Bowl of Creepers

Sunday morning ( 6 June) is normally a day of rest for me. But somehow this morning I feel energetic and would not waste the cool and cloudy early morning hours whiling away my time. I therefore decided to clear some woody climbers around the chalet that have become unruly and out of control. Two climbers became my target. First, the Bignonia ( Bignonia magnifica) which has mauve- pink flowers that are bell - shape. I had them planted over the bird's aviary which is located by the southern side of my chalet. It is a vigorous climber. The flowers are large and showy, but wilt immediately if plucked. This remains my morning challenge. How to keep them good all day?.

Next, the Maiden's Jealousy ( Tristellateia australasiae) which has just started to establish itself on a wooden pole nest to the huge yellow bamboo clump. The Maiden's Jealousy is a slender climber and thus very suitable for chain link fence, pergolas or trellis. Its small yellow flowers are arranged in pyramidal sprays. I love them because they are free flowering and regularly producing big yellow masses of colour

The mauve-pink colours of the Bignona are very compelling to me and always seems to catch my attention. I was thinking, how do you put interest into them ? First mauve- pink is close to purple in colour and the next thing I think of purple is ' purple heart'. Then , again yellow as in the 'Maiden's Jealousy' invoke the very strong emotions of jealousy. What if you combine the two emotions? How could they become interesting? Water always add interest, I thought. Why not mix them in water?. Without much ado, I immediately set my foot indoors to look for a bowl that could sufficiently accommodate a few petals of Bignonia and Maiden's Jealousy and Jasmine . Below is how it turned out to be. This view taken from top, shows a frangipani flower added for that special interest and symmetry and also to magnify the small white flowers of the Jasmine. Thirdly, the frangipani provides a lively contrast to the whole composition and a lot more fragrant.

Arangement#26

Below is the bowl in its first stage with the Bignonia flowers floating in it. This alone is already a finished piece,I thought. However on second thought, it may appear too plain. Therefore I decided to add other flowers at make a contrast of colours interesting.

Bignonias are believed to be originated from Colombia, but grows very well here too because we enjoy the same tropical climate and lots of sunny days. ..I name the completed piece... Bowl of Creepers.

Happy, Happier, Happiest

Remember that old rustic, ancient and seasoned stump like my 'Levi's' jeans kind of look? It has the tiny bird's nest fern in it already planted about a year ago. Today I add the brown bracts to it. I am kind of happy with it.


Then I can't stop admiring the beauty of the tristellateia flowers which are blossoming in great quantities in my garden right now. Therefore I added them to the composition. Now I am a lot more happier..

Then, of course the orangish bracts of the parrot flower ( heliconia psittacorum) which is just a step away from where I was doing the arrangement never seem to give up drawing my attention to her. Thus, she find her way somewhere in the middle of the stump where a tiny hole kept it in stable position. Now I think I am happiest with this arrangement.

Glad to name this composition.....Happy, Happier, Happiest.

Arrangement#25

Fascinating Ferns

Last week when I was doing a lot of underbrushing works at the Vegetation Island No.1 , I came across at least three samples of bird's nest fern that were attached to the tree trunks or branches. This morning while walking around the garden I encountered an old stump that was 'planted' with bird's nest fern probably a year ago. When I remove it from its hideout, I saw the rugged look of the stump, like my old pair of Levi's jeans. There is a certain appeal in being rustic and seasoned, especially by age and in we human, by experience. I thought I will make ferns as my central theme today.

Arrangement#22
In the above arrangement, I had the heliconia' sassy pink' bracts ( not fully opened yet) to emphasise the uniqueness of the wooden stump. The pink -red colours of the bleeding heart is supposed to keep the harmony between the pink colour of the heliconia and the metallic, rustic and brown colour of the wood. The small bird's nest is the center of attraction.... now, I call this arrangement...Rustic Love.

Arrangement#23

The general colour tones and hues of the above arrangement is yellow. The yellow tones of the plant varieties like the two bracts of the heliconia yellow 'parrot flower' and the fine flowers of Tristellateia at the level of the bird's nest fern suggests sunshine in one's life, gaiety, happiness, like having a pound of gold at today's prices. Therefore I would like to name the composition...Golden Happiness.

Evening Gold

Arrangement#21

I came late from Bintulu town this afternoon to make good some problems with my notebook computer and hand phone N93i with the service provider ( CELCOM) . Around 5.00 pm the problems were solved. Thus when I arrived at the farm it was late afternoon and the yellow and orange rays of the evening sun began to set in. That gave me an instant hint.

Today I am going to make an arrangement using yellow as the central theme. I moved around quickly through the garden and noticed the glossy yellowish - greenish leaves of the Golden Eranthemum (Pseuderanthemum reticulatum) and a mass of tiny yellow flowers of the Tristellateia ( Tristellateiaa australasiae). Having got the material for the main menu, I next collected materials for the side orders like, the fronds of the bird's nest fern and a leaf of heliconia with its young red bracts.The red colour of the bracts would finally make the icing to the cake. Thus the title of today's composition.....Evening Gold.