NYCTANTHES ARBOR-TRISTIS (VARIEGATED)

The variegated Nyctanthes was flowering recently and I couldn't help it but took one of the flowers and inverted it to show the orange corolla tube against the white petals. The arrangement of the petals remind me of the Pinwheel Flower (Scientific Name: Tabernaemontana species; Family: Apocynaceae).

BUTTERFLIES

There are 3 species of native butterflies highlighted in this post. I have not talked or posted about them for a long time now.

The first is the Plain Tiger on the flower of the Tabernaemontana. The second is the interesting Tawny Coster that is often found in wastelands. We do have the weedy climber host plant Passiflora foetida found in certain parts of the garden and the Bidens alba provides the nectar for its butterflies. Finally, the caterpillars of the Mottled Emigrant are abundantly found on the host plant Senna alata planted at several spots in the garden.

HOUSE PLANTS

I am really backdated when it comes to the postings. I have to clear all these before I can post anything more recent.

These are some of the plants that I bought more than a month ago from Ang Mo Kio Flora. They are as follows:

1st - Begonia (with red leaf undersides)
2nd - variegated Clerodendrum quadriloculare
3rd - variegated Pisonia alba
4th - variegated Tabernaemontana

Yes, one of the highlights is Ang Mo Kio Flora specializes on some variegated plants.

PLANT DECORATION

I did a plant decoration recently and I was kind of pleased with some of my plant selection given the limited range of plants available - Hyphaene coriacea, dwarf Tabernaemontana, Alcantarea. 


Initially, I was excited to try something different with a cool silvery purple themed decor and dreamt about it the night before. But I ended up adding crotons for more colour. 70% of the arrangement was my doing but I found the overall design too pinkish to my liking and I didn't like the foreground arrangement with bromeliads, which I think did not make a good border, is too heavy and overdone. I added some Pleiocarpa mutica along the sides as fillers and I am glad I did that. Too bad the flowers didn't smell fantastic on that night.


I had quite a bit of battle scars on my forearms - reddish marks caused by the bromeliad thorns, to show for it.


NB on 9 Aug 11: What I thought was the Hyphaene is actually Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera.

SILVER GARDEN

We refer to this first shrub as the Buddleia asiatica (synonym: Buddleja asiatica; common name: Butterfly Bush; Family: Scrophulariaceae) but after checking through various online references, I am quite sure this is not the correct name.

It sure looks like a Buddleia with its characteristic inflorescence and fragrant flowers, but this species is supposedly the largest of the Buddleias. Anyway, a link on the plant is shown below:

http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pages/buddleia_asiatica.htm

Other interesting species in the Silver Garden are the Tabernaemontana corymbosa and its cultivar shown in the last photo.

GOLDEN GARDEN

These are all plants in the Golden Garden.

I was told by my colleague that this variegated tree that I did not wish to prune is actually a Terminalia and not a Tabernaemontana, as initially thought, and I think he is absolutely right!

Fortunately, they heeded my advice earlier and allowed it to grow and now, looking at the top 3 photos, we think it is a Terminalia foetidissima (variegated) from the palmate leaves. But we can only confirmed it after it flowers and fruits.

I don't think I have posted about the commonly planted Galphimia glauca (synonym: Thryallis glauca; common name: Golden Thryallis, Gold Shower, Rain of Gold) from the Malphighiaceae Family before, so here are 2 photos of it. The links are attached here:

1. http://www.floridata.com/ref/g/galp_gla.cfm
2. http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Malpighiaceae/Galphimia_glauca.html
3. http://www.beautanicals.com.au/galphimia.html

There is this variegated yellowish-green leaves shrub that we bought overseas and which I planted in the garden for its foliage. So far, it has not flowered, so I can only guess it to be a Graptophyllum and wait for the flowers.

The last 2 photos are of the actual Tabernaemontana corymbosa (variegated). Upon closer inspection, the leaf arrangement is indeed different from the Terminalia mentioned above.

TABERNAEMONTANA (VARIEGATED)

I posted about this plant before and these are the beautiful double-petaled white flowers. I like the way the multi-fold petals curl around like an elegant white dress. Unfortunately, the flowers are only very mildly fragrant.

TABERNAEMONTANA (VARIEGATED)

I simply love this variegated Tabernaemontana from the Apocynaceae Family, although I couldn't tell whether it is a T. corymbosa (common name: Flower of Love) or T. divaricata.

I love this plant because the variegated white foliage maintains its colour despite being grown under light shade etc although it may not flower well. Anyway, some other synonyms of T. corymbosa include Pagiantha peninsularis and Ervatamia corymbosa.

Some links are attached below:

1. http://toptropicals.com/html/toptropicals/catalog/photo_db/T.htm?NumPerPage=53&NumPerLine=4&listonly=0&first=159
2. http://www.wellgrowhorti.com/page/landscapeplants/ShrubImageList/Shrub%20Images%20T.htm
3. https://drill.securenet-server.net/~robert1/cart/product_info.php?cPath=156_189_162&products_id=1604
4. http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Apocynaceae/Tabernaemontana_corymbosa.html

TABERNAEMONTANA DICHOTOMA

These are close-up views of the floral buds and flowers of the Tabernaemontana dichotoma tree. It is interesting how the bud tips are orange and open up to reveal the underlying white pinwheel petals.

WHITE

This trio combination is beautiful in terms of its contrasting texture, form and height.

There is the Tabernaemontana (dwarf form) on the left, the Pogonantherum paniceum 'Variegata' (Variegated Miniature Bamboo, Baby Panda Bamboo) and the broad leaf aroid Xanthosoma atroviridis 'Variegatum Monstrosum' in the center.

FLECKER GARDENS

The rain got heavier when we left the ABS for Flecker Gardens.

The Flecker Gardens is just part of the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Due to time constraints, we could only visit this garden.

The tropical garden was very lush and focus their display on colours and variety in terms of foliage patterns and contrast. I was particularly drawn to the Begonia, Episcia, Calathea etc.

The beautiful Colocasia esculenta leaf collected the nice beads of water droplets towards its center. The lilac-flower with water droplets is that of a Dianella ensifolia. An interesting tree was the one with orangey curved fruits, that reminds one of chilis. In fact, they were the fruits of the Pinwheel Flower (Tabernaemontana species) although I had no idea what species it belonged to? The fruit after that which reminds one of durians is that of an unripe Corkscrew Pandan (Pandanus tectorius). Lastly, the tree with the purple flowers is the Kapok, Silk Floss Tree or Floss Silk Tree (Ceiba speciosa, or formerly known by its synonym Chorisia speciosa).