LANDSCAPE PLANTS

Tecoma stans

Landscaping is a very personal thing because everyone has their own preferences, likes and dislikes. What appeals to one may not appeal to others.

The interesting thing about landscaping is no two individual designs and landscapes are similar, because of the vast palette of plants available to choose from, unless it is a deliberate attempt to duplicate it. Different species and cultivars also have different growth habits and conditions, so it makes a landscape even more personal especially if the owner is involved in picking out the plants for the garden.

Here is a range of flowering and foliage shrubs that I recently recommended for planting although big trees and palms were not included.

Close up of Tecoma stans flowers.

 

Galphimia glauca

Close up of Galphimia flowers

Cuphea hyssopifolia

Close up of Cuphea flowers

Sanchezia nobilis

Caladium bicolor

Codiaeum variegatum

Carphalea kirondron

Close up of Carphalea flowers

Melastoma malabathricum

Justicia brandegeeana

Ocimum basilicum

Aglaonema cultivar

Alpinia purpurata

Xiphidium caeruleum

Asystasia gangetica cultivar

Stachytarpheta cultivar

Nymphaea cutlivar

Arachnothryx leucophylla

Tibouchina cultivar

Xanthostemon cultivar

AGLAONEMA 'SIAM AURORA'

I saw this beautiful pot of Aglaonema against a beautiful mirror on the way to the washroom and took these two photos.

NEW PURCHASES

These were my recent purchases. The first was an interesting plant that I have never seen before. They told me it is a Philodendron but I am doubtful.

Yes, I bought the Plumbago zeylanica since it was so cheap at $4.90 and got it planted it my planter trough. Just yesterday, I finally removed and discarded the lovely Pink Petunia that was badly infested with another case mealy bugs. It was growing over the parapet but I had no choice but to clear it. Now there is void in that planter. Maybe I should try the Calibrachoa next.

I also got myself another light-coloured slightly wavy-leaved Aglaonema to brighten up the shady corridor. I actually haven't seen this one around the nurseries, so it could be a new introduction.

Finally, there was the pink Pelargonium hortorum cultivar which I removed yesterday because it rotted right up from the base. When I bought it, there was already a slight rot from the top but the stems eventually turned all black. Hmmm, I know it is hard to grow it in our climate but I was just trying it.

KHOO TECK PUAT HOSPITAL - POND

Once again, I had to break up the postings on KTPH. In this post, I am trying to show some of the plants that were planted in the pond; plants that were seemingly non-aquatic plants.

The 2nd photo shows the Musa ornata (common name: Bronze Banana) in a black polybag soaking in the water at the edge. The 3rd shows the Musa sumatrana (common name: Blood Banana) and the 4th and 5th show the Anthurium andraeanum (common name: Flamingo Lily). Then there was also the Algaonema nitidum.

The 6th photo is on the Curcuma or Canna (I think) and the 7th a palm. The 8th and 9th photos are the Costus and Heliconia. The common thing here is they were all displaying pale green leaves, which is a symptom of nutrient deficiency, likely brought about by its growth in hydroculture. This is something to consider when growing plants in water where one cannot afford to fertilize the water heavily, especially when there is aquatic fauna.

Yes, there is no mistake here. Even such non-aquatic plants can be acclimatised to be grown in hydroculture.