John&Jacq~s Garden

Posted by Jacqueline on November 8th, 2011

Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea, Blue Pea Vine, Asian Pigeonwings) Clitoria ternatea is another of the many captivating twining climbers that are popularly used for covering the fence or train on a trellis, arbor or archway. A perennial vine that is free flowering all year round, with an abundance of attractive deep blue blossoms dotting its [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on October 14th, 2011

Cheilocostus speciosus; syn: Costus speciosus (Spiral Ginger, Crepe Ginger, White costus, Cane Reed) Free-flowering Cheilocostus speciosus (its current accepted name) is one of the most attractive and well-known cultivated species of the genus Cheilocostus. A lovely clustering plant with tall reed-like stems that are topped with large snowy-white and crepe-textured flowers on terminal cones. These [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on September 18th, 2011

Brugmansia suaveolens (Angel’s Trumpet, Angel-star, Angel’s Tears) The exotic Brugmansia suaveolens is a small tree or large evergreen shrub that is cultivated exclusively for its dramatic floral display. A prolific bloomer that may grandly display as many as 100-200 stunningly beautiful flowers at one time under good growing conditions. Simply spectacular… as if presenting rows [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on September 4th, 2011

Hmm… we thought that we’ll run out of garden news eventually since our garden plants were greatly reduced due to health problems (i.e. John’s suffering from lumbar spondylosis that impairs his gardening activities). But it appears there are still leftovers that aren’t willing to be categorized as run-of-the-mill as yet. Some plants just want to [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on August 3rd, 2011

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ (Mophead/Bigleaf/French Hydrangea, Hortensia) – our garden star in July 2011 Feeling blue? Let the beauty of nature and the Mophead Hydrangea with its gorgeously large blooms mop away the sadness and unhappiness! The colour blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body, and strongly associated with peace, calmness and tranquility. [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on July 22nd, 2011

Yucca aloifolia (Spanish Bayonet, Aloe Yucca, Dagger Plant) How marvelous! We recently sighted a flowering Yucca aloifolia for the first time, on June 30th. Not from our own top-heavy potted plant which has been residing at our front yard since year 2005. Humph… I wonder whether it’s about time to bid it sayonara? Spotted this [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on July 1st, 2011

Pseuderanthemum reticulatum (Golden Pseuderanthemum, Yellow-vein Eranthemum, Golden Net-bush) These stunning sun-loving flowering shrubs, growing at the The Little Sisters of the Poor St. Francis Xavier Home for the Elderly in Cheras K.L., certainly caught our eyes. Golden Pseuderanthemum simply adores the sun. From afar, we saw smiling and sunny faces, reverberating in the sunlight that [...]

Posted by Jacqueline on June 28th, 2011

Alternanthera ficoidea (Joseph’s Coat, Parrot Leaf, Calico Plant, Sanguinarea) Simply gorgeous! A non-stop riot of fall colours greeting us each day ever since we planted these dazzling Alternanthera ficoidea plants as ground covers in our garden beds last March! Being in tropical Malaysia, we do not have the joy of watching the autumnal turning of [...]