Colourful Bracts

In Bintulu now. After spending a month in Kuching we miss the garden flowers here.  Thus early this morning I made cuttings of heliconias, alpinias and crotons.  They were a magnificient show.  Alpinias are ornamental gingers that like semi-shade and its roots love rich and moist soil conditions.  A favourite of mine is the Red Ginger ( Alpinia purpurata) due to its attractive red or scarlet bracts.  Today I saw one inflorescence with a number of plantlets from which I normally propagate the plant apart from the usual way of splitting the rhizomes from the mother plant to mutiply its numbers.

Then I noticed the new variety of heliconia which  I brought from Kuching a few months ago producing red and yellow bracts different from others in my collection so far.  I have yet to find the common name for this species ( see below).

Today I attempt to make a composition in three stages as illustrated below.

Arrangement # 141  ( in 3 stages)

After adding three varieties of heliconias to the single red ginger I find the display lacking in accent.  Thus I added the multi-coloured, variegated, curled and twisted leaves of the croton.

I am settled for this simple composition and glasly name it .... Brilliant Bracts.

Hot on Heels

It was an interesting afternoon just now. I walked through my collection of heliconias at the Heliconia Valley area at my eco-farm here in Bintulu. The red hot 'lobster claws' (Heliconia stricta) sent an appealing look I couldn't resist. I had planted many varieties of heliconias here and many have established and attuned themselves to the environment that they are able to provide me with dozens of colourful bracts on daily basis. A respectful tropical garden should now have at least 10 species due to the fact that most varieties are easily obtainable from many nurseries or flower markets in Sarawak. The good point about the Heliconia stricta is that it has a long shelf-life. Secondly being heliconias they attract wildlife like the humming birds or the sun birds which sip their nectar or eat their tiny fruits.

Arrangement # 135

Today I was very occupied with work on my nexart exhibition. The strong colours of the Heliconia strictas stimulated me to express my eagerness and determination to make the show a success . I've less than 27 weeks to do so. In quick successive steps I plucked and make cuttings of the Red Hibiscus ( Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Red Ginger ( Alpinia purpurata),Parrot Flower( Heliconia psittacorum) and lastly the striking Heliconia 'Sassy Pink'. My mind ran so fast that before I finished the composition, the title just kept on flashing my grey matter....Hot on Heels.

Red Ginger, Red Ti and Heliconias

Arrangement # 133

Having arrived Bintulu safely after a ten hours journey from Kuching by road on the 3rd of March, I felt inspired to do a little composition to indicate the free abundance of red colours in our garden today. From a clump of red ginger ( Alpinia purpurata) I cut a stalk of brilliant red terminal bracts arranged like a parasol. Next on the list were the heliconias, particularly the heliconia stricta with four emerging red lobster claw-like bracts and the orangy red heliconia latispatha with its characteristic green tips. To hold them firm in the glass vase I sandwitched the pastel red young leaves of the Cordyline terminalis or Red Ti and two variegated wild banana leaves ( Musa Hirta) . Since the materials were close at hand it took me less than 15 minutes to finish the composition. Fully satisfied, I call this arrangement....Welcome Back.

Parrot flower, Firebrand and Red Ginger

What would you do if your eyes are feasted by the young leaves of Red Ti ( Cordyline terminalis) and the superb yellow and light pink bracts of the Parrot flower ( Heliconia psittacorum) ? Amazed, I quickly run my thoughts on a composition that could display such vibrancy yet simple to compose.

First I fold up the Red Ti leaves ( sometimes referred to as 'Firebrand') and plunge them into the vase. Four of these fitted in just nicely into the small squarish glass vase. Next I inserted a long stalk of the Parrot flower and firmed it upright. I thought for a simple composition that would do. Some would pronounce it as minimalist. Less is more. However to add to today's glowing show I threw in the terminal infloresences of a Red Ginger ( Alpinia purpurata ) plant that grew nearby.

Arrangement # 132

My feelings swung upbeat. Yes, it is confirmed now that Red Ti leaves are a staple for the kambatik style floral arrangement. But they must be essentially young to exhibit its vibrant and luminous red colours. For today's composition , the blood in me says.....Call Me Hot.

A Vibrant New Year

Arrangement # 130

The general theme of today's show is red, produced by the somewhat vibrant reddish colours of the heliconia bracts and the fiery red ginger. Added as well is the yellow bract of heliconia 'lobster claw'. I find now that the very young leaves of the Red Ti ( cordyline terminalis) to be a useful if not a definitive foliage for tropical cut flowers. How I treat the heliconia sassy pink is easy these days. Its long pendulous inflorescences can just be coiled and sunk into the glass vase.
For a vibrant show, I call the above composition... A Vibrant New Year.

White Sails of the Spathiphyllum

On returning home to Bintulu last Friday, I noticed the spathiphyllum'Mauna Loa' by my back door showed two inflorescences. Spathiphyllum can be found in tropical America though there are certain species that are native to Malaysia. Sometimes called the 'Peace Lily'or 'White Sails',  it has very glossy dark green leaves.

Arrangement #

For today's composition I had the spathiphyllum, hybrid cannas and the fiery red ginger join the crowd.
Lastly, for scents I added in a spray of white ginger lily. Glad to have arrived Bintulu after an 11 hours journey on Friday evening, I dedicate this composition to....Happy to be back, Bintulu.

Red Ginger, Red Ti , Sassy Pink and Seven Golden Candlesticks

Arrangement # 121

I like the glow of the Red Ginger,

The attractive leaf of Red Ti,

Orange bracts of Seven Candlesticks,

The pink of Sassy Heliconia,

Together in a posy,

With ripe colours of rambutan,

And the hot spicy chilli.

I name today's composition... Warm Feeling.

In the Company of Heliconias et.al

Arrangement # 114

Is it something about the rain, that today I saw lots of blooms in the garden? This cold and wet November is something to be thankful , for the leaves and flowers seem to be flourishing in the garden today.

The showy bracts of heliconias are there forever stealing my attention. I collected just three samples of the parrot flowers ( heliconia psittacorum) in shades of golden yellow, bright orange and pastel red. Then I strolled for some stronger colours. Two blooms caught me stunned. One a fiery red ginger ( alpinia purpurata) and the climbing oleander ( strophantus gratus) with its pale rosy purple tint flowers.

Without much ado I placed all of them in a tall glass vase and had the long pendulous pink bracts of the heliconia 'sassy pink' twist around the strongly coloured company of heliconias,ginger and climbing oleander.

Rounding off this presentation I am glad to name it....Circle Game.

Red Ti, Golden net bush, Red Ginger and Parrot Flower

Arrangement # 109

I am still not over with my experiments using the Red Ti ( cordyline terminalis) leaves. Here I fold them and held in place with the aid of staples. When placed in a glass you can see them clearly and glowing.

Three of these leaves, slighly bent gives the impression of open arms. Into the open embrace I plunge in the parrot flowers ( helionia pssitacorum), a Red Ginger terminal spike and the yellowish young leaves of the golden net bush.

The warm exuberance of this presentation makes me call this composition...Warm Embrace.

Red Ginger, Bleeding Hearts and Red Ti

Arrangement # 108

I thought I have successfully utilise the beauty of the red ti ( cordyline terminalis) leaves in the above display.

For one thing,the leaves when wrapped around the flower stems or stalks of the red ginger ( alpinia purpurata) and the bleeding hearts (  clerodendrum thomsonae) makes the presentation neat especially through the transparent glass container or vase.

Secondly, the top end section of the sword-like leaves when bent add an interesting feature and artistry to the show.

Here the bleeding hearts flowers, the just recently plucked ones appearing more whitish than the slightly aged ones in mild red colours, breaks the symmetry of the display in a refreshing sort of way.

The height of the compositon is achieved by the exotic tiered formation of the red ginger's petals which I think provides much zest and appeal to the whole show.

All the Reds, please stand up!.....for that's the title of today's composition.

Red Ginger, Pink Canna and Red Ti for a Start

Fiery Start - in 2 versions

Arrangement # 101

It has been a month and two days since I did my last posting.  The main reason or excuse I guess was that I had spent the Hari Raya holiday this year in Kuching . The Hari Raya started on the 1st of October.

The problem after I get back to Bintulu was to get rolling on with blogging daily cut flowers.

Well, today I am over with the holidays and back to normal self.

Arrangement # 102

Walking around the garden I found that the canna hybrid I brought from Kuching from my last trip had flowered.  I decided to make it the top choice for today's arrangement. To add more turbo , more twin power to the display I added the fiery red ginger. Finally to keep the theme red I inserted the red leaves of the Red Ti ( Cordyline terminalis).

For having finally starting the daily cut flowers again after a month lapse, I call the above composition...Fiery Red Start.

The spiders and the gingerly hot

Arrangement # 94

Three blooms of the spider lily ( Hymenocaullis caribaea), two flower spikes of the red ginger ( Alpinia purpurata) and a variegated cordyline species make today's presentation.

Today's composition combines red hot energy of the scarlet ginger and the subtle freshness of the spider lily. Thus would like to call this composition....Just as hot.

P.S.The inspiration was this encounter below:

Have spiders perched on these evergreen leaves? These spider lily blooms show their delicate spider-like petals. Spider lilies should be cut and placed inside the living room because they ooze out a softly sweet fragrance. Time taken: 5.30 pm, the U- turn about to reach my farm, Laman Kambatik, Bintulu.

Lovers at Heart

Arrangement # 92

Red is the colour of my true love's heart.  Wonderfully wild and passionate . Red as in the vibrant colours of the cordyline terminalis often times referred as Red Ti in Hawaii and elsewhere called as 'firebrand'.

Our hearts are plunged into the well of passionate desires and longing.  Of loving and craving.

When our hearts are entwined as lovers do, we felt no pain. 

Only hope that such a moment will come and never end.

No regrets. I call today's poetic presentation...Lovers at Heart.

Ebony, Scarlet and Sassy Senoritas

Arrangement # 91

The exotic bracts of calathea and heliconia sassy pink are joined by the fiery hot scarlet ginger ( Alpinia purpurata).

To provide interest and as conversational piece I  lay down the pendulous stem of the sassy pink on the calathea leaf place mat.  This kind of flower arrangement should last for a week as a table decoration. In many writings I do come across mention of heliconia sassy pink as 'sexy pink'. Between these two I still do not know the authoritative name. Either way both'sassy' and 'sexy' sound well and good. What about calling the above composition....S.S. ....to mean Sexy Senoritas ?