb plant for hanging basket. make sure that water is enough as keeping it hanging make the water drain faster

Reference:
1. Flame violet at melur.com

crossandra

orchids

myriads of orchid

Lantern Flower

Begonia

Sunflowers

I've planted sunflower in my garden a few years back. The plant that know botanically as Helianthus anuus is actually a very attractive plant. Sun flower get its name due to the habit that always face the sun (i've try to twist the flower once, not to face the sun, but the flowers will try very hard to turn back to the sun)

Butterfly Pea

Locally known as kacang telang the butterly pea's flower has a very fragrant purple color and normally used by local as food coloring. It is a climber and fast grower.

cordel or climbing jasmine

One kind of jasmine or better known as melur in Malaysia. This one is the climbing type.mild fragrant turn strong especially at night or after the rain.