ORCHIDS

These orchids were in bloom recently.

Grammatophhyllum speciosum (Tiger Orchid)

Bulbophyllum vaginatum

BRUGMANSIA & BULBOPHYLLUM

This is really what's left of my Brugmansia and I don't dare to take anymore cuttings for now. The shrub is still weak although it flowered a few days ago to my delight and I love the scent of the flower everytime I passed by the area. If only it produces seeds then I can propagate it sexually.

As for my Bulbophyllum, it is really kind of neglected but I was still glad it put out a sprig if flowers the other day. 

HORTPARK 2

Today's weather - sunny

It is always such a a joy to visit HortPark and sometimes they bring back so many fond memories.


I love this native climber Tetracera indica that I planted at the Irrigation Pond area to conceal the manhole behind it.


The Clerodendrum quadriloculare across the Hands-on-House decided to show its beautiful pink tubular flowers that earn it the deserving common name Starburst Bush.


Over at the Prototype Glasshouse, the attention seeking Impatiens walleriana cultivars and the Tibouchina cultivar were wooing me with its amazingly beautiful flowers.


Then at the Golden Garden, I saw for the first time the unknown red flower Bulbophyllum in bloom. Since planting it, I have never seen it flower and I was definitely secretly excited by the excellent growth exhibited by the orchid on the Rain Tree fork. I hope they don't prune it away someday.


Just beside the Fruited Vegetables Garden, a clump of Strongylodon macrobotrys (common name: Jade Vine, Emerald Vine) flowers were hidden amongst the dense leaves covering the shelter.


Further up at the Floral Stitches, a sun lizard was so well camouflaged against the trunk of the tree that I almost missed it.


The unknown Terminalia was also fruiting for the umpteen time. As someone pointed out, the winged fruits reminded her of the plastic balls commonly used in washing machines to prevent the clothes from tangling together. Instead of having two glands on the underside of its leaves, typical of Terminalia trees, there is only one small gland on this one.


At the former Arbor Garden was a small bed of Lobelia chinensis, which I grew in waterlogged areas in the Car Park Garden in the past and which I have not seen in recent times.

NATIVE GARDEN - PART 2

In the Native Garden, other than theBulbophyllum vaginatum, they have also grown other native orchids such as the Liparis. Another interesting small tree with beautiful small purple flowers and pink fruits Memecylon caeruleum was planted along the trail. This is a beauty that should be introduced more in our parks and roadsides since we are all into planting native plants now to maintain our natural heritage.

Then, there was the Cynometra ramiflora (common name: Katong Laut; Family: Fabaceae / Leguminosae) tree with pinkish new leaf flushes like the handkerchief trees. How many people actually know that this is the Katong tree? The small stream was almost completely blocked by vegetation but at the lower end is another highlight for me. The pond is home to a few species of native fishes, which I saw at the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital pond too, such as the Harlequin Rasbora and Two-Spot Gourami. I am not sure if the fish with the white spot on its head is the Mosquito Fish though.

As for butterflies, there was the Mottled Emigrant and the elusive Peacock Pansy. If not for its bright orange colour, I would have missed the latter although there were a few of them flitting around. It was a challenge chasing after it to get its photos and I couldn't help but kept staring at the beautiful spots on its wings. After a while, the two spots on its hindwings appear to me as eyes. How interesting! I guess it uses this decoy to frighten off bigger predators.