a PLANTS TOUR around my Small Garden, anyone?

Hi Dear Visitors,

It has been a while. Well, if you do miss my plants and wonder how they are doing, or are simply curious what I am growing in my small garden right here and right now, why not join me here for an afternoon of Plants Tour?

*********************

WELCOME TO MY SMALL GARDEN! Grab yourself, a glass of cold, refreshing drink and follow me on. Imagine yourself stepping into my small garden, soothing breeze caressing your face instantly, under the powerful, afternoon sun.

Now, THE TOUR officially begins ...

Let us start with the planters of EDIBLES ...

1. This Aloe vera plant is looking especially happy and strong. Look at the few babies it has given birth to! I think I have to start finding babysitter(s) for them soon. Because this very pot planter is only good one plant and I want the mother to stay!

2. These Okinawan Spinach or Sambung Nyawa Ungu ( Gynura bicolor ) plants are happily shying away from the sun next to this compost bin. Or so they seem to me. What do you think?

3. So are their ( The Gynuras' ) neighbours, the Daun Kaduk ( Piper sarmentosum ) plants.

4. It looks like this Cat's Whiskers ( Orthosiphon aristatus ) plant has suffered a lot from those big, fat snails continuous attacks. ( Oh, Lord Snails, please, would you feed on something else and spare this poor, little plant, its life? )

5. Here is one of the many self-seeded Madeira Vine ( Anredera cordifolia ) seedlings which I have transplanted into a pot planter. Let us hope it would grow into a happy, strong vine here!

6. These Red Mulberry ( Morus rubra ) cuttings which a kind neighbour had given me the other day are doing alright. As you can see here, two of them have already started to send out new leaves. Let us hope they would grow up happily!

7. This Kafir Lime ( Citrus hystrix ), though has yet to bear its first fruit, is doing especially well. It is now taller than my eight feet high fence! Great, do you not think so?

8. This Coconut Palm ( Cococ nucifera ) seedling ( the same type as the one I had given to Big Sis some time back ) which I had recently rescued from the dump ( a second one after Big Sis's ), is doing alright in this big pot planter that was previously planted with that forever sick and pest-infested Chilli ( Capsicum annuum ) plant which I had finally given up hope on not long ago. ( Yay! My dream of having one Coconut palm tree in my own garden is finally realised! )

9. These Daun Kurma Merah or Hong Tian Wu or Sessile Joyweed ( Alternanthera sessilis ) plants are such easy to grow plants. There are some more on the long, ground level planter. So many of them now. I must ask my friend who gave me the cuttings how she consumes them. ( Not sure if I dare to consume something I have never even heard people ever consume before. )

10. This White Bitter Gourd ( Momordica charantia ) vine is looking rather sad these days. It used to be a happy plant with lots of flowers ( only male ones though ). These days, it only blooms once in a while. Maybe its life is going to end soon? Oh, but let us hope not! As I love to purposely brush through its leaves whenever I am in the garden. They never fail to send out fresh, bitter sweet scent that is just too heavenly to ignore! Come, can you smell them?

11. These Spearmint ( Mentha spicata ) plants are doing quite well in this small pot planter. I have two pots of the same. They are such easy to grow plants. I have many a time harvested and enjoyed them in soups. 

12. The ten Ginger ( Zingiber officinale ) plants that I have are all doing just alright. Not too good. Just alright. Here is one of them. 

13. These Mugwort ( Artemisia vulgaris ) plants are doing especially well. They are known to grow like weeds. Very fast. I think before long, they would conquer the whole of this long, ground level planter area. But I hope not. For I just need a bit of them for my egg omelette each time.

14. As usual, these Thai Basil ( Ocimum basilicum ) plants are doing especially well. Lots of them again now! Anyone want any?

15. This Curry Leaf Tree ( Murraya koenigii ) is doing very well too. How it has grown from a fragile, little seedling months back!

16. These Blue Pea ( Clitoria ternatea ) vine and 17. Red Stem Malabar Ceylon Spinach ( Basella alba ) vine ( it is at the bottom right in the picture just in case you cannot spot it ) are happily sharing this same pot. Sometimes, sharing is good, I think!

and FINALLY, let us end this Edibles Tour with ....

18. these newly-planted Sweet Potato ( Ipomoea batatas ) and 19. Tapioca ( Manihot esculenta ) stem cuttings. Can you see that they have all successfully sent out new leaves? Again, such easy plants they are!

So everyone, how have you enjoyed the Edibles Tour just now? Shall we move on? Now, come on, if you are ready!

Next, here, we have the ORNAMENTALS ...

1. These two are my newly-transplanted Betel-nut ( Areca Catechu ) palm seedlings. They are not doing too well now. Probably because of transplant shock? But I believe they will be alright soon. Or so I hope.

2. You are so fortunate to see this! My first ever pretty, wild, multi-coloured Lantana ( Lantana camara ) bloom! Finally, after months of planting, it decides to bloom! I am totally besotted with it! 

3. As usual, these Periwinkle ( Vinca rosea ) plants never disappoint me. They are flowering all the time. Love them much! 

4. This is my pink Air Mata Pengantin or Bride's Tears or Chain of Love or Coral Vine or Mexican Creeper ( Antigonon leptopus ) vine. So happy it decides to bloom again! Looks like there will be more clusters of flowers this time! Yay!

5. Here is Mum's best-loved plant, Golden Trumpet or Common Trumpet Vine or Yellow Allamanda ( Allamanda cathartica ). Such an easy-flowering plant! Sending out lots of charming yellow trumpets everyday!

6. Usually, there are plenty but today, there is only one precious one in bloom on this White Butterfly Pea ( Clitoria Ternatea ) vine. Possibly the rest are camera-shy knowing in advance I plan to capture them in pictures on this very day?!

7. My dear Frangipani ( Plumeria rubra ) tree ... ( Sigh ) Looks like she decides to go on and on with its leafing retreat. ( Oh, when are you going to show us your sweet-scented blooms again? )

and finally, here it is. the last for today's Ornamentals Tour ...

8. My Jasmine ( Jasminum sambac ) plant ... Grown from a single stem cutting some time back. It is now a rather big plant already. Hopefully it will surprise me with a bloom or two soon. Wish me luck!

ALL FOR NOW! Hope you have enjoyed today's TOUR! BYE!