Hang them air plants

Hang them.

Stick em in a vase

On a tray. Dont mistake them for snacks

I just love the simple ways of displaying these soil-less plants.

Vertical Wall of Thunbergia

Thunbergia grandiflora, evergreen vine spotted outside Blk 54 Cassia Crescent, Singapore.

Vertical Green Walls dont need to be too complicated. Just a green netting and it looks so beautiful.

Be careful if you have children, bees love the thunbergia trumpet flowers.

Ferns

In my garden, the sword fern is a pest. I love the New Zealand silver fern and consider it very elegant. I love the Sarawak ferns which are eaten as vegetable. But ferns are spread by spores and strangle my Tiger Orchid, Heliconia etc.

This trip to Bangkok has opened my eyes that common plants when healthy and lush can be used to create a garden paradise.

Below, the Patrick Blanc helix chandelier perched on pipes designed with slow drip automatic watering system. Real plants.

These are fake ferns at the Emquartier.

Nonetheless, the effect is therapeutic.

At Siam Paragon

You dont have to use exotic plants to create an effect. Hardy, everyday plants can still be dramatic, plus low maintenance.

Indoor gardens using mirrors and shallow pool.

The EmQuartier
693 695 ถนนสุขุมวิท Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
+66 2 269 1000
https://g.co/kgs/QPTfDX
Getting there: BTS Phraem Phong Station

S&P at Siam Paragon
สยามพารากอน 991 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
+66 2 610 8000
https://g.co/kgs/H6hTt4
Getting there: BTS Siam Station

Siam Skywalk – big overhead bridge

The solution to Bangkok traffic jam is to walk above the streets, oasis of greenery.

We took a walk on the Skywalk which is a long bridge connecting Malls such as Siam Paragon, Siam Centre, MBK, Siam Discovery and walked all the way to the largest mall in Bangkok, the Central World and the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre.

Walking on the bridge lifts you from the traffic din and pollution, sheltered from the sun and rain. Its breezy even because of the air tunnel.

A painting of the late King of Thailand outside the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre (BACC).

Inside the BACC. Bangkok has a fascination with circular floors.

Wall murals.

Bangkok Traffic Jam

One Siam Skywalk
Phayathai Rd, Wang Mai, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330
https://g.co/kgs/C1E4St
Station: Siam BTS Station
(Siam Station is 4 stops away from Asoke Station, 30B each).

Pretty in pink, Mrs Garfield

My friend SC’s Mrs Garfield lilies bloomed with 8 flowers. 8 is a lucky number. These lilies were adopted after someone discarded them downstairs in the common area.

The blooms usually last just 3 or 4 days. Just 1 stalk of 4 will bloom. But suddenly they had 2 stalks this time. And the stalks grew more slowly than usual. “We had these flowers for more than 4 days already. Still looking good!” The leaves become almost iridescent when there’s a lot of sun and can be pretty.

Cuttung the leaves ruthlessly will simulate more flower buds, was her tip.

Still blooming after 10 years. Wow. Chemistry is a strange thing. The flowers just love her back.

Its a happy day.

Spotted at Hort Park yesterday, the Hibiscus Mutabilis, Changeable Rose. So pretty.

Luke 12:27
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Cycad

More popular than hibiscus, more striking are cycads in Okinawa.

Why do the Japanese love it so much?
http://botanyboy.org/cycas-revoluta-in-japan/

Emperor Akihito planted a pair of King sago palms at the Japanese garden in Jurong when he visited Singapore as Crown Prince in 1970. They represent our friendship strong and steadfast. He said.

Cycads use pollen in reproduction which can explain how prolific they are in Daisekirinzan 大石林.

Cycad revoluta is native to Okinawa. Used as part of a garden landscape. Be careful that the leaves are toxic and sharp. But surprisingly sago is made from King Sago palm. Wikipedia has a short writeup on a hypothesis that some bacteria found in the roots make their way into the human body and cause of some neurological disease. Although no evidence is cited, I am steering clear of sago flour.

Majestic.

In Singapore, cycad are prone to be eaten by the cycad blue butterfly, indigenous to Australia. It doesnt seem to be a nuisance in Okinawa. Wisdom here on controlling what flora and fauna you allow into the country.
http://www.pacsoa.org.au/wiki/Cycad_Blue_Butterfly

Cycad fossils date back to 280 million years ago and commonly thought to be around when dinosaurs roam the earth.

A very good writeup if you are considering cycad for your garden. Also known as King Sago Palm. https://dengarden.com/landscaping/sago-palm-cycas-revoluta

Source: https://christophereppig.wordpress.com/tag/cycad/

Grown as a bonsai
https://www.bonsaioutlet.com/sago-palm-bonsai-care/

Propagating a cycad:
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/ornamentals/grow-sago-palm/

More pot gardens for small spaces

Some ideas from the Singapore Garden Festival 2016 for your small spaces.

The garden palette by designer Ann Teo. Dig the glass bees and dragon flies. How witty. Each pot contains different types of plants including a lotus garden and even canna like a miniature pond.

Assemble them together.

If outdoor gardens are not your thing, have a terrarium.

DIY or engage someone to fix it for you.

Terrariums are fuss free and an eco-system unto itself. 

Or plant vegetables and herb garden with these red, blue, green LED lighting systems by Plantui garden systems.

Or get some seeds and DIY.

Or grow fruit trees and lime shrubs in a pot trained over a fence – Espalier style. Does it look cruel torturing the plants.  Initially I didn’t think so.

Isn’t it like our minds training it to think a certain way, seeing the world through particular world views.

Rose shrubs or bougainvillea trained around a shape like a pagoda in medieval paintings ? Ok, no espalier for me.

House plants

Plants add style and glamour to your home.

As seen outside a restaurant, just ordinary thriving lush ones can look so inviting on the 5 foot way. A tiny strip of a walkway of plants makes a difference transforming the space and gives your spirit a lift.

Mint grown out of a pocket. Trailing plants and vines look elegant and soften the atmosphere, giving the place character. Doesn’t it look inviting like you’re stepping into someone’s home.

Ferns and palms like high humidity and cannot tolerate direct light preferring bright but indirect light. Many of these plants prefer pots.

Of all else fails, try succulents and cacti. They don’t need much care and prefer to let the soil dry out between watering.

Or a mothers in law tongue (sansevieria trifasciata), which enjoys bright light but tolerate less and regular underwatering is not a problem. I have seen this plant in Japanese hotels as they believe it gives out phyto chemicals promoting long life. Singapore exports a lot of this plant to Japan, perhaps also because it’s architectural vertical form makes it fit into a Zen like minimalist set up. For the Chinese fengshui enthusiasts , the sharp edge pointing upwards looks like knives – which is a no-no. I’ve seen some households tie red string and put empty eggshells onto the pointy ends to soften the look.

Or just get some annuals every year and replace them when they wilt.

KL, Malaysia – One Utama Secret Garden

We’ve heard so much about the One Utama Secret Garden that we had to include it in our itinerary.

One Utama is possibly the largest mall in KL. We recommend alighting at the new wing and visiting the rooftop Secret Garden which is open to the public on weekends and public holidays. They’ve successfully grown the Amazon lilies in the small pond. Sometime in the past, they’ve planted apple trees, but we didn’t see any. The place is heavily misted. Garden is not as well kept as what we see in other photos. But certainly luscious and well watered by someone who knows gardening.

Amazonian lily

Big enough to rest a baby on the pad

Behind every self-sustaining garden is a powerful pump and self-watering system

Entrance is free. Unless you’re shopping at One Utama or really like gardens, there’s no reason to make a special trip here just to see the gardens if you’re from Singapore. Transportation is not convenient.

Personally, I’m glad I came, because I’ve heard so much about it.  If I were to visit KL again, perhaps I’d cut out Pavilion from my itinerary and shop at One Utama instead. [Probably because Pavilion is more high-end shopping which I can get in Singapore anyway.]

 

 

Peranakan dessert using Nature’s best blue dye: Bluepea flower, clitoria ternatea

I love the splash of baby blue in the Peranakan rice dumplings.  The blue comes from a pretty bluepea vine commonly seen in gardens or self sown.  Mine came up mysteriously one afternoon, and L twirled it around a vine.    In a pernakan restaurant near our place, the owners dried the flowers.  Soaked them in water and squeeze the dye out.

Bluepea flower plucked to dry

Dried blue pea flower

Bluepea flower vine in my pot