Of foliage plants in the garden

Red Ti plants provide lively red tonal effects to overall green column of shrubbery and trees
Often times the Red Ti plant refers to the Cordyline terminalis 'Firebrand' . But this species Cordyline fruticosa have foliages in a variety of colour combinations
Location : Side Garden

 Looking at the garden this morning I'm excited to see the role of foliage plants.  They add much needed colour to the greenery of the Kambatik garden, besides bio-diversity.  The garden architecture from ground  floor to top storey or canopy can be imaginatively layered or planted with foliage plants.  These plants whether trees, shrubbery, climbers or  herbaceous covers are attractive for their colourful foliages in full tonal or mixed coloration.  Some require shade to do well  while others may not object to semi-shade or full sun conditions.  In today's list I am able to capture the following plants as they exhibit their full potential in the garden this morning.  The plant list are as follows:-
Trees - Blood Banana -  (Musa acuminata spp. zebrina); Sea Cycas - Cycas rumphiiShrubs - Red Ti  - Cordyline fruticosa or Cordyline terminalis (Syn.) ; Croton - Codiaeum variegatumCovers -Golden Scindapsus - Epipremnum aureum or Scindapsus aureus (Syn.); Golden Pandan - Pandanus pygmaeus

(Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link....>>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/11/of-foliage-plants-in-garden.html )

Tropical and lush greenery at the front garden

Yellow Palm, Carpentaria Palm and Red Sealing-wax Palm at the front garden

 The front garden is looking luxuriously tropical with its many varieties of palm trees.  Colour is provided by the Eugenia oleina tree, flowers of the Drunken Sailor, fruits of the Carpentaria palm and crown sheaths of the Red Sealing-wax palm.  The yellowish feather-like leaves of the Yellow Palm is also attractive in its on way.  Interestingly the Drunken Sailor has managed to hold on to the tall Carpentaria Palm.  Finally I think I have achieved what I wanted to create at the front garden.  A composition of luxury, evergreen and colourful nature to be enjoyed every day throughout the year.

Drunken Sailor (Quisqualis indica) scrambling over the Eugenia oleina tree

( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link ....>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/08/tropical-and-lush-greenery-at-front.html )

Looking beyond the Kambatik garden

Bringing nature outside the bedroom
View from main garden, looking west.  Note the mountin range in the far horizon.

Occasionally we need to re-focus our sight.  Beyond the Kambatik garden (Malaysian garden defined) I see the distant hills, with bluish green cover.  Further still the mountain range seemed a formidable soft barrier of blue.  The expanse of sky and open air beyond reminds me of nature's kindness, giving life and hope in an encompassing universe that needs to be conserved for the future generation.  It prompts to ask 'What have you done to your country, if you say you love your country?'  Closer to home, I see the football fields and the green open spaces of the neighbourhood.  There are trees that adorn the streets and the fields.  It is a connected world.  The Kambatik home garden is but a tiny sanctuary in urban green lung.  The prime idea however is its role in the passageway of nature's big corridor of wildlife and the plant kingdoms we needed most to be alive and kicking.  We need to build home gardens to provide transit and temporary home to some of nature's wildlife species as they travel and forage for food.  Without plants and wildlife human will naturally die.  With nature humans prosper.  Do a Kambatik garden if you are a Sarawakian, and soon.  Very immediately you'll partake in nature's power and glory.  Look beyond the Kambatik garden!

Tidying up the garden

View of main side garden, looking west.

It has been a very healthy morning.  Been doing the grass cutting of the lawn.  One of the benefits of a good lawn when cut low is the by-product of the cutting operation  called clippings.  Here I re-cycle the clippings as mulch.  Nothing should go to waste.  It took me a good 30 minutes job to cut the grass with the mechanical bush cutter.  The clippings are swept with a rake and then placed around the bases of plants.  Only when I have excess clippings do I use them as burning material for burnt earth.  I am showing below the list of basic  equipments for this morning's grass cutting operation and garden maintenance works.  The list includes the bush cutter, rake, hoe, hand pruner, 'parang' (Malay to mean matchet),  basket, saw, ground chisel and safety spectacles or goggles.
( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link ...>>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/11/tidying-up-garden.html )

Outside looking in

Poui tree starting to flower - view towards house, looking north
Kambatik garden, Kuching

 It was magic when I stepped into the garden this morning.  Looking south from the car porch I saw columns of light mauve and pink washes.  The Poui tree (Tabebuia rosea or previously known as Tecoma pentaphylla ) has began to flower.  I am always excited to see this tree everywhere I travel around Sarawak.  This is because of an envelope I received from Singapore that contained the seeds of this tree and from which thousands more trees originated in Sarawak.  The link to the story is here   .  At this stage the tree is not yet in full flowering, probably in a day or so it will.  The large bell-shaped flowers may be white or pink  depending on the form.  'Tabebuaia rosea' when it is pink and 'Tabebuia alba' when white.  In any form the colours are pastel and impressionistic and touching to the soul because underneath the tree you can have party (picnic) and consume the beauty of nature and its enriching qualities. Try.

( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link ...>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/08/outside-looking-in.html )

How the years have gone by

Front garden - 2014, 16th August.

( Note:  For full story and images of the garden from 2008 - 2014, please follow this link...>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/08/how-years-have-gone-by.html )

Gardening workout

View of front side garden, looking south-west.
Taken on 6 August'14

One of the great fun of gardening is the exercise you get from doing some physical workout like cutting the grass, pruning leaves and branches, digging, sweeping the garden floor and burning the debris.  On this 49th trip to Kuching, we managed to clear a considerable portion of the garden.  One activity that is helpful in the clean-up is the burning of garden waste and debris for the preparation of burnt earth.  Burnt earth is a natural way to re-cycle garden waste to good use. A minimum two hours workout a day would be splendid for maintaining one's good health, something I treasure as we progress in life.

Belimbing fruits are starring

The Belimbing fruits are giving us the best surprise.  There were many ripe ones to be juiced or blended.  However, we prefer to eat them raw, freshly plucked from the garden.  The Kedondong tree is also bearing some fruits but not as plenty as the starfruit tree.  The Pinang palm (Areca catechu) is bearing its first batch of fruits.  This tree was brought over from Bintulu.  There were many flowers that paraded themselves in the garden and a few were brought in to the house for a simple floral arrangement.Ripe starfruit a plenty

( Note: This is a re-posting from my gardening blog.  For full story and images please follow this link ...>>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/08/the-belimbing-fruits-are-starring.html )

The Mango tree is fully harvested

At the side garden, the mango tree that bears hundreds of fruits are ready to be harvested.  I stripped the whole tree of fruits using a pole and a ladder.  I would bring most of them to Bintulu to be shared with family members and friends there.  Friends and relatives in Kuching have been given the fruits today.   It is the joy of sharing the mangoes that makes today meaningful and gratifying.  It is one of those moments in life when giving is done freely and heartily.

( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link...>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/06/the-mango-tree-is-fully-harvested.html )

A delicious looking tree

View of side garden, looking south west
The Mango tree bearing lots of ripening fruits

Fruits is the main topic on this 48th trip to Kuching.  The Mango tree is full of ripening fruits, bringing much joy and hearty conversation.  It's a gardeners's well-paid labour in kind.  In the Kambatik garden fruit trees are an integral part of the edible landscaping or 'Sara lanskap' in Malay.  There are more fruits to be harvested and they will appear in the next few posts.

( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link ....>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/06/a-delicious-looking-tree.html )

Colours in the limelight - Feb'14

Colours in the limelight...Red Ti (Cordyline terminalis)

On this trip to Kch, we found that the garden is gradually maturing.  The abundance of colours are a real treat to the eyes.  Here's a few views that showcase some of the great colours into the limelight. 

( Note:  This is a re-posting.  For the full story and images, please follow this link ...>>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/02/colours-in-limelight-feb14.html )