09 August 2012

CLOUD FOREST

Hugging the entrance of the Cloud Forest is a tapestry of assorted plants made up of ferns, orchids, flowering and foliage plants. And it is always a pleasure to see the flowering Neomarica gracilis (common name: Apostle's Iris; Family: Iridaceae), which like the N. longifolia is a walking Iris.

Inside the Cloud Forest are planted with a range of unusual, uncommon or rare plants to create a man-made tropical montane forest. The beautiful Tree Ferns, Magnolia and Slipper Orchid varieties all add to the allure of this picturesque landscape. Small polygonal windows at the Secret Garden frame unique views from which one can see a miniature slice of the landscape beyond the walls, thus creating an element of mystery and secrecy.