Garden Update - Final part

This is the other side of my my garden where the plants are in hanging pots along the fencing area. My friend had passed me this Oxalis and mentioned to me that it was dying, true enough when I unearthed the soil and found that the bulbs where rotting. I managed to safe just one bulb. Recently the leaf didn't look good as it appears to closed all day. Hope its not rotting again as that is the last straw of this species.

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I also managed to reset my joyweed & zebra tradescantia - keeping them trim and proper, the difficult part is that there are too many of it and I have to choose only to use the crowns in replanting. These are the very hardy ones - able to withstand all types of weather (rain, hot sun, washed down soil, draught) I will strongly recommend these for any beginners.

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And finally orchids.

Im still having mixed feelings with them, they seemed not to flower for all these years, I have been be very patient with them.

I got some tips from a gardener/blogger friend.

Will post his comment more in details once I get his follow-up and progress in getting this orchid blooming.

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Garden Centre - Floral (Part 1)

The best deal is these Moth Orchids, they are quite reasonable actually about RM17 or so (in fact most of the plants sold here are less than RM20 which is ok) I really admire these as they are doing so well. But I'm not going to advance myself in buying these orchids until I find those existing in my garden show some blooms.

But I guess some people just like the idea of having the plant with this lushful flowers and discard them when they are done. I think to wait for another bloom may take years and these flowers may take a lot of care & time that many city people seriously do not have that kind of patience, care or time to devote. (But then, it my closest guess)

Also Dendrobiums, Vandas and Reed Orchids are sold here.

I guess these are known as Tea Roses.

I had them before when my mum bought them and presented them as a gift for my birthday. But sadly they didn't last very long. The flowers slowly get burned or the buds shows the non-developed half blooms and slowly the leaves starts to show the shrivelled, wrinkled form (kind of root virus)

It was a sad slow end for these roses.

Gerbera Daisy also known as African Daisy.

I'm very sure this is no easy plant. Many times I had seen some gardeners purchase this plant only to find that this one die in few months. I'm guessing these are brought from Cameron Highlands and sold here. Beautiful but a short spanned just like the roses.

These miniature Crown of Thorn plant (Euphobia) This one is very cute. I had checked the thorns and found them not prickly. I'm not sure whether if this one develops and fully grown it will show its colours and its sharp fangs! But like most of these plants sold here, I can only guess.

Finally the Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) Indoor potted plant with glossy green foliage. It will give out the white flowers as a bonus to break the monotone of green tones. Those who love glossy green leaved plants should cultivate this one.

I have seen this planted along flowerbeds along corridors - sadly they are not attractive to me.

Garden Update - August 2009

This is my overall garden tending during this season (August 2009) I'm thinking of closing my garden development and just maintain in watering and light care till end of this year. I already exhausted my of the garden space with many potted plants. I still got a few more to sort and set which I have no idea where to place them.

As for now, I would consider this the final thing. Hopefully, no inspiration strike me and make me to re-design the whole thing.




This side consist of my water garden, the water lily plant and water lettuce. The waterlily plant have settle in being a dormant plant. I was thinking of trimming off all the damaged, semi-dried leaves and put fertiliser for the next bloom. May only do that, after sorting all the mess that is not shown at the other side of the garden.


My tiny fish is surviving in those pool, thanks to them, there is no mosquito infestation. The green background is something I'm still considering whether to change it or not. But to remove and relocate it requires space which I do not have. Its a pity to give it away as I have yet to enjoy the hibiscus & the water jasmine flowers or fragrance.

Plants that can be noted:

a) Spanish Moss - they look so beautiful in the morning, so much like a weeping willow type of scenerio.



Plants:
a) Those in small pots & blue containers - Hanni.
b) The white & green - Varigated Bougainvilla

My central portion of the garden is slowly getting crowded. I'm feeling good about it as it gives the explosion of colours and that is a good sign. What is troublesome is unpredictability. Not sure what is going to outgrow next or die first, especially coleus - they are very short term, may only thrive in 3-4 months period time.

And too much of anything can kill them (water, sun or fertiliser)

My planter box had reached the glorious moment, it was not like that when I first started it, they look all exposed earth (brown) and gaps here and there. Now the coleus reigns.

a) Balsam (not yet flowered)

b) 3 different types of painted Nettle (Coleus)

c) top right corner - Dumbcane varigated.

d) lower right corner - Purple Queen

The side face of the garden, here begonia rules.

Cane begonia and the curled leaf begonia give colour together with the hanni (drawf looking mother of tongue plant) I had placed a periwinkle in the midst, they give me a pee-a-boo effect when they bloom in these foliage.

The hanging flame violet are very grand now, hopefully they continue as I'm concerned that they are reaching their maturity stage where the whole plant dies. Still hoping that it last as long as it can support the weight and its collection of tendrils and floral.

Here is a pocket of plants which I'm still working on

a) Green Tradescantia - centre below

b) 2 pots of Pandan plant

c) a small bird nest fern plant - passed by my office mate (she often weeds these out and passed to others)

d) Back - Maiden Hair Fern.

This is the story of Wormwood marrying the Lucky bamboo (varigated type)

Dracaena sanderiana, known as Ribbon Dracaena, Lucky Bamboo, Belgian Evergreen or sometimes Ribbon Plant. It is also can be artificially made into spirals - often sold for decorations.

I did mention before that they are doing fine and all. I still admire the mix, noticed this morning some of the bamboo leaves are drying up. Need to prune them in these few days time.

My sad story of crown rot (ground orchid/palm orchid) because of over fertilising, I manage to salvage what is left over of the damage. Like a half burnt coconut tree. Somehow, they survived and I'm feeling grateful that I didn't loose the whole plant because of my mistake.

I have temporarily place these cattleya orchids here, may need to reposition them for their optimum light and wellness, that is once I settle the rest.

This is the outside part of my garden, I didn't realise how messy it looked now. With all the small containers and pots for little plants, they have found a place to grow and bloom. I guess its time to stop planting new plants and maintain what I have now.

Ohh.. I wished I have more space to garden.

The challenge now is to make them look neat and tidy.

Finally at the side gate:
a) Top left : Squirrel foot fern

b) bottom stretch: Petticoat fern & Boston fern

c) Centre: Madagascar Periwinkle

d) Top right: Reed orchid

Reed Stem Orchid - Epidendrum

Will you rescue an abandon plant?
I guess I'm a soft hearted gardener, cannot see plants thrown and leave out to rot and die.
This is the case of this reed orchid plant. The owner apparently decided to keep his orchid collection small and nice.

I cannot help myself and asked the ex-owner if he was really throwing it away (sometimes, they just remove the whole thing and leave it out - I don't want to be called a thief just for my passion, better ask then feeling sorry) And I was told that its not wanted & that I can take as much as I want. Believe me, I took more than I want. (and managed to pass some to my office mates)

After pruning and clearing (dried dead roots, dried leaves and all) I was surprise to find that the whole pile was not so big after all. If fact, it just fit nicely in three bunches, (tall, medium and small) After sorting them by their sizes, I had fixed them on the fence as I can keep (both of my eyes on them) to see their progress. I had left the roots exposed as I would able to to monitor the roots, don't want any root rotting to take place.

It did take a lot of my time and the whole garden time was totally devoted to this orchid setting.
I really hope to see this one bloom, not been very successful with orchids, except for pigeon orchids (they seemed to bloom own their own)

I had checked out from few websites concerning this plant, these are the few tips which I manage to get:

Care:
It is considered the most easiest orchids to grow (often suggested for Beginner planters)
Thank goodness for that first tip.

Its also a heavy feeder but it also depends on situation.
They need regular feeding (as recommend by manufacturer details) as they will put up denser flower spikes, well developed leaves & roots. Plants grown in lower light need less nitrogen. Lacking light and heavy feeding may cause elongated leaves and leggy growth.

It is said that its a heavy bloomer. If it doesn't bloom the cause could be lack of light. Relocation to better lighting position and fertilising regularly should fix the problem. (Hmmmm.... lets see)

I had checked once when a root trail down and had it grip on the water lily claypot, one of the tips and descended on the water and had rotted just at that part. The roots act like sponge, they change colour (from white to light green) when watered. But the roots need to be airy and exposed as do not tolerate soggy medium on them.

So, do not let it sit in water as it will cause rot root.

I can image that if these orchid bunches start to shoot out it flower spikes, it sure be a wonder to behold.... really hoping that it would bloom.

If you notice a tall big stalk, I got that few years ago from a Garden Festival (Laman 2006) It been almost 2 years and I haven't seen any bloom. But was very reserved about fertiliser as I got many bad experiences in overfeeding them and seeing all of them getting burned and dead.

I'm not sure at all what species is this, can only determine once it starts flowering. Hmmm...