nature
How we grow up in this garden
We have grown up together inside this enchanting garden. We feel contented living inside this gate, to be an orchid plant forever! Visiting hour is the happy hour, but not for beer, but for our open heart and bright smiley cheers!
Some of my friends live in the lab, shaking their bodies day and night looking for a fertile time to stick out the neck and say hello!
Some of them may have to wait as long as 3 years to be a hybrid, it is an honorable journey to demark them a reputation status.
Some just grow up a normal way and happily dress up every day in satin red.
Or being a yellow tie?
Or being a purple butterfly?
And station outside the National Orchid Garden as a cheerleading live rock band!
Please drop us a note if you are fond of us and want to be our long life fans!
We always welcome you with open hands and greet you from far before you land!
The saga of a lovely Saga tree
Saga tree (Adenanthera pavonina) is one of the top popular trees in Singapore. By saying that, we wish to imagine its presence but sometimes without even knowing its existence.
The Saga tree is hardy and fast growing species. It can grow like a giant in 15-20m tall and widely spread out to provide shade and like a welcoming kind father.
The fruits pods of this tree contain scarlet seeds, each of the 4 seeds make up 1 gram. In the past, it is widely used on gold and silver as a weight measurement.
The red seeds are a well-know love seeds among all warm and solicitude heart. Some like to collect it and store it up in bottle for their love ones. Some prefer to stitch it up forming a necklace and some place it to form a heart-shape.
This Saga tree is located at Botanic gardens. He treated his fern fans as his own family. Surrounded with their friendship and love. They lived together and share the wide blue sky. Spreading love-seeds to passer-bys, it also naturalized through out Malaysia and Africa. This is the core soul of Saga tree, the saga never fail to entice!
Every end marks a new beginning
The rare Talipot Palm (Corypha umbraculifera) is flowering for the first and the last time after 80 years of growth.
Over the next few months, it will produce some 24 million tiny flowers, and hopefully some seed, before it finally withers (by courtesy of Singapore Botanic Gardens).
If life ends with 24 million of flowers in exchange of a new dream, it’s just like the story of fireworks; it ends and relives our hope again!
Spring has come
Spring has come.
From all direction, outside the door step.
Along the street.
Waving at you!
An unknown tree, but old pals!
Always cheer me up on the street, from one end to another.
It comes from the top.
It comes from the side.
It comes from all direction!
Since he was young and silent.
Now he has grown up as Laughter!
And they group together as Cheerleading!
They sing loudly!
They are everywhere!
In spring!
A corner of the Park
Gardener always remain low and contribute so much effort to maintain the cleanliness of the park. They are always doing their job without any spotlight flashing on them. So, when you happen to pass-by them, do mind your step to give them your respect and status they deserved. They might be as low as grass, as tiny as sand, but they are equal on earth.
Sunlight and dropping leaves are the most favorable subjects on their stage of life.
Sometime they have to hide themselves in the lush to exchange the bowl of rice on their table.
An endless sweeping job day and night, through months and years. Are we able to take over them?
You can be a jaywalker, but have your grace and don’t litter around.
As there are many CCTV security systems watching you at everywhere you step on.
11) Spending a week with Miss Coco
When Miss Coco gets ready to pack up and go home, I left all her belonging on the sofa, and she seems strange to me.
She sat quietly by her belongings and stayed at the corner for hours without her usual jumping up and down and wriggling her tail seeking for hugs. This is unusual scene, it reminded me of the song by John Denver “I’m leaving`on the jet plane”. When a new journey is beginning, there may be something you can’t bear to leave behind.
Coco needs special diet advised by her vet. So, pan fried pork with potatoes and beans are must for her daily two meals. Whenever I am preparing her meal, Coco will not be the one sitting on my feet but it is our greedy Cougar instead.
She stayed away from me not because of my cooking style but because of this clumsy monster (Mr Cougar) trying to dash for the first hand meal.
When I’m done with the meal, I have to segregate the two by using the timber gate. Cougar will try to force his way through the gate for a bite of the meat. I have to deter him and at the same time cajole Miss Coco to sit tight, enjoy her meal without worries. Miss Coco will munch her meal bit by bit just like enjoying herself in a posh restaurant. While she maintain her civilized personality, she enjoyed the ‘lion roar’ at the same time behind the wooden gate.
This little princess is different from my rugged Mr Cougar. One so rough, the other so gentle. One is a rugby player, the other one a ballet dancer.
That is why when she knew she’s returning home, she started guarding her belongings and waited for her owner to arrive. This is the only reason I could figure out.
Man best friends undoubtedly have strong senses. She may be able to sense her owner 10 miles away who can’t wait to fly home soon to see her. Or she may be feeling glad she is leaving us soon…
Whatever is her reason, I thanked her for spending her time with us. The 7 days is not a long time but the memory is going to be forever.
Lastly, Miss Coco allowed me to have her picture posted without copyrights.
I hope to see you around, but I’m not sure if you feel the same…
Valentine’s Song
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your pride
To ease your pain
We go for a ride
We walk on the bridge
Everything will be fine
Don’t ask me why
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your bride
To soften your face
We go for a ride
We walk on the water
Everything will be fine
I don’t know why
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your pride
To brighten up your day
We go for a ride
You look at the east
Me at the west
Everything will be fine
Don’t ask me why
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your bride
To alleviate your naughtiness
We go for a ride
You look at the left
Me at the right
Everything seems to be fine
I don’t know why
I just don’t know why
32) River Song
Hey, are you able to perceive my vocal?
I know,
You were born beyond the heart of South China Sea
Driven day and night
Arrives at dawn
Who should we care when we look up?
Someone at the riverbank
Who will be there while we look up?
Someone at the riverside
It flows, flows and flows…
Flowing into my ground
Flowing into my house
Flowing into my tap
Flowing into my thirsty heart and dehydrated chest
Hey, are you able to hear my voice?
I know,
You were born within the heart of Sungei Serangoon
Lying there day and night
Awakening at dawn
Who should we love when we look up?
Someone at the riverbank
Who will be tearing when we look up?
Someone at the riverside
It flows, flows and flows…
Flowing into my land
Flowing into my home
Flowing into my cup
Flowing into my dehydrated chest and thirsty heart
Hey, are you able to hear my loitering?
I know,
You were born by the heart of My Waterway
Dreaming day and night
Awakening at dawn
Who should we stop when we look up?
Someone at the riverbank
Who will be smiling when we look up?
Someone at the riverside
It flows, flows and flows…
Flowing into my earth
Flowing into my room
Flowing into my throat
Flowing into my empty boat and uncountable books
31) Seed Song
I got a rubber tree seed
That’s seeking a place to please
I show him around my home, invite him for a sit
He looks happy
And start to present me his speech
What a joyful thing I have seen
What a lovely guy he is
Footing in the forest
Harmonize with the green
This is our home sweet dream
I got a pine tree seed
That’s seeking for a place to live
I show him my pine wood seats
He’s dancing happily
And singing in high pitch
What a joyful thing I have did
What a kind guy he is
Standing in the forest
Harmonize with the green
This is our home sweet dream
I got a coniferous tree seed
That’s seeking for a place to ease
I show him my cozy seats
He’s singing happily
And toasting in high spirits
What a joyful thing I have seen
What a simple guy he is
Standing under the moon
Harmonize with the green
This is our home sweet dream
Our three guy’s dreams
29) Arrowhead & me
Planting arrowhead is famous among Cantonese tradition, as they believe keeping them for good luck and blessing. Sagittaria trifolia L is the scientific name for arrowhead plant. The name is related to the shape of the leaf when it’s mature.
In my young days, filling up pebbles or marble balls to decorate the pot is a joyful stuff to do. When the bulbs started to shoot up, tying a red ribbon around the stem is just like putting a color of red to your coming new year.
Arrowhead bulbs can be eaten as well. The usual way is to clean up the bulbs, slice it and fry it with sweet pork sausage. The texture is powdery, juicy and sweet. It is usually acceptable by most after a few try. According to some medical report, it has some medicinal properties too.
This year, I bought the bulbs quite late and foresee it will not shoot up on time. Nevertheless, am glad to see some new stalks turning green and some sign of growth. I believe it is the soul of my wish and I will keep it in my secret garden.
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