 Festive Temperate Flowers for the Lunar New Year (Green Culture Society)
Check out this extensive and colorful article on the range of flowering temperate shrubs popularly used as plant deco during the Lunar New Year. [more]
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The Lipstick Flowers of Sabah & Sarawak, Malaysia (Gardenwise)
Lipstick Flower is the common name often given to some members of the mainly epiphytic genera Aeschynanthus and Agalmyla in the family Gesneriaceae. The name was originally applied to Aeschynanthus pulcher from Java, because the flower buds emerging from the cylindrical calyx tube look like ladies' lipsticks. [more] |
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Christmas in the Tropics…Why not ?
(Garden Voices)
When we think of plants associated with Christmas, the first images that spring up will be that of the typical Christmas pine trees, decorated to the finest details. Now, I’m just wondering … can one steer away from the norm ? Perhaps not ! Not that there’s anything wrong with the tradition. Still, we can always use other common plants that thrive in our local climate and are widely available from the nurseries. [more] |
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Make yourself a Tillandsia X'mas Tree
(Green Culture Society)
Pine trees are indispensible festive décor plants for Christmas. Without doubt, decorating a tree with twinkling Christmas lights and colourful ornaments is often an enjoyable experience for all in the family. Some individuals may find pine trees too common. For those of you who want to have a different kind of tree this season, why not consider putting up a Tillandsia Christmas tree ? [more] |
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How Do You Recognize an Orchid ? (Garden Voices)
When we mentioned the term ‘orchid’, many of us would conjure a stereotypical image of a flower looking like Vanda 'Miss Joaquim’ or Arachnis 'Maggie Oei’ or Phalaenopsis, the ‘Moth Orchid’ or an Antelope Dendrobium. In the wild, however, most of the orchids are not inclined towards these horticultural molds and many of us may be surprised with a plant looking nothing like the usual breeds being one. [more] |
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Butterfly Survey in Ubin (Ubin Tides)
Butterflies play an important role in the ecology of Ubin. Their large numbers translate into a vital food source for many predators and their flower pollinating role results in the production of fruits, on which many other animals are dependent on. [more]
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Macaranga and Me (Garden Voices)
Do you recall the walks that you took in the Nature Reserves of Singapore and at times along the roadsides, you will find ‘Ribena Berry’-shaped leaves? [more]
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Buah Keluak (Garden Voices)
This is the most amazing plant that I know of. Its fruits are so poisonous and yet they are eaten as delicacies from Southeast Asia to the Pacific Islands. [more]
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Grow the Arrowhead this Chinese New Year (Green Culture Society)
Chinese New Year is around the corner and arrowheads will once again make their appearance in the vegetable vendor's basket. The bulb-like corms of the arrowhead, which serve as an underground storage organ for the plant, are usually imported from China for the festive season. [more]
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Cultivation of Carnivorous Plants in Singapore (Green Culture Society)
Carnivorous plants (CPs, in short) have never failed to arouse interest in plant growers. Even the most faithful orchid or tilllansia grower would take a second look at the Venus Flytrap at least. Over the past ten years, there is an increasing number of carnivorous plants growers (a.k.a CPers) in Singapore. [more]
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Addicted to Seeds (Gardenwise)
I started gathering sea beans on the beach and pretty seeds from all over the world. When displayed in a large bowl, everybody would admire them and invariably ask, “There are so pretty. What are they?” [more]
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Sweet and Sour, the Lovely Gelugor (Gardenwise)
Asam Gelugor (asam meaning sour or a sour relish and gelugor, the name of the tree) is found wild from the Malay Peninsula to Thailand and Myanmar. Matured fruits are harvested before they are fully ripe and sliced longitudinally. [...] The slices when are widely used as a souring agent in spicy dishes. [more]
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Vegetable Growing Using Raised Beds
(Green Culture Singapore)
Clay, the most prevalent soil type in Singapore's built environment, is a nightmare to any urban vegetable gardener. [...] To make vegetable and herb gardening in water-logged and suffocating clayey soils easier and more rewarding, the best way to go about it is to construct raised beds. [more]
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Unclassical Names (Gardenwise)
For historical reasons, the names of plant species are generally derived from Latin or Ancient Greek (Europe’s other classical language). However, while publication of all new plant species must include a brief description in Latin, it is not compulsory for the names used to be classical. Asian languages have provided the roots for the names of many plant species. Malay, Singapore’s national language, is represented ... [more]
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Learn to Classify Heliconias (Garden Voices)
Bold, flashy and attention-seeking. From hot pink to forest green, lemon yellow to shades of burgundy dark as night, the inflorescence of Heliconia command attention the same way a stop sign demands of motorists. [more]
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Plants for your hair: Henna & Co. (Garden Wise)
Currently, the commonest use of words related to botany is in advertising for hair care products. Almost any plant imaginable is touted as the magic ingredient of shampoos, condtioners or other potions guaranteed to result in beautiful hair. 'Botanical' has become a keyword for copywriters. [more]
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Passion in the Gardens (Gardenwise)
Passion-flowers, likewise passion-fruits, are members of the genus Passiflora. The passion in either the vernacular or botanical names refers not to any actual or supposed influence of the flowers or the fruits on human emotions, but to the passion or crucifixion of Jesus Christ. [more]
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Dispersal by H2O (Wetlands)
Walking along the beach especially after high tide can be a learning experience if you were to ponder upon what the eye can spot—fruits, seeds and even seedlings adrift amongst the flotsam and jetsam. Have you ever wondered: "Has this been going on for millions of years?" "Where did this living assortment come from?" and "How did they arrive?" [more]
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How to Make Your Own Self-Watering Pot
(Green Culture Singapore)
Are you too busy with your life that you have no time to water your plants? Some of us give up gardening altogether but others who still want some greeneries at home may have resorted to using commercial hydroculture kits, self-watering pots or wicking systems to help us keep our plants hydrated. [more] |
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Durian Hantu (Garden Voices)
Have you ever encountered the blood red durian? It is a durian for connoisseurs ... [more]
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