The Blue Frog Set Arrangement

 

One thing about gardening that most of the gardeners who had realised or if its going to be a revelation to you (if you are a new gardener) is this one fact:
The Garden always constantly changing.

Its either the plant had outgrown the pot, passing maturity, needs pruning, reset or requires a make-over. Here is a make-over where I'm adding an addition plant - Maiden Hair Fern which was passed to me by my mum.

As you can see - I want to add some compact-ness in the whole collection rather than leaving it in a separate pot which somehow looks so messy.
Before I get over the details - I would like to share some of my secrets as how to keep them in a good optimum stage.

(Pic above)
This is a how it looks like after carefully removing the plants from the pot.
I found the because this pot only have one drainage hole - the soil seemed to be clay-mud like when over-watered. One of the dangerous thing about over-watering is that it can cause root rot and the end of the plant.

The root of the matter is the soil composition.
Its always important to check on the soil to identify how fast/draining is the soil.
This is one reason I add more sand into the soil mix to give the fast draining factor for the soil composition.

The picture below appears to be that the soil is very much clay based compared to any other soil mix.

After adding sand into the current soil mix and resetting back the plants the frog figurine appears to have a more dramatic effect with the Maiden Hair Fern as its background.

The EarthStar Bromeliad seemed to give a soft bronze-red notes to the whole collection with Xiphidium Caeruleum holding a barrier between the fern and the frog.

Garden Updates - Part 2

This is one of the most challenging areas
for me to set in a presentation factor.
Somehow the whole area doesn't seemed fit.
(not the way I see in my mind)

A lot of things got wrong (not as I intended)
and so this is still in a progressive stage.
As you would know earlier that I had purchased some nice figurines
(The Lady - the earlier post)
and this Blue Frog seemed to my favourites.
Its a pity the plants don't seemed to be able to handle the spotlight here.
The Caladiums & the Fittonias don't seemed to thrive and the Cardboard palm somehow can fit her leaves graceful enough to spread upward (currently its overgrown with long stick-like bamboo - nothing palm looking about it)

I had inserted some Joyweed and (Iris looking plant) here.
The plus point - Earth Stars seemed to enjoy very well here.

I like these shots very much..
The fan shaped leaves somehow give that centre stage show for the blue frog.

I hope you are not wondering what this Maiden Hair Fern is suddenly sitting right in front of the centre-piece.
Long story cut short - my mum insist that I should take of this plant until she is back from visiting my brother for few days.
(I agree on the taking care part)
The tricky part is that she is not sure whether she wants it back.

Mind you this fern is real killer - one mistake on the watering or the light regiment - it will immediately commit suicide without showing any mercy. And frankly I hated this once as this is one of the most sensitive ferns every. These are not hardy and may not even able to handle the stress of new environment.
So far this spot seemed to be the best place for it - temporarily
(I hope I can find somewhere were its more conducive and beautiful for it)

But then again - my mum might want it back
(if she misses it and ask for it)
Until then - its going to sit here for awhile.

This is my collection of Phalaenopsis Orchids.
Nothing to shout about - all of them are babies passed to me by my friend who insist that I should try my hand on them. It had been sitting here for months and slowly growing on glacier speed.
(Most of the Orchid expert knows that this is a super slow grower)
Anyway - nothing died (yet) and so I can safely say that they are growing comfortably at the moment.

Something had taken a bite on this leaf.
Below - a new growth of leaf.
(Yeah..)
That is something that I would not even wonder if it is another ordinary plant but for these orchids.
A leaf takes about a month to grow. Truly it is an acquired taste to grow them from babies.

I had mount them on wood and bark and add sphagnum moss around the root for moisture. Basically it dries up before the evening. I think it should be like that as it would deter root rot and fungus growth. As too much water (water retention) can kill the plant.

These are Phalaenopsis Cornu-Cervi & Phalaenopsis Bellina

These are Phalaenopsis Doritis.

The picture quality is not so good.
(I may have to take another better one)

Hope it blooms by then - its seemed to be too boring here when they are all leaves and no blooms (yet) I suspect its season - after the long rainy season and then the hot dry weather somehow encourages the orchids to bloom.
(Until then - a good fertilising care regiment might just do the trick)

A gardener friend had passed me some of her hoya's in one of the plant exchange. We met in a Garden Chat Group and that had truly made my zeal in gardening heighten-up.
(Or else - I would be in my own world - happily with settling with whatever I got and have no intention to buy any of the expensive plants as such as these)

I really didn't know Hoya can be such a slow grower.
Somehow they had started sprouting new shoots and trailing in between the orchids and right now - I'm just looking out for any new flower scape / buds for these.

There was once these orchids bloomed few weeks ago.
It was raining daily and the flowers just dropped within few days before I can even get my camera on them.
(It happens sometimes when you miss the moment in capturing them on camera)

This is a Bromeliad, rescued sometime ago. It still haven't bloomed yet.

This Iris looking plant had really got me going merry-go-round in guarding its secrets of identity. I seriously thought it was an iris. Another friend suggest it is an orchid
(Well - I would be very glad if it is but I have my reservations as I know orchids are just damn difficult to take care)
Somehow - this one really flourished in this damp area.
(Rain water gushes out from the roof top above)

And finally.. (I still can be wrong)
My closest guess of this plant is:
Xiphidium Caeruleum.
(I still couldn't find its common name yet)

My pride of Begonias: Cane Begonia
This one had grown taller than me and sprouting out flowers at its canopy. Those coined shaped flowers are edible.

This Drawf Ylang-ylang was terribly infected by mealy bugs and farmed by ants. I had pruned it time to time to control the infestation but no avail in making any difference. I was advised by a gardener friend to use a water based aerosol to handle this pest. And ever since then - none had infected them so far.

The flowers are now in full bloom all the time and the evening time is so graciously fragrance. Just gives that relaxing mood in this little garden.

These miniature dendrobium orchids seemed to be flowering time to time but they are not so showy compared to their greater counter-part.

These commercial bred Phalaenopsis seemed to be doing fine after the initial shock. I got them for 3 for RM10. of which it is quite a big deal. Surprisingly the healthy one died and the other two spring back to life.
There are just some things that cannot be explained about orchids.

All the existing leaves from the plant (the time I bought it) had all fallen off. These leaves are newly sprouted in my garden. Somehow they seemed to grow faster compared to the babies I have (from the earlier picture above)

Finally - this is another orchid type.
Seemed to go totally dormant.
It was passed to me by my friend who had given up hope on it.
I asked him for it if I can try my hand on it.
(who knows - it might just spring back to life)