A Moth in the Garden

My mom passed me a caterpillar some weeks ago. 
It did grow big consuming most of the Madagascar Periwinkle leaves. And for a caterpillar of this species it did look interesting with two bold blue eyes looking marks on the body.
Taking care of this caterpillar was quite a challenge as getting the right container for it.

Earlier it was placed in a glass jar and somehow the moisture seemed to create an osmosis effect on the caterpillar body and it was getting bloated and sickly. (and stop eating)
 Immediately, it was removed and somehow it had slowly retain back its beautiful looking colour and start eating more leaves.

My wife was troubled to hear a funny shuttering sound early in the morning. It buzzed as she was preparing breakfast and was wondering what made the sound. 
(Yeah.. its feels like a little freaky when you don't get to identify the source of the sound) 
Then she found that it came from a cardboard box where this moth is all ready and set to go.

And so the Moth finally emerged today after these few weeks in the pupa form. It did took awhile and many many days of anticipation from both of my boys.

 My elderest one was a bit sceptical about handling this moth - perhaps the odd looking insect doesn't resemble the common butterfly appearance. He did mention though out of concern for his younger brother to have a look before setting this moth free. (before leaving to school early in the morning - before his brother woke up)

But the youngest one is far more adventurous. Full of anticipation and excitement that he got hold of his slippers quickly regardless whether they of the same type (I noticed it after taking the pictures)

I was amazed to find this moth quite tame and was easily to handle. It rest calmly upon my palm and my youngest one wanted to share the same experience.

 

I was worried that he might got panic and brush off the fragile insect. Or might get overly excited and pluck off the exotic looking wings. Rest assured he handled the moth with tender care & with all amazement studied this war patterned moth.

This moth is known as Oleander Sphinx Moth or Oleander Hawk-Moth (Daphis nerrii)

I guess it is something to remember about Halloween Day.
Not that we celebrate it but to those who do.. 
Have a nice trick or treat.

Indoor Plants for the Office Desk-Top

I often come across many people whom I know who love to have a small plant in their office cubicle. Be it a small bottle with an ivy popularly known as "money plant" or the screw-twisted branch "lucky bamboo". 

Somehow there is a living plant but sadly almost barely alive.
Either it terribly infested with mealy bug or scale insect or the plant is so aged that its really sad looking. (due to the lack of sunlight - these pest infest the plant which goes totally dormant and the leaves turn yellow)

(Still with my introduction - Bare with me)

It occured to me - why not try out with different species which thrives on low light setting like the office space and set-up different species apart from the common ones.
Those which only require minimum care.

The set-up was progressive.
Basically I used most of the recycle items.
Also got into the idea that nature plays well in complementing both plant and natural elements together.
Here I placed shells, river stones, pebbles & garden moss to give the dramatic effect.

You will notice there are tile slabs, old magazine and jars.
I had used a herbal tea container given by a friend to place ferns in them.
Also a mooncake box to give that autmn leave factor.

Seriously looking at this setting.
It does calms the soul and gives a sense of peace.
I think whenever I'm stressful - I would just spend some few minutes here to de-stress.
To me - it does look like a Japanese Garden.
A miniature one and fits just perfectly to calm the raging soul.

My wife mentioned many times that I should focus on going into business rather than just doing stuff direction-less. Well, its a little hard for me when it comes to converting from passion to business.
And with that thought - I have decided to sell the plants displayed here.

Anyone interested please write on the comment.
We shall follow-up from there.
Items for sale :-
a) All plants in containers each - RM5
b) Plant in the figurine - RM10
Basically it is Cash on Delivery. I can meet up anyone around KL area.

The Sale of the plant includes tip & plant care.

Plants in this settings:

1) Bird Nest Fern
2) Earthstar 
3) Walking Stick Iris
4) Money plant
5) Moss and stones

Blooms in my Garden

I love flowers in my garden. I'm not sure whether any other guys would confess such a thing. I rarely do come across where you would hear guys says that. But I think it's OK if it comes to gardening. I know few guys who would spend hours & days tending orchids and get mesmerised when the orchids bloom.

Even in the fairy tales you would hear in Beauty & the Beast where the Beast is devoted to his rose garden. Or the Story of Jack & the Bean stalk - if Jack was not a gardener - there wouldn't be a story to tell.

Its a year-end season and all of the Wish Bone Flowers had sprouted from the last year seeds (wherever the seeds had scattered - it seemed now its free flow sprouting) The best part is that new varieties of mix seemed to appear from everywhere. The one I show here is the white variety - notice there is no blue spray on it except on the sides?

Angelonias seems to be blooming now after I had trimmed and propagated them. They tend to get leggy and eventually mature and die - and it is important to do this or the whole species will just disappear from my garden. Now the place is quite crowded. I just have to find the time to reset the whole place again.

My Walking Stick Iris is blooming too.
Can you see a face on the flower?
Look from far and you will see the outline of the feature.
Amazing isn't it?

Orchids In My Garden

Orchid Species 1: 
Name: Acampe sp.

I believe this is a native grows wildly on treetops. A friend of mine was kind enough to spare me a his extra. (Seemed like he had been passing me most of his collection) 
This specimen is from Raub, Pahang (Malaysia)

The plant is of a vanda species with a clustered  inflorescence. 
It took some time for me to appreciate its blooms & took awhile for it to bloom too.
(eventhough my friend had passed to me with the flower buds - it took almost a month for it to bloom)
 It doesn't seemed to have a white or a rosy lip - can't really define the exact specimen.

This picture is taken after a month from the earlier picture.
Notice 2 more clusters coming out from the main branch. 

Orchid Species 2: 
Name: Renanthera

This too is passed by another friend (office mate)
It is growing steady for sometime now. Earlier I had not fastened the coconut husk around the root base. Together with this - I manage to fastened other orchids along the PVC pipe.

From the top:
Orchid Species 3: Aranda
Orchid Species 4: Vanda
Orchid Species 5: Dendobium

I suppose that people prefer to have their orchids with blooms and when the flowers are spend they are somehow discarded. It must be the fact that some nursery practice heavy feeding in forcing the bloom in expense of the plant.
I even had noticed that flower spikes appear from dormant bulbs of dendobium orchids.
(Something that I jealously hope that it would also happen to my plants in my garden)

As in most cases where the orchid plant goes through high stress and finally gives out it's ultimate final bloom and when its done - it dies exhausted.
(This explains very much when you find citrus plant with loads & loads of fruits on it but eventually the plant succumb to slow death - especially sold during Chinese New Year)

The problem is too much fertiliser kills the plant. And I prefer to have the plant for a long term than to have it flowered and dies on a short-term basis.

Orchid Species 4: Vanda
This one has the Salmon Red flowers - it had bloomed twice in my garden.

Orchid Species 5: Dendobium

This had been rescued, and so I'm not really sure of its colour and flower.
A friend mentioned that you can guess the colour of the flower by the roots.
If the roots are white - most likely it would be in a whiter shade and the deep strong coloured ones might have red or maroon roots.

I had also placed a hoya plant together with the orchids to give some variety and shapes.

Orchid Species 6: Cymbidium Bicolor

I'm guessing as I had seen the flower spike from what my friend had shown me from his parent plant. This is a little plant from that source.
I have also the Cymbidium finlaysonianum which I'm hoping that it would bloom one day.

Orchid Species 7: Dendrobium sp.

Orchid Species 8: Eria sp.
I have not seen its bloom yet - so really have no idea how its actually looks.
It could be Coelogyne spp. - looks like I have to wait & see.

Orchid Species 9: Ionopsis

I have read few websites concerning this species. Native around the Caribbean islands.
It a short lived plant but nature has it that it tend to form mass colonies, bloom & set seed prolifically then die.  (Life span of less than 5-6 years)
In an environment such as mine - I doubt this orchid would create a mass colonies, let alone to see the bloom is quite a feat. Hope it flowers well before it matures and dies.

Orchid Species 10: Oncidium sp.

This suppose to have a different inflorescence compared to the common one.
It has a smaller flowers and a larger cluster.
Can't wait to see its bloom.

Orchid Species 11: Unknown.

I hope someone can give me some information on this.

Orchid Species 12: Oncidium Golden Showers

I had mount it on a branch and it is growing strong.

Orchid Species 13: Mokara

It had doubled it size now but sadly infected with scale insect.
I have been utilising the pest control on this plant but not very effective.

This is my overall Vertical Garden on Orchids.
Just hoping one day that all the flowers here would bloom and make a nice colourful setting at this side of the garden.