K I S S

Arrangement # 129

This is my first posting for the new year. My theme today is K I S S. Keep it simple, yet stylish.

One of the many plants species that grow abundantly over at my eco-farm here in Bintulu is the fragrant screwpine ( Pandanus odorus) which has a scent much sought after by big industries. The species of fragrant screwpine's extract are used for aroma in flavouring cakes, syrup, biscuits, bread etc. It is also used to flavour rice like in chicken rice. Here I used the aromatic leaves for structure .

To match its fragrance I chose the heady scented white ginger lily ( hedychium coronarium). Its soft satiny white petals provides a striking contrast against the pandan fresh green leaves.

That's it. It's so simple, I call this composition... K I S S .

White Ginger and 'Sepenuh'

Arrangement # 128

For a rapid composition try a cutting of the 'sepenuh' (eurycycles amboirensis ) with white ginger ( hedychium coroncarium) .

It is so....SLEEK.

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.

Eurycycles amboirensis(Li) & Hedychium coronarium

When I arrived Kuching on the 1st of this month, I have observed that the plants at the front portion of our garden were growing luxuriantly. Two species that stole my eyes were the white ginger lily ( Hedychium coronarium) and the 'Bunga Sepenuh' ( Eurcycles amboirensis ) as shown in the foreground of the picture below.

I love the Bunga Sepenuh for its broad heart- shaped leaves. I plant them close and let them form into an understorey. However the best part of planting this species is the waiting game for its flowers. Below I capture 4 days of successive flowering.

On the fourth day I decided to cut it for today's floral display.

Well, next to this Sepenuh plant is the white ginger lily with its satiny white colours and typical butterfly-like petals.

Impressed by the white and green colours of the flowers as well at their leaves, I decided to do a composition in white & green. I placed the display against a piece of Kelantanese 'songket' cloth.

Arrangement # 126

Simply said....A Composition in White and Green.

Red Hibiscus, White Ginger and Wild Banana

Arrangement # 99

It's the Queen of the tropical flowers. The red hibiscus ( Hibiscus rosa- sinensis) is Malaysia's national flower. I saw them a plenty at my garden this afternoon. Besides the red variety I came across too the light orange variety, that is two tiered with one smaller bloom hanging down from the bigger flower like a Japanese lantern. The latter variety has a dark red tinge colouring at its core.

Hibiscus do not release any fragrance. But no worry. I plucked a stalk of the white ginger ( Hedychium coronarium) and more stalks of the white gardenia flowers ( Gardenia jasminoides variegated) to add a lure of scent to the presentation.

Finally I am thinking of making the display look tropical. Therefore I took the variegated wild banana leaves to provide the exoticness to the presentation and placed them in a Sarawak flower vase. This vase has the native Iban design carved on it.  As a signature to the presentation, I let the vase sit on a young coconut frond. That's it, the tropical look is there. Imagine swaying coconut leaves, distant shores ( of course beaches too) and nature in abundance. A perfect tropical getaway.

The Queen of tropical flowers now casts an impressive display of tropical sight seeing, a romance under the tropical skies and Oh! what I call ...ATropical Galore.

A Passion to Die For

Arrangement # 98

First things first. The white caladium was just outside my front door in all its glorious white colour.  It is no wonder that sometimes people refer to it as Angel's Wings (Caladium bicolor). It's large white leaves have green veins radiating from the center. I thought for once to display just white colours, white leaves and white flowers.  Therefore I got hold of the satiny flowers of the white ginger ( Hedychium coronarium) next.  But as I reflected upon it, what are the white corpuscles without its red blood companion? Thus enter the Red Ti ( cordyline terminalis)  leaves to make passion reverberate in my veins . I realised all to soon that the passions must not be too extreme. A slight moderation would be better for my heart. Again I make way for the sassy pink bracts and the orangy heliconia latispatha bracts to weave their way into the presentation.

A pure white and blood red composition I thought would be well remembered in the title...

A Passion to Die For.

Bamboo Culm Compositions - 4

In earlier compositions I used only one bamboo culm. In the ensuing compositions, I will add another to make a company. In the example below the lily, ginger lily and caladium hybrid support the heliconia psittacorum which forms the top storey in the display.

Arrangement # 83

By adding another taller piece of bamboo culm, I have provided height to the arrangement. The cascading heliconia sassy pink suggests movement and drama to the show. For the drama in our life and our living is but a stage in time, I call this composition...A Theatretical Display.

Pink Canna Hybrid, Hibiscus and White Ginger

Arrangement # 71

I have not been able to get any reasonable good show of blooms yesterday( 19/8) .Thus was unable to post an arrangement.  However I seemed to be lucky this morning.  My waiting game for the stalk of pink canna hybrid and white ginger to come out of their buds and flower paid me handsomely today.With the pink flowers of canna and the red hibiscus in one hand and the white ginger on the other, my mind was working in quick mode.

In a vase of water they go and ooops in split second an arrangement was done. With a good day to remember ( 20.08.2008) and an effortless composition, I call this display...Lucky Me

Delightful Sarawak

Arrangement # 64

Waking up early to a Saturday morning, less rain, I felt somewhat elated.  Saw the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics 2008 last night live on RTM 1. What a dazzling show it was. The moment I stepped out of the front door the heady sweet scent of a white ginger blossom ( Hedychium coronarium ) pricked my senses.
This particular bloom was next to a clump of wild bananas that are at present flowering and fruiting too.  A unique combination of events that I thought would be the subject of today's arrangement.
Moving around the garden I saw a small stalk of golden eranthemum ( Pseuderanthemum reticulatum ) in partial bloom.  These two blooms would make it to the table today.
I placed the two blooms and a couple of young variegated wild banana leaves into a mini 'tambuk'.  At the background I placed a favourite batik painting of mine which shows an Iban design motif. For a unique mixture of sorts, I name this composition....Delightful Sarawak.

Fragrant Lady

I consider myself lucky today to have stumbled upon this fragrant White Ginger beauty ( Hedychium coronarium ) as I started to start  my daily inspection routine. The one above is just ten meters behind my chalet and without further ado I brought it in to have its scent perfume  the living room.  Observe the green flower spike from which popped out ten white satiny blooms.  Its lush green leaves are charateristic of the species which is prevalent from India right to the South East Asian region , and therefore native even to places like Bintulu. They love semi-shade conditions and rich peaty soil. 

Arrangement # 47

I have endeavoured firstly to make a simple presentation, clean and simple.  Just a flower spike of ten blooms, a heliconia inflorescence with its outer bracts removed and a few petals of yellow allamanda in a glass filled with water to make the blooms last till tonight . Indeed the White Ginger fragrance can last for at least one full day and night long.  Who needs room refresher?  Upon further reflection I feel that something is missing. This first display looks kind of simple , yet elegant. So I call this display simply...White Fragrance. 

Arrangement # 48

I quickly rushed out to get two broad leaves , in order to accentuate the broad-petalled flowers of the hedychium and its deep green flower spike. Some people also name this plant Ginger Lily, probably on account of it being an excellent cut flower.  Anyway, I feel I have achieved what I thought has been missing in the first display. With another stalk of heliconia added the impression of slender dance-like fingers of a young lady is achieved.  By the way, the fragrance is heady strong even while I am typing this post. This White Ginger must be the sweetest of all.  It would be unthinkable if I don't name this composition...Fragrant  Lady.