SECRET LIFE OF TREES AND PEACOCK PANSY

The Secret Life of Trees always gives me a pleasant surprise whenever I go there because there is always something flowering. The one shown here has beautiful white star-like flowers.

There are also pockets of green spaces here, such as the Discovery Garden area, where I have seen the Peacock Pansy. Sadly, I don't recall ever seeing the Blue Pansy in this garden yet.

SECRET LIFE OF TREES

This is a theme garden that I love because it has quite a few interesting trees here which I am still trying to learn.

This native Aralidium pinnatifidum tree (Family: Aralidaceae) with interesting pinnately-lobed leaves flowered recently. As observed from the photos, the inflorescence is a panicle with small creamy unisexual flowers.

I am certain that the next tree is an Ardisia (Family: Primulaceae) although I have yet to find out the specific epithet. The pendulous compound umbel inflorescence bears lovely fuchsia pink flowers that caught my attention from afar. How pretty they look! 

Anyway, under the APG III (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group) flowering plant classification system, the former Myrsinaceae is no longer recognized and it is now placed under the Primulaceae Family.

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.