John&Jacq~s Garden

Posted by Jacqueline on March 10th, 2011

Fuchsia species and hybrids We were definitely impressed by our first sighting of these superb flower dangles on the Fuchsia plants at the Cactus Valley in Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, home to many of Malaysia’s spectacular flower gems rarely seen elsewhere, especially in the lowlands. Numerous trusses of beautiful and vibrantly coloured blooms were seen hanging [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on November 24th, 2010

Thunbergia laurifolia (Blue Trumpet Vine, Blue Sky Vine, Laurel Clock Vine) An impressive flowering vine with long dangling flowering stalks that are beautifully decorated with numerous lavender-blue to lilac-coloured blooms. We sighted this beauty for the first time at Botanical Garden Putrajaya (Taman Botani), about 2½ years ago and were mesmerized by its spectacular display. [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on September 10th, 2010

Solanum macranthum (Potato Tree, Giant Star Potato Tree) Truly an exotic and impressive tropical specimen! This Giant Potato Tree is a large bushy shrub that can grow into a medium-height tree, and be beautifully adorned with stunning flowers all year round! A rare treat indeed to see purple blossoms on a tree! And more amazing [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on March 14th, 2010

Sinningia speciosa (Florist’s Gloxinia, Brazalian Gloxinia, Violet Slipper Gloxinia) Spectacular plant with large colourful blooms sitting atop its handsome green foliage. These eye-catching beauties in such a marvelous array of colours are usually offered for sale as gift plants or decorative houseplants around festive seasons in garden centres and hypermarkets. Hence, I grabbed the opportunity [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on December 1st, 2009

How timely that our tropical garden in November 2009 was in top form to present me with enough photography opportunities to try out my relatively new point and shoot camera, Canon PowerShot SX200 IS! My dearly beloved, John, presented me an early Christmas-cum-40th wedding anniversary-cum-birthday gift during the last week of October. Hehe…too bad that [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on July 30th, 2009

Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar Periwinkle, Rose Periwinkle) An old-fashioned and reliable bedding plant that never fails to shine year round in our tropical climate, abounding in pretty little flowers that are usually of the purplish-pink, rose-pink or white form. But, of course, many marvelous cultivars/varieties of various vibrant colors and dwarfish forms have been developed over [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on July 17th, 2009

Hosta (Corfu Lily, Day Lily, Plantain Lily, Funkia) Hostas are popularly grown as ornamental plants for their attractive and beautiful foliage. But, we hadn’t known before researching for this article how extensively varied are their shapes, sizes, textures and colors! The right image, courtesy of Mark @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/markescapes/3554195218/ presents two fabulous variegated form, so beautifully [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on June 18th, 2009

Epidendrum species (Epi, Epidendrum Orchid, Crucifix Orchid, Reed-stem Epidendrum, Star Orchid) How enormous and diverse the genus Epidendrum L. is! It consists of about 1,100 species of orchids that are native to tropical and subtropical Americas and the Caribbean. Now though, it is widely distributed, naturalized and cultivated in many regions worldwide. The more popular [...]