I was pleasantly surprised to find this Hypolimnas bolina bolina (Common Name: Great Eggfly) at the Fruits and Flowers garden this morning. The host name is supposedly the Sweet Potato plant (Scientific Name: Ipomoea batatas; Family: Convolvulaceae).
Today is a great day!
Darling, I am sorry I have to let you down and let you go. I noticed that you have been unhappy but you are not the problem. You have been excellent and have given me lots of excitement and joy when we were together. The problem lies with me. I just don't think I have the house and the means to provide for you anymore. I realized this recently and think I have found you a better place to be.
Just like the many others before you, you are the old one and I have found another new one who is better, who can probably give me more happiness than you. Let me introduce you Strophanthus preussii to Ipomoea tricolor from Mexico, who has taken over your place in my plant container. Before you were Quisqualis indica, Mirabilis jalapa, Lonicera, and you were all my favourites at some point. Sadly, all of you were very demanding in your nutrient needs and my miserable plant container could not sustain you in a healthy condition. You were often showing symptoms of nutrient deficiency that I could not correct, so I have to transplant you somewhere where I think you will have all the space and nutrients necessary to grow optimally, just like the one I grew in HortPark that climbed at least 6 m up the Parinari corymbosa (synonym: Maranthes corymbosa; Family: Chrysobalanaceae) tree.
On a separate note, let me introduce another new member of my plant collection the variegated Gynura aurantiaca (common name: Purple Passion Plant, Purple Velvet Plant; Family: Asteraceae/Compositae) from Java. This is not the first time I have this plant and I simply love this plant for its velvety purple colour and texture and serrated leaves. It's amazingly beautiful and I definitely hope it survives this time.
Today's weather - sunny
These are flowers taken at the Chinese Garden. The first is the Sterculia monosperma (Common Name: Chinese Chestnut, Seven Sister's Fruit; Family: Sterculiaceae) with the beautiful cluster of pink flowers.
The second are the red flowers of the Ipomoea horsfalliae (Common Name: Cardinal Creeper, Lady Doorly's Morning Glory; Family: Convolvulaceae).
This photo is taken for the benefit of someone who commented on the rarity of seeing this plant nowadays.
So here it is, a photo of this beautiful climbing weed, with short-lived purple trumpet flowers and palmate leaves, taken at the undeveloped site between Bay East and the Marina Barrage.
In fact, this is the first plant species that I propagated when I was young. I literally took a cutting of it from my primary school and stuck it into the soil from one of my mother's potted plants and viola, it grew into a new plant. That was also when I learnt that the ephemeral flowers only last a day before it shrivel into a small inconspicuous mass that is best forgotten. Sadly, I guess part of the reason why this Ipomoea cairica is not a popular ornamental plant is because the leaves are a perfect nest bed for mealy bugs.
I was shown these photos. Yes, these are real double-petaled flowers of the Ipomoea, or more commonly known as Morning Glory. I have also wondered when I would see a double-petaled Petunia?
Some of these are common while others are uncommon but they are all beautiful:
1st photo - Cassia fistula
2nd - 3rd photos - Rothmannia longiflora (synonym: Randia longiflora, Randia maculata)
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Randia_longiflora.htm
4th photo - Dalbergia oliveri
5th - 9th photos - Ipomoea cairica
10th photo - island, Super Trees and Flower Dome
11th - 14th - Cerbera (red leaves)
These are some of the other interesting plants and animals at Bishan Park:
1st & 2nd photos - Ipomoea triloba
3rd, 6th & 9th photos - Merremia peltata
4th & 5th photos - dragonfly
7th, 8th & 10th photos - Typha angustifolia
15th & 16th photos - Alternanthera sessilis 'Red' (common name: Red Sessile Joyweed, Red Carpet Weed; Family: Amaranthaceae)
18th & 19th photos - Monochoria vaginalis
21st - 23rd photos - I keep forgetting the name of this plant. It came to me some time ago but I forgot the name again. NB on 18 May 11: Ah, it is known as Limnocharis flava (common name: Water Cabbage).
