I don't know about other people but planting, especially planting of some really huge trees or beautiful plants, is therapeutic for me. I get a sense of euphoria when I am very happy with the outcome of my planting. Even when I first typed euphoria, I typed it as Euphorbia, which is a generic epithet of plants from the Family Euphorbiaceae.
So this is my documentation of the planting works I did at the Fragile Forest (FF). Some of the trees planted and transplanted were:
- Cerbera odollam
- Pentaspoden motleyi
- Shorea glauca
- Dipterocarpus species
- Kompassia excelsa
- Dracontomelon dao
- Memecylon caeruleum
- Garcinia species and cowa
- Kopsia flavida
- Dillenia excelsa
- Sygyzium gratum
- Shorea siamensis
It was so spectacular to see the Kopsia flavida leaves turned a vibrant red just days after the transplanting. The transplanting shock must have cut off the supply of nitrogen to the older leaves, which were translocated to the younger leaves, before they are shed to reduce transpiration.
There were many more trees and palms that I planted but this would come in a later post. Since seeing the few majestic Syzygium gratum trees in the nursery, I would often dream or envision planting it up in a grove at this specific location of the FF. This was my own miniature version of the famous Californian Red Woods, which I have never visited by the way. I may sound deluded but it is like a window to another world for me.
So when the planting was carried out, I told myself I have to capture the photos of this magical and monumental planting moment to remind myself of the simple but wonderful joys of my work. I am sure this exhilarating feeling of seeing a dream come true and alive right before our eyes is something that all passionate horticulturists can attest to. And for days on end, I couldn't help but gush to my colleagues about this beautiful grove of trees which would be seen by all who drives into or out of the FF car park. I think the view from the coach buses would be amazing.
There is still some work to be done here and I just need to embellish it further but I am proud of what I achieved thus far at this small and forgotten part of the garden.
Alright, the title is a bit generic but sometimes I am too lazy to think of a better description.
The first two photos show an unusual silver-leaved Barleria. Next is a rather unique variegated Scaevola taccada (common name: Beach Cabbage, Sea Lettuce).
On the trunks of the various Dipterocarpus trees were also clumps of the Dendrobium crumenatum (common name: Pigeon Orchid). Too bad the orchids were not flowering at the time when the photos were taken.
At another side of the nursery were several Euclinia longiflora (synonym: Randia macrantha; common name: Tree Gardenia), where some were in bloom and the numerous pendulous flowers.
Whenever I am at the state lands, I would look past the immediate greenery and find beautiful, architectural stands of the Albizzia falcarata in the background. Their sinewy and weak branching makes it an unsuitable roadside tree. Even when they are dead, the tree crown is also quite artistic.
Finally, I came across this native Cerbera odollam (common name: Pong Pong), where the main trunk meandered across the ground to create a very unique photographic opportunity for photographers. The arching branch reminds me of a similar trunked Tembusu tree on the Singapore $5 dollars note. Well, this former tree already has its location pre-selected and would not be used in the area where I am currently planting up.
