Malacca Discovery

I'm always thrilled to find a spot of greenery in the midst of a busy street.

Marimo

I've a new friend! Marimo is my latest attempt to cultivate green fingers after my disaster with the poor cati. The scary thing about Marimo is that it photosynthesizes rapidly under my desk's lighting and I'm obligated to change the water every 1 - 2 days just so it can photosynthesize. Otherwise the poor thing will be suffocating under highly oxygenated water.

I wanna take great pictures too!

I came across a wonderful website on the daily life of a Japanese photographer. If only I knew how to take photos like his that depict serenity and peace... the mundane won't be the mundane.

Dew in Muar

I miss mornings in Muar. The birds are incredibly loud, the air is cool and damp, and a fresh new beginning without baggage.

Farewell cactus

The last of my cactus died.

Thus marks my 7th attempt at growing cactus. And the 7th time a cactus has died on me.

Dear cacti, you've stuck valiantly with me all these years. Thank you for not giving up on me with every last spine and prick, I will remember you all...

Actually, I think I might have killed off more than 7 cacti... if I'm not wrong, I tried growing 3 cacti before I started Uni. If that's so... 10 cacti have died in my hands.

...

I'm a cacti killer! I've no green thumbs!!!!

On plants again.

My orchids bloomed again! So happy, even though I didn't do anything. Just plunked them there and spray water. When I see plants I always think that they are amazing, all they need is the occasional fertiliser, and water. Compared to human needs, they are pretty much self sufficient. Without expectations, they bloomed again one year later.

Ah!!! I wanna live in a room full of plants!

My Garden Corner

I've created my own garden corner!

I finally got an orchid plant. It's a small pot which I bought from the Pasar Malam set up near home. Did a little bit of research and found out that it is of the dendrobrium variety. Which variety is it exactly I've no idea. Think I'll go look for the aunty tonight and find out.

I also got this vine plant with cute pods and button like flowers.

Have no idea also what plant this is either too. Anybody knows? [I later found out it's common name is: Ant Plant]
Meanwhile my old favourites are still there surviving.

Compare them to when I first got them in April 07.
http://jtcontinued.blogspot.com/2007/04/blooming-cactus.html

By the way, Em, the plant you gave to me is not a mint plant but an Indian Borage. See article link: http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/oct07/oct07_Plect_amboinicus.pdf

It's shooting up like nobody's business. Time to cut and repot.

Botanic Gardens - National Orchid Garden

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I finally went to the Botanic Gardens. Two hours there is NOT enough. I didn't even manage to make it through the National Orchid Garden. Looking at the flowers just made my day. The happiness level was high enough to last me through the concert. Not that performing in the concert was depressingly, but I was high. Without sugar too. haha

Flowers are idiot-proof photogenic subjects.

Flowers in Muar

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Just came back from Muar a couple of days ago. Went a bit nuts over the flowers there. I think I'll head down to the Botanic Gardens soon to satisfy my flower cravings. hahaha...

Flowers

My catcus bloomed!!!

Nah... a couple of friends came for the concert and gave me flowers! So pretty huh?! I love flowers. Fresh ones especially. They don't last long unfortunately. So I decided I shall take photos of the flowers for posterity. ^_^

So pretty right the packaging. Girls love the packaging. I'm impractical that way.

Another close up!

On plants again!

Haha! Despite Daddy's doomsday pronouncement on the peppermint plant that I brought back home, one week hence and it's still alive and growing leaves!! Thanks Em for giving me a hardy plant! Maybe I might have Daddy's green fingers afterall?

So happy to have a plant that needs me to water it everyday, I was getting bored with my cactuses. Not much fun with plants that don't really need you much. My cactuses' flowers have since withered and closed up. I wonder when's the next time it blooms?

In the meantime, Daddy's money plant is growing massively outside our corridor. Grrr...

Just to help, Daddy's put an extra pot of earth for the plant's new growing roots (see below)

Flowers progress

I've been tracking my cactuses' flowering process. Check this out. Hmmm... Maybe I should conduct an experiement... like set my camera permanently on one angle and snap it day by day...

Oh well... next time lah. haaha! Enjoy, this time, it's the small flowers that are opening. =)

I decided to track the decay of my large flower too. haha...

Blooming cactus!

Hey something actually flowered in my hands!!! I'm so happy! Cos since UK, nothing that I planted ever prospered. the last 5 cactuses I bought died! Seriously! I was depressed... how pathetic a gardener I am that even the hardiest of plants - the cactus died on me! Anyway... enough with the depressing memories... Enjoy!

Here it is at night. the bud's closed for the night.

And then in the day night... it blooms!

Here it is from the side view! I put a mirror to reflect indirect light from my window. A better picture cos I dug out my camera from dusty storage to document this proud moment!

Here it is! In glorious full bloom! Yeah lah, the baby in the picture is me.

Okay, I know you guys must be skeptics. So I must confess, I just bought these plants a week ago and deliberately chose two that had buds. The bottom left plant actually had flowers before. Cute white ones. But they have since closed. Looks like it'll be another year or so before they bloom again... assuming I don't kill them off before they do.

Nonetheless! I'm thrilled that cacti (which I didn't like before) actually have such lovely blooms! I still think they look ugly, and I bought these cos I thought each one of them looked unique and interesting, plus I wanted some greens in my bedroom that I won't kill off so easily. But now I have flowers to look forward to! Woohoo!

Yeah... obviously exam preparations are still slow going...