John&Jacq~s Garden

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 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 [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on June 1st, 2009

Wow! Our baby is grown-up! Just two years old, short of one month. There’s always excitement and pride when a young plant blooms for the first time ever upon maturity. This time, it is an orange Crucifix Orchid that was added to our garden in May 2007. Voted as our star orchid for May 2009, [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on May 18th, 2009

Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ (Lavender Spur Flower, Mona Lavender) Another love-at-first-sight flowering plant that was added to our garden in late April 2006. Within a couple of months, it grew into a very attractive compact bush with lots of dainty-looking tubular lavender-purple flowers in lovely batik design. Very showy and incredibly fascinating! We got to enjoy [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on April 24th, 2009

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Tropical Hibiscus, Chinese Hibiscus, China Rose, Shoe Flower) Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, the single form with the 5-petaled blood-red blooms, is Malaysia’s national flower. It is locally known as ‘Bunga Raya’ in the Malay language. Hence, it is no surprise that this spectacular ornamental shrub is popularly and abundantly grown in our country, especially along [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on March 14th, 2009

Gomphrena globosa (Bachelor’s Buttons, Globe Amaranth) These globe-shaped blooms in brilliant magenta-purple contrast beautifully with its cool and refreshing bluish-green foliage. Wonderfully catchy and everlasting in color and shape, their showy flowerheads are popularly used as cut flowers or dried flower arrangements!

Posted by Jacqueline on March 1st, 2009

Our Miss February 2009 is none other than this striking beauty, Oxalis triangularis spp. Triangularis, with such impressive foliage in the most unique shape and colors. Just look at those lovely shamrock-shaped leaves in the right image and you’ll know why this plant is commonly known as Purple Shamrock or Purpleleaf False Shamrock.

Posted by Jacqueline on February 20th, 2009

Podranea ricasoliana (Pink Trumpet Vine, Port St Johns Creeper) A gorgeous vine or shrub that is decorated with trusses of attractive pink trumpet-shaped flowers all year round in warmer tropics, and from late summer to fall in colder regions. We had a potted Pink Trumpet Vine, growing at our backyard for more than 2 years [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on February 14th, 2009

Cryptanthus bivittatus (Earth Star, Starfish Plant) This attractive cultivar ‘Ruby’ of the species C. bivittatus as pictured on the right, were just tiny tots in a 3-inch plastic pot when they joined our garden family in early 2006. Their unique star-like shape that resembles a starfish and the fabulous stripy colors of their variegated foliage [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on January 24th, 2009

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Dwarf Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, Peacock Flower, Red Bird-of-Paradise) A spectacular sun-loving flowering shrub or small tree that will be an excellent specimen in the garden if you have the space! Space above for its wide spreading branches and space below for its expanding root system or to ‘soak in’ its fallen debris.