My Garden Haven...A Fine Romance

Ushering in the Year of The Water Dragon

2012-02-03T16:35:00.004+08:00

My garden has a new look to usher in the new Lunar year. It is the year of the Water Dragon, and my fish pond has a fresh new look, as the water element plays a prominent role, I think, this year. No, I'm no Feng Shui expert, I'm just showing off my pond which has had a spring cleaning!

The bed of mixed perennials which I had last year has now been replaced with a long, wavy flower bed reminiscent of the curves of the dragon, winding its way from the Eastern wall at the entrance, towards the pond! Now that sounds quite professional, but that's just my imagination at work.

It is a good time in my garden, with the bright yellow, orange, lilac and mauve of other blooms adding to the festive cheer!

The reds were putting on a show, too!

And the canna lilies were just so obliging, turning up in all colours! Each time a new colour blooms, I feel like giving the flower a huge hug.

On my patio, the flowers were bursting with a joyful, springtime spirit!

And the view from my sunroom, mostly mellow...

with some brilliant accents!

Inside the sun room, some vandas make their presence felt.

More blooms to flaunt when I post another feature of my garden all dolled up for the festivities.
But a peep at my grapes in the backyard...they've nicely ripened, for the new year. Sigh...

my garden haven

malaise's relief,soul's music

rapture to my heart

Linking to:

Outdoor Wednesday
Watery Wednesday
Share The Joy Thursday
Skywatch Friday
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Poetry Picnic
Poets Rally
Haiku My Heart

Fertilizer Friday

Macro Friday

Weekend Flowers

Macro Flowers Saturday

Today's Flowers

Macro Monday

Mosaic Monday

Weekend Reflections
Haiku Heights
Scenic Sunday
Shadow Shot

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A Photography Field Trip in Melaka

2012-01-05T22:26:00.002+08:00

While out on a field trip recently during a photography workshop on "Aperture", I took the opportunity to shoot more than just photos with a small depth of field, though that was what most of us were more interested to do to show off our skills. For someone like me who has been relying so much on Intelligent Auto, this course was an eye-opener, so to speak. I actually gained some confidence in using the manual functions of my camera. It is indeed necessary for me to make a resolution not to rely on all things 'auto'. I need to give my brain something to work on!

resolve to learn all
scour the scale from rusty brain
till mind shines brightly

It was a fun field trip as we went to the public garden of the Town Council Complex. The marigold-celosia-periwinkle combination worked well in the garden design they had there.

Here are some of my favourite shallow depth of field shots...

These shots with a greater depth of field, using smaller aperture settings allow us to see the photo in focus from the foreground, all the way to the horizon. See, I was paying attention. Don't ask me about shutter speed, though. Haven't learned that yet.

These other photos sort of came out crazy...definitely not to be assessed as assignment photos. Some were focused on the background, some did not have any focus at all and many were out of focus! Despite all that, I sort of like them.

And some of the shots turned out great after some tweaks!

we travel so far

when what we seek is so near

homespun silk seems coarse

Linking to:

Outdoor Wednesday
Watery Wednesday
Share The Joy Thursday
Skywatch Friday
Sensational Haiku Wednesday (Prompt : Resolve)
Poetry Picnic (Week 20)
Poets Rally (Week 59)
Haiku My Heart

Fertilizer Friday

Macro Friday

Weekend Flowers

Macro Flowers Saturday

Today's Flowers

Macro Monday

Mosaic Monday

Weekend Reflections
Haiku Heights (Prompt: Travel)
Scenic Sunday
Shadow Shot

My dancing hibiscus

2011-12-16T17:27:00.004+08:00

I've been collecting hibiscus (mainly the double variety) and have a number of different colours. The double variety appeals to me not only because they are bigger, and fabulously showy, but also because they are great as subjects for photography. Their petals appear to have motion...and the flower seems to be doing a dance routine each time I get close to them with my camera.

This one is decidedly showy!

See what I mean...this one just won't keep still...she is swaying to the music of a waltz.

A Viennese Waltz!

This ballerina has just done a pirouette and is about to take a bow.

The single hibiscus is more sedate, this one is looking down in a pensive mood.

This one is looking up, as if posing for a glamour shot.

Pure and demure...

Here's a double in action, wings spread out, ready to cha cha cha!

I like this rhumba posture, don't you?

This is a flamenco, hot and fiery!

Smokin' hot colours of the samba!

She's dressed for dancing, but could she be a wallflower after all?

memories of a shy dancer
(a tanka form)
shy dancer looks down
twists the programme in her hands
music fills her soul
longs to step onto the floor
some one asks her, she shrinks back

alone by the wall
heart pounding to the rhythm
feet crossed, motionless
night creeps on midst revelry
trapped in bubble, she breaks free

(Haiku for Sensational Haiku Wednesday)
time of timid youth
fettered by painful reserve
prepare to blossom

Linking to:
GBBD

Share the Joy Thursday

Fertilizer Friday

Macro Friday

Weekend Flowers

Macro Flowers Saturday

Today's Flowers

Macro Monday

Mosaic Monday

Poets Rally (Week 58)

Poetry Picnic (Nostalgia, Memories)

Sensational Haiku Wednesday (Prompt- Preparation )

A Sour-grape Story... Part 2

2011-12-09T23:38:00.003+08:00

For those who might have read my post on my grapevine, oh, I don't mean that figurative grapevine, I mean literally a vine with grapes growing on them, entitled, "The Sweetest of Gardens" you might be interested to know that, that said grapevine has, after being uprooted from my garden and transplanted in my backyard, finally flowered and fruited, after a year's inactivity. This is indeed something to shout about, as I had almost given up on the vine, and only occasionally fed it. I hardly looked to check if it was flowering. So it was the sweetest surprise when someone visiting my backyard pointed out the grapes...there were five bunches! They were not the big, luscious variety you might get at the supermarket, but nonetheless, they were the finest-looking grapes in my neighbourhood. I'm not bragging, it is a fact. Of course, I have to admit though, that no one else plants grapes in my tropical neighbourhood.

Take a look at my tropical grapes:

Perfect in all its imperfection. Having battled against the odds of unsuitable climate, environment and soil...all wrong for it to survive, survive it did, and bore fruit!

Some of the bunches look a tad weather- beaten, but I have no doubt, the worst is over for them. They are certainly bigger than they were before I transplanted the vine. Now all that's left for them to do is...to ripen into dark red grapes.

Oh, and one more thing...they have to do their best to try to be sweeter than they were before. As I had explained in the first of the grape posts, this vine produced really sour grapes. Mind you, they had a wonderful burgundy colour when ripe, but they were perfectly...sour!

A haiku to pay tribute to my vine is in order:

Ode to Sour Grapes

triumph over malice

covert mysteries of vine

sour grapes turn sweet

So, here they are, reigning over the other fruit trees in my backyard. The other plants seem to be either hibernating, or sulking about being over-shadowed by the grape-vine. I really should turn my attention to the passion fruit vines (passiflora edulis) which require pruning and pampering, the mulberry bushes have not produced berries at all, the kumquat bushes are all leaves, and the list goes on.

As for now, I shall dream on, in anticipation of the day when my sour grapes turn sweet.

Life

it might not be

a bed of roses

a bowl of cherries

but

life is what you make of it

and

if you can make lemonade

when

life throws you lemons

then

I can make sweet wine

out of

my sour grapes

they say

make hay while the sun shines

and

look for the silver lining

which

you can find in every cloud

I say

I'll take that bowl of cherries

and

live and laugh at it all

Rosie Gan

Dec 2011

Linking to:
Share the Joy Thursday
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Today's Flowers
Macro Monday
Mosaic Monday
Poets Rally
Poetry Picnic
Haiku Heights(Prompt-covert)
Sensational Haiku Wednesday (Prompt-malice )

Under Paris Skies

2011-12-03T00:36:00.003+08:00

"Stranger, beware
there's love in the air
under Paris skies..."

These are the words that romantically played in my mind as Paris unfolded before me. Would I fall in love with Paris in springtime?

I fell in love ! Who wouldn't...the gardens were all abloom and so I gave my heart willingly.

My photographs of Paris included many shots taken as we explored the streets and the Seine riverside on our own, without a guide. We passed some lovely public gardens which we didn't know the names of. Then there were the pretty flower shops with their roses on display outside the shops. These are my charming encounters with French gardens and flowers which my photographs serve to remind me of...

Paris in Springtime

Accidental

a series of accidents

one event leading to another

one word sparks an action

then reaction leads one on a tangent

life's best left to its own directions

for didn't it lead me here to you?

a gathering of momentum

in the absence of intention

devoid of planning or conscious contrivance

did i know we would meet in spring

in a place filled with new beginnings

stirring new and joyous feelings?

the air seems crispier than it should be

the atmosphere charged with electricity

the colours are brighter than they would be

in a place where I'm not destined to be

isn't this a time when it is perfect for me

to fall tumbling in love with you...

Paris; my enchanting, sentimental indulgence !

Linking to:
Share the Joy Thursday
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Today's Flowers
Macro Monday
Mosaic Monday

W4W
Poets Rally

Exotic Beauties of the Flowering World

2011-10-28T01:11:00.003+08:00

How could anyone not love orchids? I can't resist them. A look at them, and my heart melts. I'm not surprised that the orchid plant is often referred to as the "Queen of the realm of plants". It really looks regal to me, I must say, and the flowers are definitely queenly, demanding our utmost respect. Some orchids are princess-like, needing to be coddled and given the attention that princesses require!

Orchids are...
graceful

exotic

and delicate.

Orchids symbolize ...

luxury

strength

love

perfection

rare beauty

refinement

wisdom

magnificence

affection

virility

thoughtfulness

charm

and splendour.

From what I have read pertaining to the meaning and symbolism attached to orchids, the person who gives a gift of orchids is expressing not only his love, but also his respect for the girl of his dreams. His choice of orchids also speaks of his admiration and he is paying the recipient the highest form of compliment, I feel, when he buys her orchids. Orchids are also universally recognized as the perfect conveyor of the message of love and thoughtfulness.

If you want to see more orchids like the ones above, click here, and you'll be transported to the garden where all these blooms were photographed.

Nature's Messenger of Love

give her your heart

express your sincere regard

orchids speak of love

cattleya's thoughtful charm

will bring her to your arms

to reciprocate your love

send her purple orchids galore

this says her rare beauty you adore

that's how you captivate your love

shower her with orchids exotic

bewitch her with its delicate mystique

then you'll be worthy of her love

(For Thursday Poets Rally and Poetry Picnic)

sponge in the wonder

thank nature for she creates

orchids in the breeze

(For Haiku Heights and Haiku My Heart)

Linking to:

Share the Joy Thursday
Thursday Poets Rally (Week 55)
Poetry Picnic
Haiku Heights
Haiku My Heart
Weekend Flowers
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Macro Flowers Saturday
Today's Flowers
Macro Monday
Mosaic Monday

Paradise for Orchid Lovers

2011-10-14T15:23:00.003+08:00

The Orchid Garden in Kuching, Sarawak in East Malaysia is well maintained, and a stroll in this garden is delightful. The varieties they have here are mind boggling, so I'm not even attempting to ID all the orchids. Some of the orchid beds have tags, but most are deemed identifiable, I guess, but not to a novice like me. If you happen to see any that you are familiar with, do share your knowledge in the comment box, won't you?

I can't possibly put all my photographs in one post, as there are too many, so for today's post, I shall....well, I shall just give you an overview of the garden and present some close-ups.

This public garden is located right in the city of Kuching, just adjacent to the Astana (Palace).From the city centre, we can see the Palace across the Sarawak River and what is quite unusual for me but which is common to those who live in this land of many rivers, is that we have to catch a boat to ferry us across that river. The price of the ride? A mere fifty cents! Here's our boatman!

There's the Palace.

We have to walk past the Palace gates to get to the Orchid Garden.

Here it is, The Orchid Garden!

From inside the garden, we can see another landmark of Kuching, the State Legislative building.

vigour resonates

vibrant and strong in your youth

song of orchids trill

(Haiku Heights - prompt : vibrant)

the perfume of you

drifts in my sublimal dreams

rare, mystic orchid

(For Sensational Haiku Wednesday - prompt: rare)

For Tootsie

rain falls

on tired orchids

petals curl up in storm

unbeaten they unfold again

sun shines

Cinquain for Poery Picnic

and

Thursday Poets Rally

Linking to:

Haiku Heights

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Thursday Poets' Rally(Week 54)

Haiku My Heart

Poetry Picnic

Share The Joy Thursday

Fertilizer Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Friday
Today's Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

Bringing you Bromeliads from Borneo

2011-10-07T14:22:00.002+08:00

Hi, I'm back from my short break. I was in Sarawak on the island of Borneo, and did I have a break! In the span of one week, I had enough excitement and unforgettable encounters with the flora and fauna of Sarawak to fill many, many posts in my garden blog as well as my travel blog.

I shall begin with the domestic flora encounters in the safe environment of the Orchid Garden of Kuching City first of all, and then proceed to the more exciting varieties of the flora of the mangrove swamps in my later posts.

The Orchid Garden in Kuching had displays of fabulous orchids, of course, but there were unexpected surprises in store too. The bromeliads which were part of the side attraction were wonderfully breath-taking too. I am not familiar with the varieties there, so this post is not one with plant profiles, but I'm relying on the showy flowers to speak for themselves.

striking, love her flair

spectacular, but beware

her prickly thorns stab

(for Sensational Haiku Wednesday)

how impossible

to fathom capricious fate

meandering leaf

(Haiku Heights: prompt - Impossible)

Linking to:

Haiku Heights

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Thursday Poets' Rally

Haiku My Heart

Share The Joy Thursday

Fertilizer Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Friday
Today's Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday

I'm taking a break... a coffee break!

2011-09-29T22:44:00.000+08:00

Coffee Camaraderie

Sitting alone at the patio table

sipping peace to the trill of birdsong

nothing beats that cup of fresh brewed coffee

steaming hot in the chilly morning air

Having coffee for one might be fun, but

sharing a pot for two is a joyful conspiracy

exchanging stories between sips of friendship

breaking biscuits and news to be shared by two

So here's to coffee camaraderie

to bonding and conviviality

come take a coffee break with me!

I shall be away, taking a break in Kuching, Sarawak for a week, so I shall not be participating in my favourite memes for a while. In the meantime, for those who drop in, help yourselves to some tea or coffee in these rose-patterned cups, and have a haiku to go with your cuppa:

change the rhythm

dare to reinvent yourself

emerge from cocoon

Linking to:
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Share the Joy Thursday
Thursday Poets Rally
Haiku Heights

Illumination

2011-09-26T00:54:00.000+08:00

Illumination

from within and from without

zen enlightenment

(For Haiku Heights)

From without:

sometimes the light from the setting sun

blazes strong and adamant

reluctant to leave centre-stage

and sometimes, the tired sun

casts a gentler light as it sets

seemingly glad to go to bed and have a goodnight's sleep

and the moon takes over

bathing the darkness

with its soft silvery light

Still illuminating from without:

the evening sun still bright

beams its golden light on the waves

signalling to the seagulls that day's toil is almost done

the revealing light of truth

baring for all to discover

dark secrets and crimes of passion

the noon light

benevolent, casting a vertical shadow

forming an umbrella of love

highlighting the many facets

of singular blooms

the sun empowers and beautifies

From within:

and magically

there's light illuminating from within

the burning embers of the heart

From within yet without:

illuminating the bleak interior of caverns

and underground rivers

neon lights reveal a wonderland

dispersing all fears of the dark and unknown

that caves are wont to transmit

if there were no illuminating light within

without the light

will there be shadows

without shadows

won't everything be just plain bright?

Linking to:

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens

2011-09-24T14:39:00.001+08:00

With most of you anticipating autumn, and some eagerly awaiting spring, while the rest of us in eternal summer, let's all go for a garden walk where we get to see the best of springtime pleasures. Let me take you to the Garden City's most established Botanic Garden, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. You'll love it there.

There'll be less talk and more walk. Are you prepared for this? Bet these three ladies are looking forward to their garden walk...it is spring, the air is crisp and they are all...oops, I did say less talk. Okay. Let's go.

Anticipation

Light of heart we start

sweet anticipation meets

gratification

(For Sensational Haiku Wednesday)

The sign post points to Annual Bedding and Plant Displays. Sounds good. The anticipation is building up...what do they have in store for us?

Annual beddings...carpets upon carpets of spring blooms...heavenly!

LOST

among these carpets

part the blooms and help me search

I've lost my heart here

(For Haiku Heights)

Wow, this flower bed is bright and cheery!

And this is so very sweet and demure.

Want to get a closer look?

Shall we stop by for some refreshments? My treat. We could just sit outside and enjoy the view as we sip our coffee and have some pie.

Let's make for the Conservatory...what kind of plants are they err, conserving?

Ooh, my favourite kind! These hydrangeas are insanely lovely.

These cherubs would look nice in my garden.

We have to leave the conservatory, ladies. There's more to see outside. I know, I know. It is hard to tear ourselves away from these luxuriant blooms.

Aha! I spot a tree-hugger!

Look up, tree-hugger, see the view of the sky through the cherry blossoms.

The rhododendrons and azaleas put up a great display!

Let's leave the gardens with one parting look...the weeping willow by the Avon River...do you really want to bid farewell?

Say Goodbye

It is so hard to say goodbye

my heart tightens

I choke on the words

they remain in my throat

No, I shan't say goodbye

I'll just bid adieu

I'll live on the scent and the memories of you

till we meet again

(For Poets Rally)

Linking to:

Haiku Heights

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Thursday Poets' Rally

Haiku My Heart

Watery Wednesday

Share The Joy Thursday

Skywatch Friday
Fertilizer Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Friday
Today's Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday

Beating the Blues

2011-09-14T18:10:00.005+08:00

weeds invade, lawn ruined

rifts to mend, woes to tend to

mind in muddy mess

(For Sensational Haiku Wednesday)

I'm feeling a little down, and my garden reflects my frame of mind. Or could it be that the state of my garden affects my frame of mind? It is an issue of which comes first, the chicken or the egg, but what is certain is that garden-lovers and their gardens co-exist in a symbiosis.

What is one to do when things are not all right with the world? Is there an elixir to cure the blues? What matters now is to address the issues and to find joy in small doses. So I go in search of small doses of joy...if I can find them, in the garden.

Small dose #1
I go out to my backyard to photograph some lantana, and what do I see? Some butterflies I have never seen in my garden before, fluttering about. And wonder of wonders, two of the butterflies allowed me to take their photographs. This is a first for me, getting a shot of a butterfly in my own garden!

Wonder#1...she didn't move for so long!

Wonder #2...don't know her name yet!

Small dose #2
Then, my cattleya plant decides to cheer me up by surprising me with some blooms. This plant is largely similar to my other compact cattleya plant named Pot. Thi Ti 'Chanchai Gold' which I posted about last month.

This is Chanchai Gold.

This is my other plant. Do they look identical to you? The one below has slightly smaller blooms, and there are only three flowers on a stalk. Might be a mini cattleya of the same Chanchai Gold, I guess. Whatever its name might be, I'm glad to see the lovely blooms. I'm beginning to feel more alive now, fresh interest aroused.

Small dose #3
This week is the first time my two jasmine bushes bloomed in full force. Usually one bush might make an attempt to flower - in spurts - and then it decides to abort the mission (sigh). Then the other bush might make a pretence of beginning to bloom - and of course it also decides to call off all operations. However, this time, in perfect synchronised timing, both bushes launched their execution of their assignment, codenamed: Burst of Blooms. This is a sight to remember! The flowers are like white sparklers in the night. Their fragrance is overwhelming...in a good sense (pun intended). Hey, what do you know, I feel more like my old self already.

I love the light 'snow' on the ground.

Small dose #4
I walk on to my flower beds, and see new faces of old friends: my hibiscus flowers keep on blooming...they don't let the weather get them down. The red ginger flowers are now thriving...I count seven of them. The two ginger plants had looked sickly just a month ago. Oh, and my Dendrobium orchids which had been in my plant hospital for the past six months has now produced three sprays! They've been discharged from the hospital of course. The lantana plants may be straggly, but their blooms still do the job of attracting butterflies...and they're doing fine. Even my garlic vines which are sharing the same pergola with my Passiflora Soi Fah are blooming after a spate of petulant indignation that they had to share their digs with strangers. And my bauhinia kockiana are coming back and beautifying the arch with new, bright orange flowers.

So, have I found the answer - is there an elixir to cure the blues?

joy in small doses

in the simple things in life

elixir for woe

(For Height of Haiku Challenge Prompt: Elixir)

Linking to:

GBBD

Share the joy Thursday
Poets Rally

Haiku heights

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Today's Flowers
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Mellow Yellow Monday

Thank you Poets Rally for the The Perfect Poet Award!

the next best cure-all
sweet aromatic solution
to lift your depression
to drown your sorrows
your sadness
your listlessness.

a pick-me-upper
saying "I hear you
I know you're feeling blue
I share your pain"
there is relief
there is reprieve.

the alchemist has turned
base metal into gold

RosieGan Sept. 2011

I nominate fiveloaf for his poem entitled Lines

A tiger, lace, and the blue moon - clip! clip!

2011-09-10T01:23:00.002+08:00

In the pale light of the blue moon,

the tiger with glassy eyes

behind the wild grasses hide

camouflaged

The foliage of the undergrowth

gleams grey, and ghostly

screens the tiger with

a lacy veil

Need you hide,

you, with all your might?

What secrets lie

beneath the bold stripes?

Have your claws been clipped

your vision suffered?

Or are you waiting to pounce

when the time is right?

Tiger, oh Tiger, do not fear,

emerge from the shadow of your veil

from the cover of the night

of the pale moonlight

and strike!

(For the Poetry Palace, Poets' Rally Week 51)

What does the tiger have to do with lace and how does the blue moon get into the picture? As you can see from the first sub-heading, we are dealing with butterflies, and we shall look into the names of these exotic tropical winged 'fairies'. To me, that's what they are...fairies in our gardens.

Malayan Lacewing
Cethosia hypsea hypsina

This beautiful creature is a nymphalid butterfly found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia.

The wingspan of the adult butterfly is 80mm; it is not a large butterfly, but oh, so attractive. It is the underside of the wings of the butterfly that we can see when it rests with its wings folded up. It is this spectacular design, orange-red with a black scalloped border, that distinguishes the butterfly.The white lace-like pattern marking the wing borders is what gives the butterfly its name. A beautiful name...the lacewing butterfly!

The Yellow Glassy Tiger
Parantica aspasia aspasia

The two patches of bright lemony yellow on the hindwings make this butterfly rather attractive. It usually rests hanging on a twig with its wings folded. Fortunately I caught this one on the ground, so its wings were beautifully spread open for the eye of the camera to document every detail of the pattern. The blue patches and the black background combine so well with the yellow contrasting accent.

It is a medium-sized butterfly, smaller than the Malayan Lacewing, having a wingspan of only about 60-75mm. You don't need to wonder any more why it is named after a yellow tiger if you look closely at the photograph below. The Yellow Glassy Tiger...an apt name indeed...it has the black and yellow stripes of a Malayan tiger, and the wing seems to be designed for a stained glass window display. That is how I think it got its name.

This photo is entered for Live Every Moment's Photo Challenge; prompt: Lighting.

The Clipper
Parthenos sylvia

This is another species of nymphalid butterfly that is found in Southeast Asia, usually in forested areas. It is said to have a flying mode which could be described as 'clipped'. The wings only flap a few degrees up and down while in flight.I am assuming that is why it is named the Clipper. Correct me if I am wrong. Nevertheless, this apparent disability doesn't impede its speed - it can fly pretty fast!

I enjoyed my dalliance with this particular fella in the photograph. It kept landing on this metallic bar, and for hours, I kept returning to that spot to try and get it to fly somewhere else, among the flowers preferably, but it was adamant. Refused to budge. I guess it felt safe, camouflaged there.

I found a bolder one which had settled on some green foliage...it couldn't be the same fella, could it? They all look alike to me. Oh, and one interesting thing about this species is that the markings of both the male and the female are alike. The male is only slightly larger than the female.

The Great Eggfly/ Blue Moon
Hypolimnas bolina

This species is found not only in Southeast Asia, but also in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. It has a wingspan of 70-80mm.

This is the male, which has no resemblance to the female. The upper side of the male has three pairs of white patches upon a black background.The white patches have a rim of bluish purple iridescence, each looking pretty much like a blue moon against a dark night sky! I believe that's why it is known as Blue Moon.

Here you can see both the male and the female. The male is in the foreground, and hiding behind him is the female. Her upper side is brown in colour and she does not have any white patches like the males have.

This concludes my conjectures as to how the butterflies got their names!
I have managed to identify almost all of the butterflies which I photographed at the Melaka Butterfly Sanctuary, except for a few species. The four butterflies in the collage below, are unknown to me. If any of you out there can identify them, please do leave me a comment.

I yearn to know you

your true self reveal to me

peel off painted mask

(For Haiku Heights #67)

Linking to:

Haiku My Heart
Haiku Heights
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Fabulous Friday
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Mellow Yellow Monday
Thursday Poets Rally
Poetry Pantry
Poetry Train Revisited
Share The Joy Thursday
SOOC
Today's Flowers
Postcards

The Auckland Domain

2011-09-08T22:48:00.002+08:00

I was going through my photographs which I took during my three weeks' visit to New Zealand last year, and was surprised to discover that I had not featured a few botanic gardens in full. I had merely combined some photographs from different botanic gardens which were featured in posts under the subject of garden design, and garden ornaments, etc. There were lots and lots of photographs of each particular garden that were not shared, lying in cold storage in my hard disk. How remiss of me. And what a discovery...it was like paying a second visit to those remarkable gardens all over again!

So, here we go...let's start with North Island, in Auckland, to be precise, the first city we flew in to, for the start of our self-drive holiday. I had previously featured in full the Fo Guang Shan Temple Garden in Auckland, under the post heading, Temple Garden of Peace and Harmony. Now I'm going to cover an even bigger garden, all 75 hectares, of the Auckland Domain...the oldest, largest, and most diverse park in all of Auckland. However what is most fascinating to me is that this domain is actually around the rim of a crater of a volcano! I was glad to find out, though, that the Pukekawa is an extinct volcano, so we were on solid, non-shaky ground.

I really do not know where to start; this tour is going to be quite random...I'll be darting from one end to another and probably go criss-crossing and zig-zagging all over the place. Just bear with me. I always get excited where there are so many beautiful flowers and lovely scenery.

You have to see the Wintergardens first. It is a protected heritage site.

There are two glasshouses - one for temperate plants, and the other for tropical plants.

You can see what I mean about the lovely flowers...I take photo after photo, darting here and there pretty much like a bumble bee after some choice nectar.

(For Sensational Haiku Wednesday)

count all your blessings

numbers one to one hundred

fragrant flowers smile

In between the two glasshouses is this enclosed courtyard. There is a huge waterlily pond here, and of course the Grecian statues add to the charm of this courtyard.

revelation of life

hidden under surface calm

roots strain to anchor

Haiku Heights - Prompt "hidden"

Outside, there are more lovely images for the lens to capture. Century-old trees, native flowers amidst large bushes, white roses, statues...blue skies, and nothing but blue skies.

As I approach the top of Domain Hill, I can see the Auckland Museum, an impressive building of neo -Greek architecture.

Walking towards the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, I catch a glimpse of the blue sea beyond. I quicken my steps as I know that's where there's more beauty to capture. And I was right, here they are... the panoramic views of Waitemata Harbour, Auckland City and Whenua Rangatira.

A Summer Vacation

(for Poetry Picnic)

A salute to the beaming sun

for his gregarious, golden glow

A hearty jubilation

for the mesmerising ebb and flow

of the throbbing, rhythmic sea

A tribute I joyfully sing out loud

dedicated to the azure skies,

the billowy clouds,

the flirtatious breeze

whispering endearments in my ears

I am brimming with bliss,

not a care, just peace

in my heart

there's the warmth of a summer's touch

Linking to:
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Watery Wednesday
Thursday Poets' Rally
Haiku Heights (Prompt #66)
Haiku My Heart
Postcards
Fertilizer Friday
Skywatch Friday
Poetry Picnic
Weekend Flowers
Macro Friday
Macro Flowers Saturday
Today's Flowers

The Cruiser and the Archduke

2011-09-03T15:14:00.007+08:00

The Cruiser was playing hard to get with me. I kept trailing her...it was not difficult to spot her...the mustard-coloured wings stood out against the foliage, and she moved rather gracefully, not flapping or darting around like some of the others were wont to do. Well, you'd expect it of the Cruiser, named for its cruisin' style of flying. Cool butterfly name.

The Cruiser Butterfly
Vindula erota

It is also known as the Banded Treebrown, but I like it fine as the Cruiser. It got that name for its flying motions of swooping and soaring. Imagine that! No, I mean just imagine that scene...when it flies over oceans...fabulous, huh? This butterfly is found not only in South-east Asia, but also Australia and the South Pacific Islands! Frequent flyers, aren't they?

The Archduke
Lexias pardalis dirteana

This butterfly also loves to be photographed with his velvety wings spreadout, showing off his royal blue trimming on his hindwings. Almost all his poses were in this similar manner. Really easy to shoot.
The Archduke loves passiflora plants. I happen to have two pergolas full of passiflora, and now, my ambition is to capture this Archduke among the vines.I wonder how long I'll have to be out in the garden... Oh well, I'll just not wait for him to make an appearance. I'll have his men send me an announcement of when he'll arrive.

The Archduke is a resident of South-east Asia, despite his European title. He loves the shade and avoids direct sunshine. This species is rather large, about 150mm.The Archduke may be heavy, but he is quick. He flies fast when disturbed from his favourite haunt, the undergrowth of forest floors where he feeds on organic forest litter.

we soar, glide alike

we mirror each other's heart

but we're worlds apart

Linking to:

Haiku My Heart
Haiku Heights
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Photo Challenge:
Fabulous Friday
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Mellow Yellow Monday
Thursday Poets Rally
Poetry Pantry
Poetry Train Revisited
Share The Joy Thursday
SOOC
Today's Flowers
Macro Monday
Mosaic Monday

Caught Flitting and Flirting

2011-09-01T14:37:00.005+08:00

For those who love butterflies as much as I do, here's the second part of my double-features on butterfly profiles. The two species I've picked this week are the Spotted Black Crow and the Asian Swallowtail.

The Spotted Black Crow
Euploea crameri

It has a somewhat dull colouring, and because of that, it is unattractive to predators. Even birds are said to dislike the taste of this dull butterfly. Smart butterfly, is what I say!
The upperside of the wings is very dark, more blackish than brownish. That accounts for it being named the Spotted Black (not brown) Crow. And where is it spotted? On the head, thorax and abdomen. A lovely white polka-dotted design. You can see this clearly in the photograph below.

For Leo at Haiku Heights:

I'll write you my thoughts

of how you charm my senses

iridescent love

The Asian Swallowtail
Papilio low ii

The Great Mormon
Papilio memnon

These are two indistinguishable species which are identical, and there are no consistent rules to tell them apart. As such, the shiny black butterfly above can be said to be either the Asian Swallowtail, or the Great Mormon! The fact is, both categories are swallowtails which are large, colourful butterflies from the family Papilonidae. The plain black one is the male of the species and the colourful ones in the three photographs below are the females.

I love the photograph below where I caught the Spotted Black Crow and the Asian Swallowtail on the same bunch of flowers at the same time. They both seem to like the hydrangea.

A waka for Poetic Forms

you whimsical one

you flit and flirt amongst blooms

alight on my heart

repose in my constancy

indulge your fancy

in springs of my devotion

my love is for you

this pledge I solemnly etch

on tablet of green jade stone

Linking to:

Haiku Heights
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Photo Challenge
Fabulous Friday

Poetic Forms

Poetry Picnic

Thursday Poets Rally
Poetry Pantry
Poetry Train Revisited
Share The Joy Thursday
Haiku My Heart

Chasing Butterflies

2011-08-27T15:55:00.005+08:00

I spent three hours yesterday...chasing butterflies. More like stalking, actually. And I am giddy with delight at the result...150 photographs for my new collection! It was a glorious achievement for me. I had never managed to capture a single image of a butterfly in my garden, and now I have so many, I do not know where to start. I'm sure you realise by now that I was at a butterfly sanctuary, and not in the natural habitat of butterflies, and that was how I could get so many shots of these lovely flutterbys.

According to the brochure I received at the Malacca Butterfly and Reptile Sanctuary, there are 30 species there. I think I managed to photograph 18 or so different species. I am in the process of identifying the ones I photographed, and this might take quite a while.So, I shall feature only two varieties in my first post on butterflies.

I'll feature my favourites first.

This was the first butterfly I saw as I parted the screen to enter the enclosure. This specimen was a wonderful introduction to the host of butterflies I was to see. Impressive, to say the least, as its wingspan was about 5 inches! And no wonder, as this was royalty...the Raja Brooke's Birdwing, the most recognised butterfly in Malaysia, practically the national butterfly. International trade of this butterfly is prohibited, as it is a protected species.

Raja Brooke's Birdwing
Trogonoptera brookiana

Inside, there were more of this variety...they were the most visible, not only because of their superior size, but also because they loved to stay at one place for quite a long time before they moved on to attach themselves to another place.

This fella seemed to be filling up on gas for the next flight out!

I didn't realise that butterflies need to drink, no wonder there was a small waterfall from which the water made puddles among the pebbles, so that the butterflies could stop by for a drink. I would think the nectar provided enough liquid nourishment! Ignorant me. I am learning quite a bit about butterflies with the reading up I'm doing for this post. That's part of the excitement for me...learning new things.

This one, I actually caught landing on the yellow ixora!

The Common Birdwing
Troides helena

This is another large butterfly. I love this particular Common birdwing in the image below, damaged wing and all. This Troides helena had graciously deigned to let me shoot it feeding on the yellow ixora. How's that for colour coordinated dining?

The Common birdwing is among the largest butterflies you will find in Asia. The ones in the photographs are about 6 inches from one wing tip to the other.

This is another lovely specimen, wings not damaged by the early morning rain.
[Photo submission for Photo Challenge - Bokeh]

I can't help but be inspired by these butterflies, to write a haiku for Leo's Haiku Heights:

incandescent green

flash of electric blue wings

breathe beauty into life

Linking to:
Haiku Heights
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Photo Challenge: Bokeh
Fabulous Friday
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Mellow Yellow Monday

Garden of A Thousand Flowers

2011-08-24T19:35:00.001+08:00

I have posted on my garden visits in many parts of the world, but have not had the time to post on the gardens in my hometown. This one which I am posting about has an ambitious name, "Taman Seribu Bunga", meaning Garden of A Thousand Flowers.

The last time I visited it, there were lots of orchids in bloom. This time...none. I was a little disappointed, but the other areas made up for that.

Let's go in and count the flowers!

Colourful carpet of annuals at the entrance to the public garden

This grove of Golden Chain trees greets us from the car park area.

Lophantera lactescens

Manicured garden with hardscapes including gazebos are found throughout the grounds.

A close-up of the Mussaenda philippica also known as Buddha's Lamp, Bangkok Rose (the bushes in the previous photo, to the left)

This walkway is lined with clumps of bamboo on the left.

This path has a row of heliconia backed by tall palms on the left.

Heliconia augusta

Drunken Sailor, or Quisqualis indica, all in a row.

Giant-leaved yam plants.

Musa ornata, a tall banana tree with lavender flowers. The yellow stamen-looking off-shoots must be the beginnings of young combs of bananas. The ants want the first taste, I see.

Sweet pink Peacock Flowers

Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Philodendron bipinnatifidum

Another mussaenda variety

Mussaenda luteola, dwarf yellow variety called White Wing. You can see why.

"Misai Kucing", meaning Cat's Whiskers

Orthosiphon aristatus

My favourite part of the garden

Topiaried bougainvillea with a carpet of annuals beneath them.

If your count hasn't reached one thousand, my job has not ended. I shall have to make another visit to this garden for more tropical delights. The bromeliads, ferns and palms are waiting for their turn to be featured in the next segment of Taman Seribu Bunga.

In the garden...

(my first tanka for submission to Poetic Form at The Purple Tree House)

temptation beckons

passion reaches for a taste

tainted fruit so sweet

faded petals on the ground

soiled for all eternity

written by rosie gan

( also for Poetry Picnic Week #1)

Linking to:

Miniature or compact?

2011-08-21T11:44:00.002+08:00

I can't tell if my cattleya that I'm featuring today is a miniature or a compact cattleya. I have posted about this plant before...whenever it blooms, I can't help but take lots of photographs. However, I have never found out its actual name. So I went surfing the orchid websites and was amazed at the mindboggling hybrids and clones that are part of the family of "small-sized" cattleyas. Excuse me for making up my own category...that is necessary because I am now totally confused as to what kind of small-sized cattleya mine is.

I assumed mine was a miniature, fondly referred to by orchid aficionados as Mini-catts. That's a cute-sounding name.I was going to settle for that term for my catt. Then I read that these plants grew up to only about 5 inches tall, and no taller. Mine are a good 3 to 4 inches taller. Then I saw that there was a category termed 'compact' cattleyas. These are said to grow up to a height of 12 inches. Mine has remained about 8 to 9 inches all these years. Mine should be a 'compact', then. They seem to fit the requirements for admission to the Com-catt category. Com-catt flowers are said to be large. I took a tape measure out into the garden to ascertain the size, and the reading across the flower from the tip of the petal at one end to the tip of the petal at the other end, read 9 cm. Yup, could be a compact. I was however quite unhappy that I couldn't refer to my flower as my 'Mini-catt' anymore. Com-catt sounds like what you would name a telecommunications satellite. But wait, maybe mine is not a Com-catt after all. It could be a Stan-catt! Standard cattleyas have the growth pattern of compact cattleyas, and they have strong stems that carry 5 or more flowers! I ran back out and counted...mine had 6! I read again, and it said that Standard cattleya plants 'will mature at 12 to 24 inches tall'. I guess mine is still immature, a Stan-catt acting like a little catt.I'll just call it Mellow Yellow Catt. End of search.

Note that I have still not found out the botanical name of this flower. I would be so glad if someone would ID this cattleya for me.

* After-post Note: I knew that one person could easily identify the cattleya for me, and I was right. I sent an SOS to Orchid de Dangau and he immediately emailed me with the ID. How great is that? You can see lovely photos of orchids at his blog. Thank you Makarimi!

Here's what my cattleya answers to from now on, a lovely name for a lovely catt:

Chanchai Gold

She is a cattleya allied hybrid, a potinara (Pot.), and her full name is

Pot. Thi Ti 'Chanchai Gold'.

Linking to:
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Today's Flowers
SOOC
Yellow, Mellow Monday

The Heart of the Flower

2011-08-18T23:14:00.004+08:00

What's smiling at me from my garden as I walk around in the morning sun, snapping shot after shot? Oh, nothing much...just a few fresh-faced daisies, a bee on my little blue water-lily, some trumpet flowers and a host of giggling blue plumbago. Let's look into their hearts to see what's inside.

Passion

in the heart of the brilliant flower

the psyche awaits the awakening

never visible to the ones

who merely look but do not see

in some the heart is a glowing ember

hot, smouldering, on the brink

of igniting into flames

when the senses are set free

in others the heart is hidden forever

vulnerable, but rhythmically throbbing

the depth of feeling lies hidden within

waiting for its discovery

the giving heart... there's none that's purer

nectar-laden for the offering

altruistic soul with a passion

to serve honey to the thirsty bee

Rosie Gan (August 2011)

for submission to Poetry Potluck #48

Linking to:
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Macro Flowers Saturday
Poetry Potluck
Weekend Flowers

Anyone for some cream fruit?

2011-08-15T19:13:00.006+08:00

Cream Fruit has no cream in it, and is not a fruit. How on earth did it get its name??? I've had Cream Fruit in my garden for the last 5 years, but it had never occurred to me to share it with you. I assumed that it was too common a flower, and I didn't know that it had such a delicious-sounding name. I was ignorant of the attributes of my poor, unappreciated Cream Fruit plant which I had uprooted from the front garden and transplanted to the backyard, by a wall beside a bamboo grove which overshadowed its existence. I never knew that it has scented flowers until I read about it in a book on tropical flowering plants. Hence it remained in that non-significant part of my backyard, literally being a wallflower.

I have found out since then that it is from Sierra Leone in Africa, and that it is from the family Apocynaceae, and the genus Roupellia. This Roupellia grata is a flowering bush with climbing vines if you do not prune it.The flowers are creamy white with a touch of pink, have a deep burgundy throat, and crimson petals on its underside. It is free flowering, but the smooth,shiny leaves tend to overwhelm the blossoms on my bush. The flowers suffer from low self esteem and usually hide under the leaves. The scent that the flowers give out is pretty much like the fragrance of roses. That must be why it is also known as Rose allamanda. It is also called Climbing oleander. The blooms do bear some resemblance to the oleander, except that the Cream Fruit flowers are sturdier and larger.

Linking to:
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Today's Flowers
SOOC
I heart macro
GBBD

Tropical Rhododendrons

2011-08-13T22:32:00.003+08:00

I often go gaga over the impressive displays of masses of rhododendrons in the gardens in temperate countries, not realising that we have our equivalent in the tropics. The Senduduk as we know it by its local Malay name here, is actually known as the Singapore Rhododendron. It is not only found in Singapore of course; it is found in South East Asia, China, Taiwan and in the sub tropical regions of Australia.

The Senduduk belongs to the melastoma family, and this shrub grows by the wayside of roads and on wasteland, so it is not much valued as a garden plant. However it flowers freely, and is rather pretty. The shrubs that I see being used lately for landscaping in my hometown are even prettier. I assume this newcomer is a new variety, as the petals have a different shape, but the leaves are similar to Senduduk. The common Senduduk have broader, rounded petals. I wonder what this new variety is named. If any of you out there know the identity of this particular melastoma, do tell.

Here are some potted shrubs that I photographed by the Melaka River along the boardwalk. The shrubs are eye-catching to say the least. The flowers beckon passers-by to admire their striking colours. So, here they are for you to get closer to them as you stroll along the boardwalk with me.

mysterious stranger

hiding who you really are

whispers speak of you

Linking to:
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Macro Flowers Saturday
Haiku Heights
Haiku My Heart

Winter in Western Australia

2011-08-09T01:10:00.000+08:00

Linking to:
Mosaic Monday
Macro Monday
Today's Flowers
SOOC

Wild About Wildflowers

2011-08-07T14:32:00.005+08:00

For Flaunt Your Flowers on Tootsie's Fertiliser Friday, I shall be flaunting today, not my own flowers from Mygardenhaven, but instead, I shall flaunt my photographs of Australian wildflowers.

I was in Western Australia last week, and I was on the look out for Australian wildflowers. No, I didn't go trekking in the bushland. That would have been an adventure, I know, but the best place to find them all together was of course King's Park Perth Botanic Gardens. The plants here are mostly native trees and bush flora of Western Australia.

If you are visiting King's Park, make sure you have wheels...a bicycle, or if you are from out of town, a rental vehicle. Why? Because this wouldn't be your usual morning walk in the park where you take a stroll and cover the area in half an hour. The park is approximately 4 sq kilometres, the largest inner city park in the world!

A little more about King's Park before we get to the wildflowers. This is a beautiful park and the panoramic view of the Swan River as well as of the city from Mount Eliza, where the State War Memorial Precinct is, is captivating.

These are the famed Boab Tree, or the Gija jumulu, ancient giants ( the trees can grow up to a thousand odd years! ) from the Kimberly region, north of Western Australia. They travelled 3000km to be part of King's Park. They certainly are the major attraction here. I got to see these trees in the dry winter season, so they are bare of leaves. The trees begin to flower and fruit in the wet season in September. I was here one month too early to witness this. I was surprised to learn that almost every part of the tree can be used...for food, shelter and medicine! The boab tree roots are said to be delicious, the young leaves can be added to salads, and the seeds are high in vitamin C content! Not bad coming from a bottle-shaped tree.

For Haiku Heights (Friendship)

the tree of friendship

it nourishes and comforts

stay rooted yet free

Here we are at the Botanic Garden. There are about 2000 species of Australian native flora here, and I'm going to show you all of them!? That would take me a week to prepare such a post, so...no, not all of them. Besides, like I mentioned earlier, my visit was a bit too early. The peak of the wildflower blooming season is from September to October. That's when the annual King's Park Festival is held where among other events, the flaunting of beautiful wildflowers takes the limelight. Here are the ones that were blooming, though.

This was the lone Kangaroo Paw I encountered. It is the Mangles Kangaroo Paw and has the singular honour of being the floral emblem of Western Australia.

These pretty little things were in abundance. They are Qualup Bells.

This is decidedly my all-time favourite shot. I am deliriously happy each time I look at this photograph. Oh, of course I love the golden yellow Coast Banksia here, and I also love the shape of the leaves. But oh how I adore that bird for resting there and allowing me to capture that pose! I don't even know its name. It was a lovely, lovely encounter. I read that banksias produce lots of nectar, and that must have been a pitstop for the thirsty bird. I also read that the aborigines also partake of the sweet nectar.

For more images of King's Park and Western Australia, check out my travel-i-tales blog.

Till we meet again, cheers mate!

Linking to:
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Macro Flowers Saturday
Haiku Heights
Haiku My Heart

Pond Makeover

2011-07-30T18:17:00.000+08:00

My little Fishies (they share a common name as there are too many to name individually) had been complaining to me about needing to upgrade their pond lately, so a makeover was in order. Hubby was pleased to get his D.I.Y. skills into practice, and he designed this pond concept that I am crazy about, clean lines and transparency! He used tempered glass, and we now have on our patio a 12ft by 12ft glass pond with a water feature in the centre, and a corner for water plants. Now I can watch my Fishies from every angle...they, on the other hand, get a huge apartment (a penthouse, no less!) thanks to my handy hubby.

Before

Linking to"
Fertilizer Friday
Macro Friday
Macro Flowers Saturday
Haiku Heights
Haiku My Heart

For Haiku Heights (Prompt: Confession)

confess to the waves
empty the soul of burden
fish glide blithe with cheer