Flame Violets - Episcia Cupreata

This is my love-hate relationship. I love - she hates.

And I mean she hates me everything.. 

No matter what I do - something is just wrong with her..

She doesn't bloom, suddenly shuns away and shrivel at the corner..

Refuse to stay put - putting up tantrums (ahem.. tendrils) everywhere..

And so, I had put her at the corner, untouched.

I just admire from away..

See no touch - kind a person..
I can't begin to describe her..

Elegant hand - soft and with features..

Even with her wrinkles - any grandmother would wished her ageless beauty.

Such is her inner beauty that dawns a scarlet blooms.

Her heart bleeds roses that shine like cherry berries.

(Have I said too much... Oh.. such secrets..)

Anyway, I managed to keep some Burgundy and some greens..

Some petty sweet red lipstick coloured flowers..(this is where she kisses me)

And then..

Somehow, we managed to share our garden together.

She on the corners.. only cornered. 

There are days when I really thought she kissed me goodbye..

And that's when the love grows even more stronger..

I'm pretty sure other gardeners who had finally found her secrets:

She does well growing on Sphagnum Moss (as medium)

and liquid fertiliser and guano manure.

Somehow - I tend to ignore her -that's when I know I had lost her.

She is long gone dead..

(left me with hate letters - dried leaves reminding me of my negligence)

Helpless..

Just being hopeful..
I'm pretty sure someone stole her.

But to begin with...

She is indeed a rare breed.

Yeah.. 

so far she survived for these few years.

I remember having many species of this kind - the beautiful ones had long gone,

I suspect the more intricate they are: 

The more sensitive and difficult its going to be.

She is so secretive..

Many don't even know her name.

Finally she revealed herself to me, by then its about to be too late.

She kept me hanging too long and I had past forgotten to seek her.

That's when she revealed her true colours...

And she signed,

Violet...

Flame Violet.

...the one that I envied so far.

Different Types of Cissus (Names & Images)

Although Cissus is actually from a Grape Family, These are more or less cultivate for their ornament purpose except for one type which is a medicinal plant.

Some species do grow in wild and are not cultivated as ornament plants. They all have tendrils and grow as trailing, climbing plant and do have an invasive behavior that they overgrow and cover upon another plant - block the sunlight or choking it. It does have a strangling behavior which is very much evident when grown in wild.

Do click on the link at name of the plant for more detailed information.

Cissus discolor - Trailing Rex Begonia

Cissus quadrangularis - Veldt grape

Bromeliad Collection

Bromeliads made a cosy home with the rest of the epiphytes.

Somehow its easy to miss them as they tend to blend so well with the rest of the plants.

Airplant Collection

Airplants are just so unpredictable.

Most of my airplants started to rot from the inside out
Before I can save any or find out the cause of it - its too late.

Some managed to survive the ordeal.

I suspect it could be the long days of rain 

that lasted for many months followed by the cloudy lack of sun.

I had shifted it to a place where it gets morning sun - so far...
I was able to reverse the damage..
Some of them didn't recover and considered totally lost.

I'm also suspecting a fertiliser that I used.
But I rarely use it so its difficult to say whether if that is the culprit
Anyway, lesson learned - not to buy expensive airplants,

They can suddenly die without any warning - especially in my garden.

The Moss Ball

I was fascinated with Moss and started collecting them years ago but I didn't realise that their lifespan is quite short. Over the period of months - most of the species died off.

This particular species however made a comeback.

And to say:

Its a moss ball indeed 

I had rolled a Dischidia species over it and its doing just fine.

Here its a symbiotic of orchids, dischidia and ferns.

And I just love the way moss can manage a world in between them.

The Lipstick plant is making a comeback after many months of dormancy.

Hopefully it flowers - It had stopped flowering and the last fertiliser I used caused more harm that good for this one.

Fern Kingdom

The Ferns are making a comeback in my garden.

Practically my garden is totally green.

Green had started dominated all over again after I started gardening.
I guess its a guy thing - to consider foliage as an attraction
(Except for girls - flowers fall in their category,

but of course - we can beg to differ) 

Anyway, the Long Green Cascading Leaves speaks volume to me.
Shade of course and the canopy style when in the tropicals..
That is the feel of extended feel of layers and layers of greens..
Just I like it - calling it a garden.

I forgot to mention
That in the big picture - its actually a Vertical Garden
The whole mass is Orchids, 

followed by Bromeliads, Hoya, Dischidia and finally ferns filling in the blanks.

And that's how they made the come back.

They easily tuck in between the structure.
The root mass tightens and secure the whole Vertical Garden from collapsing,

especially from material where the whole thing could had rotten over the years.

And they do great keeping the equilibrium perfect.
Great shade from the sun for the orchids - regulate excess water off from them in case any plants are suffering from over-watering.
And if there is not enough water - these will show signs of withering and will comeback immediately after watering - sort of a visual warning.   

They are indeed beautiful, this one is leathery
Quite durable and intricate in its design.

One thing for sure - if they are totally ignored 

They can disappear.
I had lost few species - the sensitive ones

Not all of them are hardy.

Finally, this fall under the sensitive category:

The Maiden Hair Fern
They do well near a water resource area
Not too much water and not too dry - a right balance ensures a good success with this one.