Thursday, June 7, 2012

Blooming

I have been neglecting my garden as I was so busy trying to straighten up the house.  Was very happy to see them striving well despite my neglect.

The yam plant is growing really well.


The fragipani stem that I picked up started to flower.  I love this unique colour.


This desert rose was a "dying plant" for the last 4 years.  Now it started to bloom as well.  So pretty.


My curry plant started producing these berries.  Wondering whether it is edible.


Roselle is growing really fast and well.  I spotted one fruit, hopefully more will come.  I might have to repot it nearer to the study to give some shade.


Lena gave me some ginger torch and a huge pandan. I hope I planted them correctly.

Still not too sure how to "dress" up this front garden. 


My chilli padi is looking awesome.  How I wish it was a bigger chilli.  These are really miniature.

Started another row of herbs as there wasn't enough space on the planter box.


My helconia bed is looking pathetic.  Only half done coz we are still waiting for the tiles to come in (redoing the wall as the tiles are different shade).

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Harvest time

I decided to harvest the roselle as the fruits started to drop onto the group because of the strong wind.


Some chilli padis already turned red. This is my second harvest. The first I gave to the construction workers that are helping us with the house.


The sawtooth corriander seems to be growing in a strange manner. I was then told that they were flowering. Will wait till for it to dry out before harvesting the seeds. Let's hope I know how.

To prune, it is the leaf at the bottom. Remove edges, sliced thinnly and cook it with chicken.


This basil is also flowering. Will wait for seeds.


These are passionfruit seedling. I bought a kilo of passionfruit, extracted the juice and planted the seeds.

So happy that they are growing well.


Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Lots of work to be done

I also love flowering plants but I find it hard to keep up.

This Adenium was given to me by mom. Actually before handling to me, it was looking great with lots of flowers. My helper started trimming it and since then, it was looking pathetic and bald.



Let's hope giving it more sunshine and better air quality, it will reinstate its glory.

For the past two days, I have repotted the Murraya to bigger pots which I bought from a nursery near Holiday Plaza JB @ RM75.00. Owner told me that she will increase price to RM90. Then I will see no difference in buying from her then. It will cost the same as Singapore.

Let's pray that they will recover from that nasty mealy bugs infection.


I am now dosing it with White Summer oil with hot water and soup detergent.

These portulaca were taken from the Murraya's base that I bought from the lawyer.

I don't really know how to replant it because it doesn't seems to have roots or rather it was embedded to deep and due to neglect, most roots dried up.

Let's hope it will survived.

This dracaena surculosa came a long way. It was previously from my second home, Lock Cho.


I also potted this Eugenia into pots that I bought from JB @ RM16. The holding plate was RM4.00.

More plants

These has blossom from one stem to so many. (sample was given by lawyer.

Calathea majestica 'Roseolineata'


Colocasia
I like the furry feel of their leaves.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

When to harvest

I seriously had no idea when to harvest these red beauty, Roselle.

Was told that we can harvest this once it is plump. As for the seeds, we need to wait till it dried up to collect the seeds.

Let's hope I can produce more babies to share with friends.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

My herb "garden"

These two Aloe Vera were given to me by my neighbour. I have two pots previously from my old home but it was killed by my helper.



This was given to me by LT. She was very kind to share hers with me as it was given to her by her friend who brought it back from Australia.

Right now I have no time to really explore Aloe Vera. Let's hope I can learnt more.


This Indian Borage came with us from Seletar. Really easy and not temppremental at all.

Uncle Tan told me that you just need 7 leaves, pour boiling water. Simmer and flavour with honey or sugar. Great for cough.


This was given by the Thai worker from the building company. So sweet isn't he?

Another variety of Indian Borage.


I bought Roselle from Thong Hup Garden as my son loves roselle drink.

Benefits:

Contains high amounts of vitamin C
anthocyanins, which are natural antioxidants

S$8/pot (THG)


This is purple ruffle basil. I was attracted by the colour. Bet it will be pretty on salad.

S$5/pot (THG)


This is Thai Basil. To be honest, I don't know why I bought this. Perhaps I was attracted by the flowers. I actually had one pot that came from Seletar home.

This pot is definitely more healthy looking than the existing one.

S$5/pot (THG)


Sweet basil. Let's hope I can make pesto soon.

S$5/pot (WF)


Was told that this is Lemon Balm. I was actually looking for Lemon Mytle after visiting a home and fell in love with the smell.

S$5/pot (THG)


I have two beautiful pot of pandan from Seletar previously. Both killed by helper. I tried unsuccessfully to grow another one from pandan that I buy from market. As they do not have roots attached these days, I didn't have luck with it.

I had another pot given by the lawyer but this was also killed by helper.

So in the end, I bought this baby. Let's hope helper will stay off.

S$5/pot (THG)


I think this is spearmint. I hope to own a pot of chocolate mint.

S$5/pot (THG)


Peppermint. Given by mom.


Adding a stalk of Rue to green bean soup brings a total different taste. I used have have a pot that I paid S$8 from pasar malam. That was killed by helper.

S$5.00/pot (THG)(WF)


Sawtooth coriander

S$5.00 (WF)


Chilli Padi

S$5/pot (WF)


This kaffir was given to me by JY four years ago. It was doing beautifully but was recently attacked by catepillar. We breed so many butterflies after that. Was a joy to watch them being freed but I pity my plant.


I think this should be wormwood rather than dill. We took it along when we moved out of Seletar.

Really easy to maintain.


We left behind many lime trees when we moved out of Seletar. I seriously regretted it but staying in apartment with space constraint. I had to forego.

Let's hope this baby will flourish.

S$3.00 (WF)


I used to have a beautiful pot of rosemary but my helper decided to shift position and eventually killed it. Tried many times propagant but failed.

This was given by the lawyer.


This Sugi was given by LT. It is a natural green colouring for pandan cake. I used it together with Pandan juice.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

My green finger journey

I am starting this blog to record my green finger journey. I always love greens.

I enjoy having plants or flowers in the house. Unfortunately I don't really have awesome green fingers.

My hubby actually created a little space for me to plant right outside a coridor. It was a space that attracted many praises with my visitors.

I am now blessed to have a bigger space for two fragipani trees. We decided to choose a red and a white with a hint of yellow flowers.

Not satisfied with the price the contractor quoted, I actually went tree hunting. From Kovan, Thomson, AMK, Sembawang and all the way to Jurong West. We were so happy that we get these two beauty at half the quoted price.

Uncle Tan from Thong Hup Gardens is indeed a veteran. His passion for plants and knowledge is enough to wow you. Believe me, this place is much better and more varieties than many of the nurseries we visited.

Let's hope they will flourish under my care.

S$560/2 trees - estimated 3 metres (inclusive of planting)