Don't Leave The Leaves Out

Hi everyone

Those who are full time working shouldn't envy us the retirees for having so much free time. We, at least me, sometimes do not even know what to do with the time especially in the afternoon after lunch. It can become so boring.

Of course, it is the best time to take a nap but if you do sometimes you might overshoot and the nap can become a nighttime sleep and then on waking up feeling sluggish. Besides, sleeping after lunch is no good, all that calories . . .

So find some excuse to move, for example, you go outside take a stroll in the garden. In the hot sun? No, my small garden is crammed with tall trees. And my neighbour's huge rambutan tree further makes the atmosphere cooler.

Today I took some photos of leaves of my foliage garden plants. Give them some attention. We usually go for flowers but leaves too are interesting.  So don't leave them out.                                                        

I planted those decorative foliage plants because I am most time not successful with flowering ones. My past attempts at planting orchids had failed, even the orchid house also had collapsed and cleared off haha. I tried planting roses, all of them died. They are too sophisticated, difficult to care.  Jasmine, mabuk daun, all leaves only.

Some of my foliage plants are already old but still thriving and they had followed me where ever I moved. I mean move house. And I have moved no less than seven times. Once on moving house, I got chided. My potted plants alone almost filled up a 3-ton lorry. I was really crazy about flower gardening then.

Here are some of the decorative (decorative?) foliage plants in my humble home garden.

The monster (monstera) creeping up the dukong tree

Split-leaf creeper

This plant (Monstera?) was first given to me by a friend who has a florist shop. She used the leaves in her flower arrangements. As I was also interested in this form of floral art I thought why not I plant it too. Her plant was so huge it was encroaching the neighbour's area.  

The plant grew very slowly in the beginning but now it is conquering the dukong tree. I thought of trimming it off but, people say this plant can bear fruit which is edible. Of course, I am not so in hunger or craving state for wanting the fruit so much. I am just curious. So let it grow . . .

Song of India is the name

Here this plant, the Song of India. A hardy plant. My starter plant cost only a few ringgit and was very small. Look at the plants now, in fact, I have propagated it and grew them at a few other spots in the compound. Some were given to friends.

The above plant looks like the Song of India. But they are not the same.  You can use it in flower arrangement so it is quite handy to have it around.

Leaf green waxy thick and large

I got this plant, what's the name, from the same florist friend. I don't remember why I chuck it among the ladyfingers palm.  (Are they toxic the reason why I put them at the back?)  The leaves are large thick and waxy. If I transfer them into a big pot and let it grow to the maximum, place it under the porch it can make a bold statement there.

The ferns, this type, I don't know how they ended here in my garden. Thanks to whatever are the agents that have brought the spores here. Anyway, I keep them growing because when I am in the mood for making a flower bouquet I have a ready supply of fern leaves. I don't have to buy or to go search for them in the oil palm plantation nearby and risk stepping on a snake. 

Spiky and pricky fern

This fern(?) I had so much before this but I hate it because it is spiky and pricky. If you tend to them you get itch all over your hands and perhaps your face too. Like all those plants that displease me I despatch them to the side. But now I am taking it back to make part of the potted plant arrangement which is now pending due to the lack of suitable plants.

The Hostas plant

Large hostas leaves

The hostas (?) has big bold leaves. Given to me by sister in law who said that most rich man's house gardens have this plant. So I planted it. It has not flourished as it should, maybe because I am not a rich person haha. Actually, I never give them fertilizer so that they don't become too big and occupy too much space. I quite like the plant as it is, otherwise, it would have been rid off to the side.

Those are some of my decorative foliage plants.  I know, after reading you might just dismiss this as ah so ordinary and boring green. Yes, I agree.  There should be some coloured varieties to create more interest. I could have an instant colourful foliage all over if I want to. Just go buy from a nursery, right? No.

Instead, I got this miserable small plant. I won't prod it too much, just a little coaxing, and I'll leave it to grow itself into a beauty.

Aglaonema

See you next entry.

Bye . . .