CERBERA (UNKNOWN)

I was told this is a Cerbera tree from Indonesia. But after googling it, I couldn't find anything on this tree.

Nevertheless, this is a relatively fast growing tree with pretty fuchsia pink flowers. However, I found it difficult to capture photos of the pristine flowers. Those that I saw are often blotched with brown spots.

To me, the reddish-white floral buds and its sepals look promising and are what makes this plant more attractive.

UNKNOWN

I am not good with tree species identification. This was yet another unknown tree that was planted at the Car Park Garden.

Previously, we were given the name Stereospermum but from checks online, they don't tally.

IPOMOEA QUAMOCLIT

I remember posting about the Cypress Vine before. After some months, the small red flowers are out in full force again.

So for those who wants the seeds for germination, this is the best time for harvesting and collection!

FLACOURITA INERMIS

These are the fruits of the Plum-of-Martinique (Flacourtia inermis). I love to see trees that produce clusters of such round reddish fruits because they are so strikingly beautiful from afar and when viewed close-up.

Their reddish fruits are edible and taste better than the sour green ones.

The second photo shows the less conspicuous small flowers whilst the third shows the orangey new leaf flushes that are food to the Leopard Butterfly caterpillars.

TORENIA HYBRIDA

There was an entire bed outside the Prototype Glass House planted with the Moon Series Torenia hybrida 'Yellow Moon' with yellow petals and purple corolla.

Frankly, this bed has always been an attraction and inspiration to me with its interesting array of annual plants e.g. Verbena, and I always look forward to the next display.

Anyway, more information on this series of Torenia hybrida can be found in the link below:

http://www.danziger.co.il/index.php?goto=bep&page_from=1007

It is interesting how its pair of stamens are held up like an arch to frame the deeply coloured tubular corolla.

VARIEGATED TABERNAEMONTANA

This is one beautiful variegated leaved form of the double-petaled Tabernaemontana plant. The flower looks so pure and the blotchy yellowish-green variegated leaves is uncommon.

CONTRAST

There are two sets of contrasting elements here.

1. The green leaves towards the top left versus the whitish leaves near the bottom right and
2. the clear and focussed leaves in the background and the out-of-focus Common Rose on the pink Rondeletia leucophylla flower in the foreground.

COMBO

This combination of Clematis aristata, Spathoglottis cultivar and Vinca rosea cultivars in the wooden troughs looked fantastic.

ASYSTASIA INTRUSA

The Asystasia intrusa (common name: Common Asystasia) from the Acanthaceae Family is a low groundcover but is not always very free-flowering, even when grown under full sun conditions.

Once in a while, it puts out beautiful pink or purplish flowers. These ones were beaten by the heavy rain and the flowers were bowing their heads in defeat.

FICUS AURICULATA

This is one of the more beautiful big-leaved fig trees with a low spreading form. Also known by its synonym Ficus roxburghii (Elephant Ear Fig Tree, Giant Indian Fig), the new leaf flushes start off as reddish-orange in colour, then gradually turn a light lime to medium green as it ages.

The naturally shiny leaves are so textural in colour and feel that the tree never fails to steal the limelight from other smaller plants around it.

Apparently, it can grow rather big and the fruits it produce are edible and interestingly patterned. A link is attached below:

http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Ficus_auriculata.htm

AGERATUM CONYZOIDES

This blue flower plant (common name: Blue Billygoat Weed, Chick Weed, Goatweed) from the Asteraceae Family is a common garden weed. But I still like to keep them in flowerbeds.

The ornamental cultivars and varieties are definitely much more showy with their compact but bigger flowers.

HYDROCULTURE

Candy Floriculture Pte Ltd was selling these plants in hydroculture or growing in water. Even the carnivorous Sarracenia, the north american pitcher plant, looked good!

SINGAPORE GARDEN FESTIVAL 10 - ORCHIDS

These were just some of the beautiful orchids on display during SGF 10. The last one was on sale at Woon Leng although I didn't know its name.

Did anyone lose their slippers during the show? There were plenty of them around. For those who knows me, they would know I adore Slipper Orchids in general. How I wish I could grow them.

If I remember correctly, the white flower Habenaria medusae was one of the winners in the competition in the last show in 2008. I guess it is not easy to grow it too? I personally prefer the other pinkish orangey Habenaria rhodocheila which is sometimes on sale at Far East Flora. A photo taken from the web is attached after H. medusae. The flowers resemble small figurines.

The clusters of white flowers is the white form of the Dendrobium bracteosum. It's cool, isn't it?

PISONIA ALBA

This is another favourite small tree of mine too with its large yellow leaves.

I love the normal variety but this variegated version at the Home Garden is absolutely gorgeous.

There is another variegated version at Floral Walk but the variegation is more subtle and may not be obvious unless one looks at it closely in detail.

EUCALYPTUS

I posted about the grafted Eucalyptus 'Summer Red' in an earlier post.

The flowers are posted here. As it turned out, they looked the same as the Eucalyptus ptychocarpa to me and are not red at all. But they do remind me of sea anemones.

AMESIODENDRON CHINENSE

Amongst the trees with coloured leaves, I have to say this is one of my favourite trees in recent years. It never fails to grab my attention with its colourful new leaf flushes in a nice round crown.

It is from the Sapindaceae Family and originates from China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia.

The leaves are small and serrated and the branches give the tree a 'feathered' look that mesmerizes me all the time.

There were a few of them planted within HortPark and this one at the Water Garden is always in the limelight because of its strategic location and I am proud of it. From the driveway entering HortPark and from the pond at the Water Garden, no one would fail to notice it.