Growing vegetables with Ms Green Fingers

Tomato seedlings

2012-01-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

The tomato seedlings are getting bigger and over crowded but I'm quite reluctant to transplant them. Firstly, they are very delicate and might not survive the transplant. Secondly, they tend to attract pests and I'm happy they are in an isolated part of my garden so they can't spread disease around. Besides, they thrive in this cool part of the patio. I should just leave them alone.

Herb update

2012-01-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

If you have the same idea of buying small potted herbs from the supermarket and growing them in your garden, let me show you which will do well in our tropical climate.

It has been 2 weeks since I planted 4 varieties. Of the four, the majoram is the fastest grower.

The french tarragon is doing well too, but it is a messy grower.

The sage is doing wonderfully. In Italy, they batter and deep fry the sage leaves as a snack. I could try this one day.

The sweet basil simply cannot survive in the weather. The tender purple leaves just melt away in the heat. Luckily I used some for my salad before they disappear.

New herb collection

2011-12-30T00:36:00.000-08:00

When I saw tiny pots of herbs at Marketplace @ i12 Mall last week, I thought to myself, "These will make great Christmas presents (for me)!"

Well, Christmas has come and gone and I found myself missing these plants. I couldn't stop thinking about them especially now that I'm reading "Under the Tuscan Sun" where oregano grows profusely like a weed.

So, I went back there yesterday and was pleased to find they've replenished their stock. I bought four pots and promptly replanted them in bigger pots. Let me introduce my new herbs:

1. French Tarragon - the slightly anise tasting leaves pair well with egg, chicken and fish dishes.

2. Majoram - the sweet and mild leaves are great for flavouring meat dishes.

3. Sweet basil - highly aromatic and great for salads and sandwiches.

4. Sage - used as a medicinal herb (for treating everything from snake bite to longetivity) long before it has been a culinary herb.

Even though they like full sun, I'm keeping them under partial shade to help them acclimatise to the heat and humidity.

What a waste!

2011-12-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Just because I couldn't bear to harvest all the radish when they were at their prime, I ended up throwing them away. Well, at least now I know I can grow my own radish at home. Next time, I'll make sure I eat them when they're looking their best.

Onion and tomato seedlings

2011-12-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's probably not the best time to sow seeds due to the wet weather but I couldn't help myself. The onion seeds have germinated but they are still very weak. Many get washed away when the rain comes pelting down.

When I use fresh tomatoes for pasta, I usually discard the seeds. That day, I decided to sow them instead. Now they have all germinated.

I'm not very keen on growing tomatoes actually, because the plants attract lots of mealy bugs. Also, it is not easy to nurture them to maturity. I'll be lucky if I can get even one good sized tomato for my dinner plate but a gardener never gives up.

Another garden rack

2011-12-22T19:05:00.000-08:00

SK bought himself a new garden rack using money he earned from his vacation job. All his nepenthes have now migrated to this new stand while the bromeliads have taken over the other one. My garden is beginning to look neater now.

Garden rack

2011-12-13T18:19:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing that is sorely lacking in Singapore, it must be good-looking garden trellis. I have been seeking high and low for a nice one for my son's nepenthes collection and finally settled for this wire rack after trawling the nurseries.

It's not the most ideal but at least the pitchers can hang properly now instead of sprawling all over the floor.

Hydrangea

2011-12-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

After a very long wait, my hydrangea finally produced a small bunch of flowers. I grew it from a stem cutting a couple of years ago.

It's a really small bunch but still, it's worth the wait. I have seen humongous ones in temperate countries but in our hot and humid climate, I'm lucky it gives me flowers.

Growing weed

2011-12-04T19:33:00.000-08:00

I hope this header doesn't get me into any trouble. I'm growing a kind of weed (not that kind!) which I found in a forest recently. I really like the shape of the minty green leaves.

Being a weed, it's hardy and grows quickly. I even love how they creep out of the pot. At the rate they are growing, they will take over my entire patio in no time.

Harvested

2011-11-27T20:20:00.001-08:00

I finally harvested two radishes yesterday. They were a bit dry because I harvested too late but still, the thin slices went so well with blue cheese and brie.

Harvest

2011-11-24T21:51:00.000-08:00

I am often so reluctant to eat my own produce that they end up rotten. I didn't eat the mulberries in time and they were gone when I went looking. The birds or snails must have eaten them or they simply rotted away.

Just look at these gorgeously plump limes. One is so large (thanks to the rain), it almost looks like a small orange. I'm sure I can get loads of juice from it.

One is already rotting away.

And one has fallen onto the ground.

Now I am quite unwilling to harvest the radishes. I have all of 6 fully developed ones and they have grown so nice and round, I don't have the heart to eat them.

I wonder if other gardeners have this same problem.

Charming lotus flower bouquet

2011-11-21T18:31:00.000-08:00

I really love how simple yet charming this bouquet is. It was created by the equally charming owner of a boutique hotel in Siem Reap called Villa Medamrei. I would love to stay there again.

Hoya

2011-11-16T16:56:00.000-08:00

The hoya keeps flowering. They're so pretty, they look like little bridal bouquets!

Mulberries already?

2011-11-12T23:47:00.000-08:00

Just a month ago, I planted four mulberry cuttings in a pot. Two didn't quite make it and died soon after. Of the other two, one seems to be doing really well, so well that it produced a small bunch of fruits.

Today, I discovered that the fruits are ready for eating. This is awesome for a small plant that is not even a foot tall.

3 days later...

Riot of colours

2011-11-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

My son is also into gardening and has shoved his collection of bromeliads, orchids and nepenthes into my patio. It's getting crowded but I'm not complaining because when everything starts to flower all at once, the garden is no longer just green but peppered with bits of yellow, purple, pink and orange all over.

Stumped

2011-11-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

Recently I bought a cute succulent because I was attracted to the curly leaves. The plant came with long limpy flowers which weren't attractive by any stretch of the imagination.

After the flowers were gone, I was intrigued to see small red ball-like fruits forming at the tip of the leaves. The fruits look succulent, almost like you could eat them.They are small though, like the size of grapes.

While watering the plant today, I noticed that some of the ripe ones have indeed been eaten, likely by birds visiting the window sill. The flesh inside is white with lots of tiny black seeds, almost like miniature dragon fruits. I am curious to know what this plant is. If you can help me identify, that would be great.

We've had dragon fruits growing at my parent's farm for years, so there is indeed some similarity except that the real dragon fruit plants tower over me and they produce really large fruits. (below)

Little red cuties

2011-11-01T02:17:00.000-07:00

These babies are so cute, I can't stop raving about them! I know I sound like a gardening idiot but when I sowed the cherry radish seeds along with carrot and lavender seeds, I wasn't expecting anything to germinate.

In a way, I was quite right because there are still no signs of carrot or lavender seedlings to date. The only thing that worked are the radish seeds. I have grown the long white tropical ones before but these red round ones are my first. I always thought they can only do well in cooler climates.

Granted, the weather has been very cool lately, I'm still surprised at how well these babies are doing in this humidity.

I've also had lots of success growing arugula (rocket), so it only goes to show that you'll never know unless you try.

Radishes

2011-10-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

I have been away for a week and how quickly the radish seedlings have grown.

Strangely enough, this succulent growing right next to the planter box has started producing little fruits that resemble red radishes. I wonder if they can be eaten though.

Growing radish outside the bedroom

2011-10-11T00:59:00.000-07:00

I have such limited space for growing that every inch of usable space around the house counts. Even the bay window outside my bedroom is not spared.

Can you spot the rubber plant (which I had grown from seed), an orchid and cactus-like plant with curly leaves below? There is also a hoya plant hanging from above.

Since the bay window is starting to receive some sunlight at this time of the year, I sowed some radish seeds to try my luck.

And guess what? The seeds germinated in 3 days! They should be ready for eating in 60 days.

I hope to see some cute, red radish in my salad bowl soon!

Starting over

2011-10-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

One year ago, I blogged about how my mulberry plant was fruiting like crazy. Then I must have neglected it because one fine day, the plant had turned into a stick. I didn't even realise it was dead until someone asked me for a cutting. I couldn't even recognise the plant anymore.

So for months, I pined for another mulberry plant, yet I refused to buy one in case it suffers the same fate. The main problem in my patio is the lack of sunlight for the first half of the year. Thankfully it receives full sunlight during this time of the year, so I've been taking full advantage of the sunlight.

When my son brought back some mulberry cuttings, I quickly planted them in a sunny spot. Most of them are doing very well. If I am lucky, I might be able to enjoy mulberry fruits again next year.

Coriander seedlings

2011-09-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

This photo may not seem much for for me, it is quite an achievement. I have been trying to grow coriander for the umpteenth time and this time, the seeds finally germinated.

For years, I couldn't understand why my friends could grow coriander so easily. I've tried smashing the seeds (coriander seeds have a thick husk) or sowing them during different seasons. Two weeks ago, my friend shared her secret.

"Let the seeds germinate indoors."

I cheated a little by leaving the freshly sowed seeds in a cool and shady spot just by the balcony door. Technically, they are just 2 cm away fromthe living room and presto, the seeds began to germinate about a week later!

Now I've brought the seedlings out to a warmer part of the garden so that they receive a daily dose of filtered sunlight. With 10 seedlings growing in the pot, I think I'm set for the rest of the year.

What I like about growing coriander is, the leaves can really add pizzazz to a tomato salsa salad. The store bought ones don't keep very well. Having freshly harvested coriander leaves from your own garden is the most ideal. After harvesting, you will be pleased to know that new leaves will form quite quickly. You will never run out of this fragrant herb again.

New lease of life

2011-09-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

When I accidentally broke my herbal brewing pot (for Chinese medicine) last year, I couldn't bear to throw it away. It has been given a new lease of life in the garden. It's home to the easy growing episcia now.

Robust rocket

2011-09-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't been harvesting the rocket salad in my garden and now they have grown so big. What I like about the rocket is it keeps producing new leaves after each harvest. I'm going to make a salad tonight using rocket, tomato and mango, dressed in vinaigrette.

Flowering season @ office

2011-08-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

The huge amount of direct sunlight our office garden gets is quite enviable really. While my home patio is lush and green from the lack of sunlight, it's exactly the opposite scenario at our office.

The frangipani trees at home have not flowered in years but the one in my office is constantly flaunting large bunches of flowers.

Bougainvillea plants thrive in hot and bright places, so our office patio is the perfect place to grow them. Given our extremely hot weather these days, the plants are bursting with red petals.

Needless to say, it would be a waste of time and space to grow them at home. Luckily I have the best of both worlds.

Sweet longans

2011-08-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

I waited six long years for our longan tree to bear fruit and finally, we're enjoying homegrown longans for the first time!

A friend gave me the sapling years ago. I planted it in my parent's yard and have been waiting for harvest ever since. It's still a small tree. I thought the growth was stunted and had given up completely until I saw some flowers last year. Unfortunately the flowers fell off without developing any fruits.

Seeing its potential, my father must have nurtured it back to health because we're having a good harvest this year. The flesh is softer and sweeter but lacks the crunch of the Thailand species.

Considering it is organic and homegrown, it's the best longan I've eaten!

Show stealer!

2011-07-28T00:33:00.000-07:00

I saw this gorgeous Phalaenopsis Orchid on sale at S$5 (USD4) at Far East Flora that day and I'm so glad to have bought it!

I remember these orchids used to cost a bomb, but the garden centres are filled with them now. Still, it was a steal at $5!

The simple life

2011-07-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

I can't really complain about the lack of space in my patio garden because I get to romp about in my parent's backyard every weekend. They rotate the crops regularly and these days, the yard is dominated by gigantic yam plants. My dad is really good at growing them. The tubers are huge and they taste fantastic simply steamed.

They have so much vegetables to spare, mum is always urging me to bring some home. Every Saturday evening, you will find me harvesting bags of sweet potato leaves, 'Di Huang Cai' or chives. They are organic and free. What more can a girl ask for?

Brilliant!

2011-07-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

This is what you get when you combine two different plants in one pot.

When both my hisbicus plants became straggly and sad looking, I decided to repot them into one large pot, wondering if they would ever flower again.

After adding some organic fertiliser two weeks ago, I spotted some new buds. Today, the patio is ablaze with two huge flowers!

Quite amazing really.

New plants

2011-07-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

I was planning to add a wooden deck just outside the balcony but I didn't expect the cost to be so high. The deck area is only (12x5ft) 60 sq ft but I can imagine how it would make a difference to my living room space. That would also mean hacking off part of the old boardwalk.

I'm still deliberating.

While I don't have any new deck to flaunt, let me show you some new plants I have bought.

Wild flowers at Bukit Timah

2011-07-18T23:39:00.001-07:00

Growing vegetables @ office

2011-06-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Now that my home patio space is fully utilised, I'm growing vegetables at our office balcony. The space here is ideal because of the amount of sunlight we receive during the day.

We sowed a handful of lady's fingers seeds a week ago and they have all germinated. The pot is overcrowded, we've got to transplant them soon.

We put two brinjal seeds in the soil and they both germinated as well! All the seeds are quite old and we're really surprised by the good result.

The spinach seedlings are growing steadily. Just a week ago, they were so tiny, but they seemed to have shot up over the weekend.

Today, we added another new vegetable in our collection. I hope they'll do well in our balcony. Will keep you posted.

Easy peasy

2011-06-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

You will be surprised to know that growing vegetables can sometimes be as easy as this. My parents grow the Malabar Spinach vegetable in their backyard. After harvesting the leaves for eating, I poke the stems into a box of soil and now I have my own tiny patch growing in the patio. So simple!

I seem to get quite a few of the wild spinach growing in my garden. These must be the work of birds who leave their droppings behind. I'm not sure these can be eaten but I usually throw them out as they grow too quickly and become a nuisance.

More vegetable seedlings

2011-06-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

Encouraged by the robust growth of chye sim in our office balcony, we started sowing more vegetable seeds. The kang kong seedlings proved to be the fastest grower.

These spinach seedlings are so tiny! So far, spinach that I've grown in containers tend to grow very slowly. They stay stagnant for weeks, sometimes even months, before shooting up suddenly.

On the other hand, those grown by my dad in his farm (on fluffy soil) mature much faster. I can only conclude that spinach is more fussy and will do well in well drained soil.

Pride of India

2011-06-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist taking pictures of the gorgeous flowers of the Pride of India tree (Lagerstroemie Indica) while walking my dog one day.

The flowers are so delicate, they don't stay fresh on the tree for long. I was lucky to be there at the right time.

Vegetables love sunlight

2011-05-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

Many people who have never grown tropical vegetables have asked me about the amount of direct sunlight needed. Well, at least 6 hours a day. In fact, the more the merrier.

If you're thinking of growing chye sim or bai cai indoors, you can forget about harvesting them. The seeds will germinate but without enough sunlight, the seedlings will grow up weak and spindly.

In my patio garden which is bright and warm but seriously lacking in direct sunlight, I have difficulty growing tropical vegetables. Only the rocket (which is not a tropical plant) is doing well.

On the other hand, at our office balcony where the sun is so harsh that our lantanas were quickly fried and killed in the heat, the vegetable seedlings are thriving.

Both pots of chye sim and bai cai seedlings, sowed in early May, are exposed to full sun all day.
They seem to enjoy the heat as they're growing up rapidly. They look so lush and healthy too.

Green Cafe!

2011-05-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this cafe in Bishan Park last week. While the food was nothing to rave about, I love how 'green' the building is. Just look at the lush greenery growing on the rooftop!

Jasmine

2011-05-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

Another Jasmine plant in my patio is suddenly filled with fragrant white flowers, so much so that the scent wafts into the living room on a breezy day.

These flowers are small but their scent is so intoxicating. Everyone should grow one in their garden.

Growing vegetables @ the office

2011-05-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

Now that our new office has a big balcony, I have more room to grow plants. I scattered a handful of vegetable seeds into two large pots just to test if these seeds have expired. To my pleasant surprise, all of them germinated. So much so that there is overcrowding in both pots.

If I am not wrong, they are the leafy cai xin vegetable. With the soaring temperature, our concrete balcony gets extremely hot in the afternoon. Fromthe photo, you can see that some of the leaves are already burnt.

I'm hoping for more rain and less sun, or these seedlings will never make it to adulthood.

Wild flowers @ Lower Peirce Reservoir

2011-05-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

White beauties

2011-05-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

The jasmine flower may not be very attractive, but it is one of the most popular garden plants here. Small with a potent scent, the flowers are commonly used for religious offerings and garlands. I have one in my patio and I'm always intoxicated by the lovely fragrance.

I have more than one variety of jasmine in my garden. The water jasmine is often used as a bonsai, and the fragrant white flowers usually grow in a cluster. My friend has a large plant in her garden, it is a joy to sit there and breathe in all that lovely scent.

The other variety in my garden is the wrightia antidysenterica which produces white flowers that are larger and stiffer. The flowers are scentless but more attractive than the other two.

A real farm!

2011-05-01T06:33:00.001-07:00

My parents must be the luckiest people in Singapore to live in a farm. They've got fruit trees and vegetables growing in the front and backyard.

The passionfruit vine is filled with big round passionfruits.

The flower is so pretty.

There's an old grape vine too.

The dragon fruit plants are doing well. It's fruiting season.

This is the bud of a dragon fruit flower.

The starfruit trees are also filled with tiny pink flowers and fruits.

This ripe one is ready for eating.

They even have their own yam plantation.

This vegetable is very popular here.

The tree below is grown from a seed of the milk fruit which I brought back from Vietnam.

The longan plant is also flowering.

Rockets at 10 weeks

2011-04-27T02:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't been eating my rocket salad (arugula) lately, so I've allowed them to keep growing and growing. They are 10 weeks old now, yet the leaves are still tender and tasty. I had never imagined that I could grow rocket successfully here in this humidity.

If you can get your hands on some seeds, I recommend that you sow some in your backyard. A small bag costs more than S$5 here in our supermarkets. Imagine how much money you can save if you grow them at home. Besides, freshly harvested leaves taste so good, it's worth a shot!

Italian variety.

Wild rocket.

Gardenia gone leafy

2011-04-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Flowering season is over for my gardenia. Instead of gorgeous white blooms, the plant is filled with large new leaves. I suspect the plant will soon become straggly and stop producing so many flowers. That is the trouble with plants that have been imported from cooler climate. They just have to adapt to the warmth and humidity here.

Magenta roses

2011-04-17T23:34:00.000-07:00

I spotted Rusty hiding behind my pot of roses. He must like the pretty flowers in an unusually bright shade of magenta.

Here he is, lying beside the plant.

I spotted it at the nursery last week. Being the only one in this striking colour, it stood out like a sore thumb in the rose section. I had to bring it home to brighten up my patio. My yellow roses suddenly pale in comparison.

The portulaca (Japanese Rose) is flowering like crazy. It's a coincidence the flowers are in a shade of shocking magenta.

Periwinkle invasion

2011-04-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has grown periwinkles before will know how self perpetuating they can be. The pretty flowers turn into pods. When the pods explode, they send tiny black seeds flying everywhere. Suddenly you have little periwinkle plants growing everywhere.

I started with seeds picked from our estate's garden. Now I have periwinkle plants in every nook and cranny of my patio.

These hardy growers thrive in hot and humid climate. They will not hesitate to stretch out to receive sunlight. My boardwalk is almost fully blocked by a vigorous grower (below). I'm reluctant to trim it down.

It's a happy problem to have.

Wild flowers in Pulau Ubin

2011-04-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Pulau Ubin boasts of a rich diversity of flora and fauna. While hiking on the island yesterday, I spotted some flowers growing in the wild.

Blue pea flower.

Flower of the winged bean legume.

Wild ginger flower.

A common wild flower called Melastoma malabathricum, sometimes refered to the Singapore rhododendron.

I wonder if this yellow flower is related to the one above.

Strangely this red flower is also found on the same plant that produces the yellow flower (above). I suspect it transforms into yellow flower at a later stage.

Gardenia

2011-03-30T16:25:00.001-07:00

Every garden should have a gardenia plant. Gardenia flowers are gorgeous, so pure and white against shiny foliage. The scent is intoxicating, like a gigantic jasmine flower.

I see 4 magnificent flowers this morning and can't help admiring their beauty.

Flowers are blooming

2011-03-29T18:47:00.001-07:00

I came home after a heavy storm to find gardenia buds all over the floor. Heartache!

When I bought the gardenia plant few weeks ago, it was full of buds. Now half of them have fallen off. I wonder if it is nature's way of purging or I could just blame it on the storm. The healthy buds on the plant are beginning to open up this morning. By the end of the week, the entire plant would be filled with creamy white flowers. I can't wait!

The garden is filled with red and yellow blooms lately. It's quite shocking to see a big flower on my small heliconia plant.

The red passionflower is a recent purchase. We used to have a really large plant growing at my parent's yard. The flower is so gorgeous.

I've got a new periwinkle plant that produces delicate magenta flowers.

This plant with tiny yellow blooms is another recent buy. The leaves are so pretty.

Another yellow flower! This bromeliad used to belong to my son. It's too big to go into his terrarium, so it's mine now.

Wild rocket

2011-03-23T20:28:00.001-07:00

When I asked my friends to bring me some rocket seeds from UK, they brought me 2 kinds - cultivated and wild.

I sowed both seeds on the same day. The cultivated variety shot up quickly and were ready for harvest within a month. I've made salads on a few occasions. The leaves were peppery and flavourful.

The wild rocket seeds took a bit longer to grow. It has been 6 weeks and they look quite ready for eating now.

The leaves are more serrated than the cultivated variety and are supposed to have a stronger flavour too. That explains why the snails have steered clear of my rocket patch!

I shall make a wild rocket salad tonight!

Flower sisters

2011-03-23T00:39:00.001-07:00

I couldn't help bringing these pretty hibiscus home.

Now I have a pair of lovely sisters greeting me each time I step into the patio!

Aren't they gorgeous?

Not buts, just buds

2011-03-09T20:14:00.000-08:00

The first time I tried growing bunching onions from seeds, I didn't succeed. The seeds germinated but the tiny seedlings were too delicate, they couldn't survive the heat and heavy rainfalls.

I decided to try again this year. I must admit that I was quite skeptical at first. The seedlings were so spindly and fine, they couldn't even keep themselves upright.

These slow growers seem to have shot up a lot recently. Now they're beginning to look more like bunching onions or scallions. Unlike other onions, they do not form bulbs. They will grow long and tubular, with green tops and white bottoms. I'm encouraged by the success, I should sow more seeds.

The dandelion plant (below) that Petunia gave me last year is budding again. It sounds quite silly to be crazy over a weed, but danlelion is so precious here. You can't find them growing wild in Singapore.

Gardeners may find it pesky but herbalists have nothing but good things to say about the dandelion. Every part of the plant is useful. Read about the benefits here.

I'm very fond of the lovely and fragrant gardenia flower. I used to grow them in my parent's yard.

When I spotted a new batch of gardenia plants at the nursery yesterday, I couldn't resist hauling one home. I chose one with plenty of buds. I'll be over the moon when they bloom!

Rocket rocks!

2011-03-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

I harvested some of my rocket (arugula) leaves to make a salad last night. It was the perfect accompaniment to the freshly grilled salmon. As the rocket leaf is very flavourful, a simple vinaigrette dressing (dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil) is good enough.

I can't get enough of its spicy, peppery taste. It's time to grow another batch in my garden.

Striking adenium

2011-03-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

The adenium flowers have finally blossomed, in a bold red colour! I never knew the flowers can be so attractive.

Hits and misses

2011-03-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

Today I ate my yam. Yes, the one I grew in a pot. It wasn't as big and perfect as the store bought ones but it was the best I've ever had. The texture was fluffy and light, every mouthful was such a delight. I wished I had grown more. It took me more than 6 months to grow this now and now it's in my tummy.

The taste took me by surprise. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. When I pulled it out from the pot, the shape looked a little funny. The mishapen tuber rolled around on my kitchen top for several days, I almost threw it away. Thank goodness I had a change of heart and baked it in the oven today. It tasted amazing with Hawaiian honey.

The yam was so good, I will continue to grow more in my patio. I can't say I've been too successful with other edibles. Some just don't so so well in containers. The bananas from my small plant were too tiny to be eaten. The vegetables usually don't turn up sweet and succulent. My kang kong are mostly skinny and disease prone and the basil mature faster than I can use.

Some of the best edibles to grow in the patio garden must be the pandan leaf, curry and lime plant. They are easy growers and very useful plants.

Then there are other edibles that I don't have the heart to eat. My blue ginger plant is growing so well, I'm reluctant to dig the root out for cooking.

Finally, there are those that I choose not to eat. I'm talking about the sweet mulberries which I leave on the plant for the birds to eat.

Queen of the night

2011-02-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

A year ago, my friend gave me a cutting of the Epiphyllum Oxypetalum. The cutting was floppy and unimpressive. I simply chucked it in a large pot of soil and propped it up with a metal stand. It grew very slowly, flopping over the metal stand like a sickly plant.

Then suddenly, a small flower bud appeared last week. I wasn't expecting much out of this little bud but when I walked into my garden at 5.30am this morning, I was surprised to see a large white flower. It was so impressive, I quickly grabbed my camera.

I've come to learn that the flower rarely blooms and only at night. Just as mysteriously, it wilts before dawn.

The Chinese idiom 曇花一現 (tan hua yi xian) uses this flower (tan-hua; 曇花) to describe someone who has an impressive but very brief moment of glory, like a "flash in a pan", since the flower can take a year to bloom and only blooms over a single night. Therefore someone described as "曇花一現" is generally understood to be a person who shows off or unexpectedly gains some achievement and is thought to be an exception or only lucky.

I took another peek before I left my house at 6.30am. True enough, the gorgeous bloom had already wilted. I was so lucky to witness it's short moment of glory.

Rocket and friends

2011-02-25T19:23:00.001-08:00

When my friends came from UK two weeks ago, they brought me some seeds of the wild and cultivated arugula (rocket). I love this peppery salad green but found it impossible to get the seeds in Singapore.

The moment I got the seeds, I quickly scattered them in my garden. They are not called rocket for nothing. These are fast growers and they germinated within 2 days. Now I have 2 large pots of rocket in my garden.

The weather must have been good for the plants for they are all flowering all of a sudden. The miniature rose plant is filled with gorgeous yellow blooms.

There are pink periwinkle flowers everywhere.

Even the adenium is flowering for the very first time.

And the best thing is, this funny looking succulent given by a friend has produced a cute little bud.

Big yam, small yam

2011-02-17T21:17:00.000-08:00

Six months ago, I blogged about the yam which I grew in my compost bin. At that time, young leaves were just starting to appear from the stump I buried in the soil.

Photo taken on 6 September 2010.

Look at the difference now. The episcia is jostling for space with the yam. And the 'mother' yam has produced two smaller offsprings.

Photo taken today.

The mother yam has a big tuber. I'll harvest this big one and let the offsprings produce more tubers for me.

The other smaller variety that I've grown in a smaller pot looks ready for eating too.

Small variety.

Narcissus

2011-02-12T01:22:00.000-08:00

The narcissus bulb that I bought in Hong Kong a month back has grown quite a bit, though not in time to produce flowers for the Chinese New Year.

Happy new year!

2011-02-02T21:24:00.001-08:00

We're celebrating Chinese New Year and I've decorated the house with flowers.

Wishing all my Chinese friends a Happy New Year!

Succulents

2011-02-01T22:21:00.000-08:00

My heart jumped for joy when I saw this group of succulents (large ones) at a temple in Penang.

I love growing succulents as they make excellent display plants in dish gardens but they just don't do well in our humid tropical climate.

About a year ago, I started a dish garden with 8 different species of succulents. Today, only four remain and are doing well.

So much rain

2011-01-15T20:27:00.001-08:00

We have been getting lots of rain lately, my plants are well hydrated, so much so that the episcias are doing so well.

I was quite surprised to see the succulents thriving as well.

Last Christmas I bought a high pressure water jet for more efficient cleaning of the patio space. After a major clean-up, my garden looks quite bare and neat now. I ended up with lots of empty flower pots and garden soil. While I was tempted to grow more episcias, I decided to take advantage of the cool season to grow some lettuce and coriander. I hope to show photos when the seeds germinate.

Flower Market Street

2011-01-03T01:20:00.001-08:00

During my short stay in Hong Kong, I visited Flower Market Road to find the mood very festive and cheery.

I was drawn to the outdoor kiosks selling knick knacks for the home and garden.

Most of the flower stalls were selling narcissus (shui xian hua, 水仙花) an auspicious plant for the Chinese New Year. I bought a bulb back to Singapore, hoping that it will grow well in our tropical climate.

Another popular flowering plant is the Azalea.

I was particularly impressed with the way they've trained the branches of these azaleas (below) into a long and horizontal shape.

The Chinese New Year is a month away. Can you imagine how packed the streets would be in the days leading to the new year?

WA Native Flora

2010-12-17T19:51:00.001-08:00

Being an avid gardener, I am always on the lookout for flowers and plants whenever I travel. Here are some of the commonly seen ones in Western Australia during summer.

Found growing in the native bushland.

Lavender.

Delicate flowers growing by Scarborough Beach.

Found growing in the native bushland.

Found growing in the native bushland.

Found growing in the native bushland.

Native flowers for sale at the general store.

Commonly grown in most home gardens.

The most exciting garden I saw was the organic kitchen at Providore.

Chives and herbs.

Organic tomatoes.

Lemons.

Not sure what this is but it must be edible.

Strawberry.

Blueberry plant

2010-12-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

I just returned from Western Australia. When I saw this blueberry plant for sale at a market in Margaret River, I wished I could bring it home.

See the blueberries? How I wish we could grow them here in the tropics!

Aristolochia tagala

2010-12-05T04:06:00.001-08:00

Years ago, when my son was setting up a butterfly garden, we went around Singapore looking for food plants to grow in our farm. In our attempt to attract birdwing butterflies, we grew aristilochia tagala, a food plant of the rare birdwing butterfly. We searched high and low for the plant and finally found them growing at Alexandra Hospital. We picked some seeds and sowed them at home.

Soon, we had lots of aristolochia tagala vines, commonly known as Indian birthwort, growing at the farm. Unfortunately, we failed to attract any birdwing butterflies.

Recently I was surprised to see this rare plant growing in my patio garden. Then I figured there must be seeds pods lying latent in the pot of water jasmine that I brought back from the farm. Under the right conditions, the seeds germinated and grew into vines.

The seed pod is very interesting. When it reaches maturity, the round pod bursts into a parachute-like object, scattering the seeds around.

This is a medicinal plant. According to this website, the leaves can used to treat fever. In Indonesia, the leaves are made into a poultice and applied to the swollen abdomen or limbs. In the Philippines, the plant is used to treat snake bites and malaria. In India, the roots are considered a tonic, carminative and emmenagogue. A number of other species are used by the Chinese for dysentery, high blood pressure, beri-beri and swollen feet.

With the vine thriving in my patio, I wonder if I could see the magnificent birdwing butterfly in my garden someday?

Distressed rosemary

2010-12-05T03:57:00.000-08:00

The rosemary bush in my patio, once my pride and joy, has been showing signs of distress lately. Little by little, the branches began to dry up. Now all I have is a dried up bush.

I have trimmed it down completely hoping that new sprigs of leaves will start growing again. Luckily I have propogated two small pots from this plant, just in case I can't revive this old bush.

Adenium

2010-11-24T22:57:00.000-08:00

It's funny how both adeniums ended up in my garden. One was given by a friend for safekeeping while they move to their new house. The other one, which is really tiny, was thrown out by my son after he found it unsuitable for his terranium. It's a highly toxic plant anyway.

The adenium, aka desert rose, sat in my garden for a long time, growing so slowly. Then suddenly, it produced a lovely red flower. Adeniums are known to be heavy flowering plants, so I hope there will be more flowers to come.

My other 'sunflower' plant also started flowering. The colour's a little lighter than the other one.

Sunflower?

2010-11-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to grow sunflowers in my patio. I sowed some seeds expecting to see large big and tall plants with sunny blooms.

I've grown them before in my parent's garden. They were about 7 feet tall and laden with huge flowers.

When the ones in my patio started producing buds when they were barely 1 foot tall, I was rather surprised.

Now that the petals have appeared, I am shocked. These aren't sunflowers! They are small and certainly look nothing like the photo on the packaging!

These below are the real deal. They were taken in France but I have grown similar ones here before.

Female corn flower

2010-11-13T01:18:00.000-08:00

JC wanted to see what the female corn flower is like. I've got some growing on my plants now. The silk and ear make up the female flower.

Look out for veggies

2010-11-10T00:42:00.000-08:00

I sowed some vegetable seeds into three very large pots over the weekend. They have all germinated. I'm expecting a good harvest in December.

Kang kong seedlings.

Chye sim seedlings.

Spinach seedlings.

What a surprise to find a shiny ball hanging on my Christmas tree. Someone from above must have tossed it down.

Best performer

2010-11-09T02:21:00.001-08:00

If I were to give an award to my plants, the chive will win the best performer award hands down!

Ever since I've had one pot in my garden, I could just amble into the patio and cut the leaves off for immediate cooking.

This is what the plant looks like now. Completely bald.

In no time, new leaves will grow and I'll get to eat chives again.

Every cook should grow some in the garden.

New growths

2010-11-03T20:02:00.001-07:00

Recently I sowed some sunflower seeds but only two managed to germinate and grow. According to the description on the packet, it is able to grow to 2-3 metres tall. I've had really tall sunflowers before back at the farm which produced huge blooms.

These are less than a foot tall and I've already spotted a bud forming (below). I guess we can never totally trust what's written on the pack.

The cycad plant was completely bald at one point and suddenly, new shoots have sprouted rapidly.

Only trouble is, the cycad blue butterfly is back. It lays eggs on the cycad plant and soon caterpillars will devour the fresh shoots. They are such a nightmare and can destroy a plant within days!

Joyful sightings

2010-11-01T02:16:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to see the gloxinia flowering again. While it is not as gorgeous as before, I think it's doing well in this hot and humid weather.

The yam plant has grown so much recently, I am pretty certain the tuber under the soil is growing quickly too. This is something worth waiting for.

Seeds

2010-10-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how vegetables produce seeds? Let me show you.

I've allowed my mustard green vegetables to bolt and produce flowers. After several weeks, the flowers turn into seed pods. Each pod contains many tiny black seeds.

As you can see, you can get loads of seeds from a single plant.

My maize has also started producing male flowers called tassel. Male flowers are always found at the top of the plant while female flowers (the silky part you find at the top part of a corn cob) will form about halfway down the plant. The corn we eat are from the female flowers.

Now I have to wait for the female flowers to form before pollination can take place. Then I may get to eat sweet corn.

Freshest corn ever!

2010-10-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

From the garden, to the pot, into my tummy...

I've just tasted the freshest corn ever! These are grown by my father using the Sweet Jean Corn seeds supplied by Known You Seeds Co. We've been enjoying a good harvest from the small patch, just enough for my parents and me!

Mustard green's yellow flowers

2010-09-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

One of the nicest things about growing vegetables is you never quite know what you're going to expect. We see all kinds of vegetables in the supermarket, yet most of us have no idea what the flowers or seeds look like.

I allowed my mustard green vegetable to grow and grow. Sometimes I can't bear to eat my own home grown vegetables. Today, I was delighted to see a little bouquet of yellow flowers.

Who would have known that a bitter tasting vegetable is capable of producing such pretty blooms?

Now if I leave the flowers alone, I might get mustard seeds. Yes, the kind that you use in Indian curries. Or I could just sow them and start another cycle.

Nature always amazes me.

The idea that grew and grew

2010-09-27T02:04:00.000-07:00

As you would know by now, I have been working with a bunch of young kids to transform their school yard into a little green haven. With my limited resources, I could only bring seeds, stem cuttings and seedlings for them to grow every week.

They began to develop the joy of gardening and respect for nature. Some grew up deprived of parental love and never knew what it is like to care for others. In some ways, gardening helps bring out the nurturing side in them.

Working with these kids has been a rewarding experience. It has inspired me to work harder to make the garden a more productive one. The kids get so excited when they see results. They're eagerly anticipating a good harvest of sweetcorn. These aspiring entrepreneurs have sold mangoes and cookies in the school canteen to raise funds.

Their energy is so infectious, it has inspired me to work towards my own dreams. I began toying with the idea of combining my love for gardening and animals to create something inspiring yet practical.

Once the idea was planted in my head, it just grew and grew. Finally, the time has come to roll out the first product - The "Grow a Little Love Everyday" 2011 poster calendar.

Promotional flier.

Featuring animals, flowers, leaves (28 types, each painstakingly illustrated by a very talented artist) and heart-shaped trees, the calendar showcases nature at its whimsical best. I hope the graphics will lift one’s spirit and feed the soul, inspiring one to give a little love every day.

The A2 size full colour poster is printed on the elegant 170gsm Antalis Sensation Tradition, bright white paper stock. The dates are laid out at the bottom so that it can easily be cut off if you want to keep the print hanging after the year is over.

I'm shamelessly promoting here hoping my readers will help spread the word around. As you know, the window for selling 2011 calendar is rather short, so any help is greatly appreciated.

It makes a great Christmas gift! 'Love grows by giving' is my new mantra.

The retail price is S$10 (USD7.50) per piece. Shipping cost within Singapore is S$3 for one piece (packed in a cardboard tube) or S$3.50 if you order two pieces. I am happy to ship all over the world but the postal rate varies according to the destination. Please feel free to drop me an email or comment if you have any queries.

My aspiration is to make this new venture a success. Please keep a lookout for more new products to come. With more money in my pocket, I will be able to grow more flowers in the school garden. :-)

So beautiful

2010-09-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

This is indeed the perfect birthday gift. It gets better and better everyday.

Ms Blue Pea

2010-09-25T18:35:00.001-07:00

I was surprised to see a gorgeous flower peeking under the leaves of the Clitoria ternatea, commonly known as the butterfly or blue pea plant.

After I got rid of the bittergourd plants, I sowed some blue pea seeds that I had gathered from the wild vines growing around our estate. I don't really buy alot of plants from nurseries. Most of those in my garden are grown from seeds or propagated from stem cuttings.

To my delight, the blue pea plant, being a quick grower, started creeping up the trellis faster than I had expected. The deep blue flowers are used locally as a food dye. My friend's mum colours her nonya kuey and dumplings using the flowers in their garden. I'm not good at making kueh, so I'll just leave the flowers on the vine.

Corn

2010-09-25T06:33:00.001-07:00

When I bought a pack of sweet jean corn kernels, I sowed some in the school garden and gave the rest to my father.

The ones at my father's front yard are big and strong, each plant producing ears of corn.

My father has the greenest thumb. Everything in his garden is extra lush, extra large and productive. Maybe it has something to do with the way he prepares the land for growing.

The corn that I am growing in the school yard (below) are small in comparison to my dad's. I blame it on the poor soil condition. The school is built on reclaimed land afterall, and each time we dig into the compact ground, we find pieces of tiles, granite and bricks buried inside. It's no wonder the plants there don't do so well.

Though they were grown at the same time, I don't see any ears of corn developing yet. I've been fertilising diligently. I don't think there is anything else I can do.

View from the top

2010-09-25T01:48:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to view my patio garden from my neighbour's apartment six levels up. I'm glad to know it's not an eyesore, except for the garden hose which has been left uncoiled after use by my son.

Bolting

2010-09-24T18:12:00.001-07:00

With the sun shining on my patio now, my lush mustard green suddenly started bolting. Vegetables bolt for a reason. When the temperature gets too hot, it abandons growth and produces flowers and seeds instead. This is just nature's way of producing the next generation asap.

The coleus is also losing its shape and beautiful foliage. I've stopped nipping the flower buds. Now I just let the flowers grow any way they like.

A tale of 2 gardens

2010-09-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

When Petunia visited my garden, she gushed, "Your garden is so lush, like a tropical rainforest."

She's quite right. It's on the second floor, where the air is warm and humid, and deprived of direct sunlight most part of the year. It's the perfect environment for heliconias, banana, episcia, fern and spider lilies to thrive in. The garden is overgrown with large foliage and vegetation that builds upwards to create a dense tropical (mini) jungle.

Petunia's garden, on the other hand, is all the way up on the 14th floor where the air is hot and dry during the day. At night, cool air filters through the garden, creating a mediterranean like climate. No wonder she can work magic with delicate herbs like lemon myrtle, thyme, rosemary and arugula, and coax pretty flowers out of chamomile, dandelion, hyssop and tarragon. Recently her strawberry plants produced some fruits. This would never happen in my garden!

Now she worries if she can continue growing the same plants if she moves into her new house, a landed property, next year.

If I were to sell my house, I would leave most of the plants behind for the new owner. While it would sadden me to part with my beloved plants, moving matured plants around could traumatise them. Besides, they may not do so well in a new environment. Of course, that would mean I can only sell my house to a plant lover.

Meet my carnivores

2010-09-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

Guess what my vegetarian friend Patricia gave me for my birthday? A carnivore!

Yup, I was presented a Nepenthes, aka pitcher plant last night. This particular one looks fairly phallic to me, thanks to the unusual colour of the pitchers. With this carnivorous plant hanging in my bedroom window sill, I forsee there will be less ants and bugs in my room from now on.

Yesterday, I also inherited a venus flytrap from my son who thinks I can do a better job at keeping it alive. It's sitting in the shade, somewhere below the Nephentes. I hear it has a reputation for being difficult to grow but I like challenges, so, let's see how long it will last under my care.

Just about everyone knows how I like gardening so I wasn't too surprised to receive a pot of Gloxinia (instead of a bouquet of flowers) from my beloved on my birthday. He's being practical of course because this pot will keep producing me flowers, hopefully for many more birthdays.

Everything's coming up roses

2010-09-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

My friends, all avid gardeners, gathered at my house for lunch at the patio yesterday. Alas, our plans were thwarted by the rain. Why does it always have to rain when I have people coming to view the garden?!

We had a good time though, eating and chatting in the cool comfort of the living room. When they were gone, I walked out to discover a big palm-sized rose hidden amongst the foliage. I wish they had seen it!

The sun is finally out this morning and the plants are flaunting their blooms. The rose bud has transformed into a gorgeous creamy yellow flower.

The one below is already fading. Soon the petals will fall to the ground.

The cherry tomato plant is showing off more flowers than before. That will improve my chances of getting tomatoes.

I like how the turnera plants take advantage of the morning sun to showcase their pretty flowers. It's the best time to admire them in their full glory before they close hours later.

Now the weather is just right for a garden party. I sit under the umbrella and eat bruschetta, made using the left-over tomato salsa and french loaf from yesterday's party.

I read the papers while Rusty bathes in the warm sunshine.

It's the start of a lovely weekend.

Oh joy!

2010-09-15T05:43:00.001-07:00

After a week's break, the kids returned to find everything thriving in the school garden. Thanks to the rainy week, the plants seemed to have shot up overnight! There were lady's fingers and chilli waiting to be harvested.

I had never seen the kids so excited.

Lady's fingers.

Sweet corn.

Mint.

Chilli padi.

Flowers.

Herbs.

Stages

2010-09-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

When the morning sun started streaming into the garden, I stood there and literally watched the turnera flowers blossom before my very eyes.

Stage 1 - the tight petals started to open up.

Stage 2 - Petals unfurling under the warm sunshine.

Stage 3 - Almost there.

Stage 4 - Tada!

The lipstick plant also makes me beam with joy. After the last flowering season in July, I wasn't quite sure if I would ever see flowers again. Then suddenly, little tube-like calyxs started appearing.

Some have red lipsticks emerging already.

The flowering season has begun!

Cherry tomato

2010-09-10T18:42:00.001-07:00

My cherry tomato plant is flowering but I am not jumping for joy yet. I have had many tomato flowers come and go without producing any fruits.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Hello Yam!!

2010-09-06T18:46:00.000-07:00

Say 'Hello' to my yam! Recently I bought half a piece of yam (taro) from the market. I sliced the top off and covered it in a thin layer of soil instead of discarding it. I wasn't sure if it was going to work but shoots started appearing not long after. Now there are several big round leaves.

Yam plants thrive in the shade and they need a long growing time (around 6 months) to produce tubers. I've planted in a deep pot to give it room for growth. Hopefully, I will get to eat yam by February next year.

The sweet corn in my styrofoam box have all germinated. While some of the leaves appear to have been chewed off, I've scattered a pellet like soil to discourage the snails from sneaking in. The other thorny sticks in the box are 'kau kay choi' (Lycium chinense) - a vegetable with soft, oval and slightly bitter leaves. Apparently it's a herb with cooling properties. My family loves it, so I'm trying to grow some in my garden.

Growing sweetcorn

2010-08-30T23:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so enamoured with the fresh sweetcorn sold at our market, I treat myself to several ears every weekend. The freshly harvested corn, with white and pale yellow kernels, tastes extremely sweet and succulent simply steamed or baked in foil, there is no need to add any butter or seasoning.

Since I like sweetcorn so much, I'm trying to grow the 'sweet jean' variety in my patio. Corn needs plenty of space to grow well, so I filled a deep styrofoam box with compost and top soil and sowed a dozen kernels.

Unfortunately, the newly germinated seedlings were quickly devoured by snails in the night. All that were left were chewed up stubs. The leaves must be so sweet and delicious! I have just sown a second batch (below) and hope these will grow up well. I must find a way to outwit the snails without killing them. One idea is to poke toothpicks to form a sharp barrier.

For some reason, the other 2 kernels that I sowed in a smaller pot were left untouched. These are growing well. I may have to transfer them to a large container soon.

This (below photo) is what happens when I get lazy. I didn't bother to transplant these lady's finger seedlings into a larger pot and look at how tall and lanky they have grown. I'll be lucky if they give me miniature fruits.

Plants and such

2010-08-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

I used to grow a patch of Turnera at the farm. Every morning, the entire front yard would be covered with cheerful white and yellow flowers waving about in the wind. It was always such a sight to behold.

You can count on the turnera to flower all year round but the delicate flowers only stay open for a few hours in the morning.

Last week, I bought two plants for my patio but I didn't get to see the flowers because of work. Today, I finally see them in full bloom. They really brighten up the garden.

While I was pottering about, I inspected some of my other 'delicate' plants as well. I always pray very hard when I grow tomatoes because they're so vulnerable to infestations.

I started off with 4 cherry tomato plants (from seeds) and now there are only 3 (photo above). Recently I found white spots beneath the leaves which I removed immediately. My previous attempts to grow tomatoes were never successful, so I'm hoping for a miracle this time.

While propogating rosemary from stem cuttings seem easy enough, the success rate is not always high. I've done it many times and had seen some grow into healthy adults. The weather and soil play an important role. Rosemary prefers well drained soil and dry weather conditions. That said, we've been getting lots of rain lately but these two cuttings seem to be doing ok.

The basil I had sown from seeds are growing up nicely. I don't use often use basil in my dishes as the kids aren't very fond of the smell, but I like growing them in my patio.

Don't be discouraged yet. If there is one herb for dummies, Indian borage has to be the one. It's almost impossible to kill this one. Simply plonk one stem cutting into the soil and it'll not only survive, you can count on it to thrive. When it gets too tall, cut one part off and put it into the ground and you'll have two. Keep multiplying until you have a whole cluster. Then begin to wonder what to do with all that minty leaves.

It is an useful plant of course. Pick some leaves, wash and then boil in water. The resulting decoction can be taken to treat cough and asthma. The leaves may also be pounded and applied as a poultice on bites from insects. Finely chopped leaves can be used in fish and mutton curries as well.

Robust vegetable

2010-08-17T02:23:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a vegetable that's robust, lasting and gorgeous, you should consider growing mustard green. The one in my patio is already 3 months old and more than a foot high.

The striking green leaves, being peppery, do not attract much pests except the odd snail or two.

They're easy and fast growers, not fussy about soil condition or the amount of sunlight they are getting. Mine does not get any direct sunlight at all yet it is going strong.

Look, it is even taller than Rusty!

Shopping therapy

2010-08-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy shopping at the supermarket and nursery. This morning I did both. While the groceries are very necessary for the family's well-being, these pretty flowers are just perfect for brightening my day.

This particular variety of Angelonia has larger than normal flowers which makes the plant particularly striking.

I've always wanted this white periwinkle with a red centre. The ones available at World Farm are small and young with very little blooms. I'm hoping for faster growth now that I've transplanted into a larger pot.

Flowers

2010-08-14T01:37:00.001-07:00

I am beginning to see more colours in my garden. It just shows that sunlight is slowly creeping into the patio again. By year end, the entire garden will be soaking in the sun. It's the best time to grow tropical vegetables!

Lantana.

Wrightia.

Periwinkle.

Episcia.

Cat's whiskers.

Plumbago.

Cycad blue butterfly resting on curry leaf.

Petunia.

Magazine feature

2010-08-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

The August issue of Appetite magazine did a feature on urban gardens.

My garden is in there too. :-)

Tropical vegetables in Finland

2010-08-08T19:14:00.001-07:00

Early this year, I mailed some kang kong and chye sim seeds to my friend Amel who lives in Finland. The weather was too cold then, sometimes dipping below -35 degree celcius, to grow anything.

Now that it is summer, she finally sowed the vegetable seeds. Isn't it amazing to see tropical vegetables growing in Finland?

Kang kong.

Chye sim.

Progress

2010-08-06T00:43:00.001-07:00

If you're wondering if the two aquatic plants in my patio are still alive, I've got good and bad news for you. The bad news is, the beautiful fern-like one is almost dead. I doubt the crinkly brown leaves will ever turn green again. It looks like a gonner.

The good news is, the reddish one is thriving albeit losing it's red hue. The new leaves are green and large. Still, I'm happy to see it alive and well. (below)

The dandelion from Petunia has grown bigger too. While it is treated as a pesky weed in many countries, it's a rarity here in Singapore.

My heart leapt when I saw a bud. I'm expecting flowers!

Coleus is flowering!

2010-08-03T00:39:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at growing coleus, so I have completely no expectations. Its colourful leaves are already a nice addition to my otherwise green garden, now it's producing baby blue flowers too. Nice!

Winged bean surprise

2010-07-27T05:42:00.001-07:00

When I started volunteering at the school garden, most of the plants, even the cow grass, were dying due to the lack of rain for weeks. Only the trees, larger plants and a particular vine were surviving in the heat.

Due to the lack of support, the vine was growing out of control, into a big ball of tangled leaves, like a green tumbleweed. I thought it was the blue pea creeper (Clitoria ternatea).

In our cleaning up exercise, we removed the vine but the roots refused to budge. Soon, new leaves started to form again. Once the weather changed for the better (wetter), it grew even faster than ever, often strangling the new plants (tomato and lady's fingers) we had put in nearby.

When pastel lilac flowers appeared, I realised it could be the winged bean, a tropical legume that grows abundantly in hot, humid equatorial countries. I decided to wait and see if my intuition was right.

When I was at the school garden this evening, I snooped around and found this bean pod lying beneath the leaves. It appears to be a winged bean pod that had grown out of shape.

I found some new pods under the thick canopy of leaves. We need to build a support soon to ensure that the pods grow up nicely.

I have eaten this bean at the nasi padang stall. It is usually cooked in a spicy sambal sauce. According to Wiki, every part of the plant is edible, from the tender pods to the flowers (used for colouring rice), leaves and roots. Even the seeds can be made into a flour or coffee-like drink.

Looks like we have a valuable plant growing in our midst. I must get the kids to help build a trellis for this plant tomorrow.

Hot air

2010-07-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

This is the last bunch of flowers from the lipstick plant. Flowering season has stopped for now. The leaves seem to be turning yellow as well. I blame it on the hot and dry air blowing from the aircon compressor which my son had just installed to act as a chiller for his aquarium. I can't move the compressor, so I have moved my plant to another area in the patio.

I'm surprised the succulents are still doing fine. In fact, they're slowly outgrowing their home. I may have to remove some rocks and drift wood to make space. It's placed directly beneath the lipstick plant, so they're constantly showered with red confetti from above. They may like the hot air from the compressor. It's like a dessert environment.